UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
Press Briefing of 30 November 2005
MONUC enhances its logistic support to the electoral process in Bandundu and Equateur provinces
Wednesday 30 November 2005 press conference was jointly held by the Director of MONUC Public Information and Spokesperson of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kemal Saïki and Lieutenant-colonel, Frédéric Médard, ( Military Spokesperson)
The overall situation has remained calm across the DRC territory; no major event has disrupted DRC's security since last week.
The major weekly news are as follows:
- Visit by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the DRC, William Swing, to South Africa, Bukavu and Goma;
- CIAT's strong signal to DRC MPs and Government;
- Deployment of four Police Units Formed;
- New demonstrations by IEC staff in Mbandaka, Isiro, Goma and Bunia provinces.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for DRC, William Swing, was received by President Thabo Mbeki in on 22 November. They both reviewed the DRC Transition, the electoral process, the reform of the security area, the foreign armed groups issue and assistance to DRC for the post-electoral period. With respect to the elections, Mr. Swing and President Mbeki highlighted the need for a swift adoption of a fair electoral law.
MONUC's chief en route to Bukavu to witness the rotation of Pakistani battalion and a medal parade. He will thereafter travel to Goma and Bunia to meet a delegation of American senators (Samuel D. Brownback, Richard J. Durbin, Miss Annah E. Royal, Michael E. Daly and Maj. Timothy S. Jacbosen) that take a keen interest in issues related to refugees and the internally displaced persons in DRC.
Deputy
Special
Representatives
Ross
Mountain
and Haile Menkerios are currently in
New York
to hold a series of consultations, notably on the DRC transition.
Ciat, the International Committee to support the DRC Transition insists that the Parliament swiftly adopt the recommendations issued by the mission of the UN Security Council to the Great Lakes region and the Transition Government adopts and implements the recommendations issued by the technical mission of the European Union regarding the reform of the security sector (EUSEC), and the pay of the troops' wages, in a communiqué issued on 25 November 2005.
Four of the six police units formed (FPU) authorized by the Security Council were deployed: 1 Indian unit and 1 Bangladeshi unit in
Kinshasa
, 1 Bangladeshi unit in
Kisangani
and 1 Indian unit to
Lubumbashi
The last two Senegalese units will be deployed in
Mbuji Mayi
in December.
Their role will consist in securing MONUC staff and equipment wherever deployed, and training the Congolese police.
Electoral Assistance to the Independent Electoral Commission IEC
MONUC continues to attach great importance to voters' registration in Bandundu and Equateur provinces. Important progress was achieved in both provinces: as of 29 November 2005, altogether 1,929,885 voters were registered in Bandundu and 2,044,520 in Equateur. These figures respectively represent 63.3% and 68.13% of the total figures projected. As an example, on 22 November 2005, the total number of people registered in Equateur was 55.74% of the projected number. The number of people registered in both provinces almost amounts to the average of other provinces put together. The process has been prolonged until 10 December and can be further prolonged if need be, until 15 December.
Beyond the progress achieved, to quickly address the logistic problem, MONUC has permanently deployed a helicopter in Bandundu to cover the localities situated in the North of the province. An emergency plan with other flights from
Kinshasa
has also been put in place to cover all the localities situated in the South of the province.
We should bear in mind that MONUC established in Bandundu only last early August, contrary to other provinces where it has been present for a long time. More than in any other province, on a record time, the mission has been able to provide more logistic support in this huge province, with localities very distant to one another and where swamps, rivers, absence of roads constitute major obstacles.
MONUC continues endeavoring for equal opportunity between the voters of Bandundu and Equateur provinces and those in other provinces.
In anticipation of the referendum, the heads of 40,000 registration offices will be trained from 6 to 9 December 2005 in 166 administrative towns of the territory. The latter will, in turn, train 200,000 staff of the respective registration offices.
At the end of the training, each of them will receive per diems for IEC registration staff and the police officers tasked to secure the registration process.
All the registration offices have been opened and are now operational in both provinces.
IEC electoral staff continues protesting against delay in the payment of their wages.
Demonstrations were reported in Lisala and Mbandaka on 29 November. A sit-in was reported in Isiro since 22 November. In Goma, over 100 staff members took to the streets to protest while in Bunia, in a letter addressed to the head of the IEC, the staff threatened to boycott work on the referendum day if the IEC fails to pay their arrears by 30 November 2005.
At the end of a meeting between the members of the IEC and the Electoral Division of MONUC, IEC indicated that the pay of the IEC staff was already initiated in some localities and reiterated its determination to carry through the operation by 18 December 2005.
Child Protection
Child Protection Unit of MONUC held a seminar on Sexual Violence and Peace in a female high school in Bunia. Nearly 126 students were trained on their rights to be protected against sexual exploitation and abuse, including forced marriage.
Humanitarian Assistance
On 23 November, police forced eight NGOs including the Red Cross, Corps Médical, International and Save The Children to close their offices in Bukavu, upon the order of the Attorney, following a complaint filed to "Direction générale des impôts provinciale" accusing them of not paying their taxes on their Congolese staff wages.
In this regard, the
Deputy Special Representative
Ross
Mountain
, addressed a letter to the Vice-president of the Political, Defense and Security Commission, Azarias Ruberwa, informing him that the taxes in question concerned the period when part of the country was under control of RCD-Goma which exonerated NGOs from paying those taxes.
To prevent possible lootings of the NGOs offices, MONUC South Kivu Brigade has stepped up patrols in the key districts of Bukavu.
On 28 November, the Governor of
South Kivu
ordered the reopening of the closed NGOs.
