UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
Verbatim of MONUC Weekly Press Conference of 5th April 2006
Dear Colleagues,
Listeners of Radio Okapi, Good Morning!
Welcome to our weekly meeting, the first of the month of April. We will also be joined, over the phone, by Lieutenant-colonel, Frédérique Médard, MONUC military spokesman who is presently in Bukavu.
We have today a guest from the Mission's Human Rights Section, our colleague Mr. Luc Henkinbrant who will give detailed report on the round table held at MONUC headquarters on Monday 3 April. The objective of the round table meeting was to discuss the priority recommendations and actions laid down in MONUC report about arrests and detention of people in solitary confinement cells and prisons in the DRC. He will as well comment on a very important measure recently taken by the DRC Public Prosecutor over arrests procedures.
The United Nations continues its preparations for the securitization of the DRC elections. The commitment was reiterated by the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, during his recent visit to the DRC. To this end, he appealed to the UN Security Council to authorise deployment of a portion of its military troops based in Burundi where the United Nations is winding down, notably one infantry battalion of a military hospital and about 50 military observers. Jordan and Pakistan, which have provided most of these troops, have already given their green light for the troops to be deployed in Katanga.
As you are all aware, the Independent Electoral Commission known as CEI closed the registration of candidates for the presidential and legislative elections. The publication of the list of candidates is scheduled for tomorrow. MONUC will then issue a statement.
The Chief Prosecutor of the International Court in The Hague, Luis Moreno Ocampo, visited the DRC recently. His visit, which came after the transfer of Mr. Thomas Lubanga to ICC custody, was a good opportunity for the Chief Prosecutor to further look into the various accusations of crimes attributed to the Ituri armed groups. Indeed, one of the objectives of the Chief Prosecutor was to prevent further crimes in future by putting an end to impunity.
Last week, questions were put to us over the dispute pitting SONAS against MONUC. The issue on the checking of the Mission's vehicles was brought to the attention of the Ministry of Interior which promised to instruct SONAS so as to immediately stop such practices. We are still waiting to see the results. Moreover, SONAS through the DRC Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York referred the matter to our headquarters by means of a note verbale. They freely opted to act this way, thereby restricting our capacity for intervention. However, we continue, at the level of Kinshasa, to interact with the local authorities over the issue. In any case, it would not be appropriate to have such issue debated in public.
Before giving the floor to our guest, I will contact Lieutenant-Colonel Médard who is currently in Bukavu for him to give us his report on military activities. You have the floor, Colonel, if you are listening to us.
In the district of ITURI, MONUC multinational brigade have stepped up operations designed to counter the activities of the armed groups, weaken and reduce their capacity.
After the setback suffered by one of those groups, a few kms from South East of KAGABA, in which several ex-militiamen were killed on 28 March, Bangladeshi peacekeepers inflicted heavy loss on another group in a district close to SABE, the following day.
On 30 March, within the framework of the operation codenamed ITURI IMPULSE, the Pakistani battalion launched a cordon and search operation in the zone stretching out from MANDRO as far as LOGA. As they were moving closer to KATOTO, the peacekeepers came under fire from armed individuals waiting in ambush in the wood. Those individuals fled but were later on surprised by MONUC units. As they were getting nearer LOGA, the peacekeepers were informed by villagers of the presence of an armed group in the area. The armed men also fled as MONUC got nearer. The cordon and search operations on the ground led to the finding of 5 AK-47 assault guns abandoned during the rout.
Moreover, the ITURI brigade continued, among other activities, to provide refresher course to the FARDC integrated units.
In the NORTH KIVU province, no incident was reported during the patrols conducted by the Indian brigade in the zone under its responsibility. In KAMANGO, the 2nd Indian battalion proceeded with the operation dubbed NORTH NATIONALIST II, jointly led with DDRRR representatives, designed to sensitize the ADF to the repatriation process.
Like in ITURI, the Indian brigade provided FARDC troops with refresher course.
In SUD KIVU, Pakistani brigade has since 31 March engaged an operation codenamed SENTINEL SUSTAIN, aimed at driving out of the areas surrounding MANGA, EKINGI and CHIBIRORO, the FDLR troops that re-infiltrated the region after the operation codenamed SOUTH SENTINEL.
FARDC units, backed by MONUC, keep gaining ground as planned. MONUC's objective, in fine, is to proceed with and reinforce the voluntary repatriation process for the Rwandan ex-combatants.
With respect to the voluntary repatriation, it is worth noting that DRC authorities handed over 3 Burundian ex-combatants to Burundian authorities. The excellent cooperation between the DRC and Burundi governments was marked by a brief ceremony.
Thus, this past week showed that despite their activities, the armed groups failed to produce any impact serious enough to threaten the transition process, and the election in particular.
For MONUC Forces, the priority is now the electoral process, both in terms of providing logistic support and a secure environment enabling the Congolese people to go the polls in the best conditions.