Lt-Col Frédéric MEDARD has more details on the military situation:
The military situation remains variable from one province to another, depending on what resistance the different militias or armed groups can offer. In MONUC zone of responsibility, as the referendum vote of 18 December approaches, efforts will mainly be concentrated on the transport and protection of the electoral materials and equipment.
Ituri
In Ituri, this past week saw the completion of the operation "Ituri Enthusiast", in the sector of Similiki, against MRC (Mouvement Révolutionnaire Congolais/Congolese Revolutionary Movement) militiamen. The FARDC are now strengthening their positions along the border with in order to cut off the supply lines to the MRC militias possibly present within the Congolese territory.
FNI (Front des Nationalistes Intégrationistes/ Nationalist Integrationist Front) combatants of Peter Karim concentrated in the region of Nioka where they carried out northward operations against the FARDC. On 26 November, following clashes 25 km north of Fataki, wounded Congolese soldiers were evacuated to Kataki where they received treatment by the Nepalese medical unit. On 24, 25 and 26 November, the Nepalese blue helmets, stationed at Mahagi and Fataki, conducted zone control patrols, concurrently with a combat helicopter reconnaissance mission flying over Nioka sector. Two platoons of the Pakistani contingent arrived in Mahagi and are now assisting Nepalese soldiers in their securitisation mission.
This week was marked by the explosion of a mine at Gwonyeri, in which two civilians were killed. The use of this type of weapon is a new element, introduced since the militiamen found themselves facing the FARDC in this region.
LRA
The Nepalese blue helmets, deployed at
Aba
, carried out, both in the North and South, daily patrols along the Sudanese border, seeking information on the possible presence of LRA rebels. For instance, on 24 November, a patrol team went to Laso, 18 km southeast of
Aba
. No element confirmed any LRA presence there. On the following day, 25 November, a new patrol headed to the region of Misa, 25 km northwest of
Aba
. Here, too, there was no element confirming the presence of any LRA rebels.
North Kivu
In
North Kivu
, the FARDC maintained pressure on the FDLR. On 27 November, patrolling elements of the 5th integrated brigade killed 5 FDLR militiamen at Busesa (Rutshuru territory) and 5 weapons were recovered.
On 25 November, at Kiabisale, 25 km northeast of Butembo, Indian blue helmets patrolling in the region established contact with 5 ADF rebels bearing a white flag. The MONUC troops handed them leaflets used by MONUC as part of its sensitisation campaign for the voluntary repatriation of Ugandan rebels, whereas these combatants gave the peacekeepers a grievance letter. This contact with the ADF elements, the first of its kind, by no means modifies the conditions of the ultimatum issued by the Congolese authorities.
The operations at Kichanga continued in order to maintain UN presence in this sector, the suspected hideout of General Nkunda.
South Kivu
In
South Kivu
, in the last two weeks, in addition to carrying out operations to secure markets, the Pakistani blue helmets continued their action to protect worship sites on Sundays in Uvira where no incidents were reported over that period.
The wave of surrenders continued among Mayi Mayi combatants willing to join the DDR process. On 25 November, Major Abdul expressed his intention to disarm and surrender to MONUC, in which case the
Mission
will hand him over to the Congolese authorities.
Concern arose in
South Kivu
about the behaviour of the FARDC. After several serious complaints were reported, the Brigade referred these cases to the South Front Commander of the 10th Military Region. It is up to the authorities concerned to take the necessary steps to ensure that the civilian population lives in peace.
Such concern includes the difficulty for the population to distinguish Congolese regular troops from poachers or other combatants, as these regular soldiers are not provided with uniforms by their commanders.
In , pending deployment of a Beninese infantry battalion at the beginning of 2006, the Uruguayan South African forces have begun to ensure security and logical support for the electoral deployment. As regards the South African blue helmets, 50 of them are already operational and 2 additional platoons will be deployed from 2 December. Miscellaneous
MONUC pleads for assistance to boat accident victims in Mbandaka
A commercial boat with 134 passengers on board travelling from Basankusu to Kinshasa via Mbandaka is currently immobilised at the port in Mbandaka port, in Equateur province, due to technical problems. The MONUC riverine unit went to the aid of the boat which was some 250 km from Mbandaka on the river . After visiting the boat, the local Red Cross officials expressed concern about a possible rapid deterioration of the health conditions on board. The Red Cross called for an urgent humanitarian intervention, especially including the provision of food, potable water and medicines. MONUC also pleaded for humanitarian assistance to be brought on board the ship while at the same time calling on the local authorities to consider the possibility of a sustainable solution. In this respect, the authorities in Mbandaka identified the boat owner who committed himself to address the problem in order to carry the passengers to Kinshasa as soon as possible.
Families of ex-soldiers in Mbuji-Mayi embark on an infernal trip to Bukavu
The authorities in Mbuji-Mayi have decided to take 817 persons, among them 500 children and 317 wives of ex-soldiers from
Mbuji Mayi
to Bukavu. Given the impracticability of roads, the distance to be covered (1,500 km) and the significant number of children involved, the Humanitarian Section of MONUC has suggested to the authorities that they explore the possibilities of a plane trip. But the Mbuji Mayi-Bukavu route chosen by the local authorities will be travelled respectively by road, train and river. This will take an estimated two months altogether. On 27 November, the persons concerned left Mwene Ditu travelling by train for a first stop at Kamina. The medical personnel on board reported 43 cases of diarrhoea, tuberculosis and malaria. The Humanitarian Section of MONUC and the humanitarian organisations are working to ensure a smooth trip.
