UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
3 Mar
2009
Press Briefing of 25 August 2005
MONUC Launches Large-Scale Operation To End Insecurity in Ituri
MONUC 'launched Wednesday morning a major military operation in Ituri. The operation is conducted with five combat companies, supported with air assets as part of the overall effort to end insecurity in Ituri. The objective is to maintain pressure on the aggressors who keep operating in the region,' the UN Mission's Military Spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Thierry Provendier told the news conference.
'South and North Kivu brigades proceed with efforts to persuade FDLR members to honour their Rome commitment last March,' further said Lieutenant-Colonel Provendier before adding, 'South Kivu brigade maintains a presence in Walungu, Kabare, Shabunda territories where a South African company is now based and will be exerting control over all of the surrounding territories.'
MONUC Military Spokesman also said, 'North Kivu brigade maintains contacts with FDLR whose camps were identified during reconnaissance operations launched respectively on 10-16 August and 19 August.' The military Spokesman further indicated, 'MONUC troops are attentive about the security of the voter identification and registration process.' He recalled, 'MONUC's role is to ensure the overall security of the territory in collaboration with FARDC'. However, he highlighted, 'the Congolese Police Forces are responsible for the security of the surroundings of the 9,238 voter identification and registration offices, planned for the whole of the DRC' added Lieutenant-colonel, Thierry Provendier.
With respect to the security of the electoral process, the military spokesman said, 'MONUC is planning to participate in the training of 9 FARDC (Congolese Armed Forces) brigades to be deployed in three Eastern DRC provinces prior to the upcoming elections. This final training due to last 45 days is aimed at promoting interoperability between the FARDC brigades and MONUC troops.'
Lieutenant-colonel Provendier said, 'MONUC is preparing itself militarily to meet the new tactical imperatives and security concerns voiced by the population,' and noted, 'To this end, a Senegalese company was relocated from Kisangani to Ituri to enhance the rapid reaction capacity of MONUC Ituri Brigade. Meanwhile, MONUC South Kivu brigade is setting minimal logistic conditions for a deployment of troops in Walungu and Kabare territories. In response to the current situation in Katanga, MONUC decided to deploy troops in the region. Two companies will be deployed shortly to establish Mission's presence in the area that assessed as being the most sensitive,' MONUC Military Spokesman said.
'MONUC welcomes the launch of voter identification and registration operations in the Kivus and in Maniema, in particular the fact that registration centres opened on time and that operations have been taking place, so far without any major difficulties,' stated MONUC deputy spokesperson, Ms Rachel Eklou-Assogbavi. Meanwhile, 'MONUC joins the Independent Electoral Commission in condemning strongly the incidents that took place in Ituri last Monday and Tuesday, which resulted in the death of a local notable,' Ms Rachel Eklou-Assogbavi pointed out.
In another development, the deputy spokesperson indicated that: 'MONUC launched an investigation into allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse reportedly committed by elements of the Mission's Formed Police Unit.' 'The on-going investigation was initiated immediately upon receipt of these allegations. Should these allegations prove to be substantiated, MONUC will take appropriate administrative action, including repatriation of personnel,' Ms Rachel Eklou-Assogabavi stated.
Highlighting MONUC strict zero-tolerance policy, without exception, regarding sexual exploitation and abuse, the deputy spokesperson emphasised that the UN Mission in the DR Congo 'remains determined to implement this policy in a transparent manner. MONUC remains committed to maintain the highest standards of integrity, and to ensure that all allegations of misconduct involving its personnel are investigated and appropriate disciplinary measures taken.'
On the agenda of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for the DR Congo, Ms Rachel Eklou-Assogbavi announced that today (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday) 'Mr William Lacy Swing is in Kigali in Rwanda in order to participate in the meeting of the Tripartite Commission composed of the Governments of the DRC, Uganda and Rwanda. Mr Swing was to participate yesterday in the meeting of the Joint Verification Commission, but the meeting was cancelled, and is probably postponed until next week.'
'During this past weekend, the Special Representative travelling with the Comité International d'Accompagnement de la Transition (CIAT, International Committee in Support of the Transition) went to Lubumbashi in Katanga et Mbuji Mayi in Eastern Kasaï to look a little more closely at the conditions in which voter registrations operations are taking place in these two provinces,' MONUC deputy spokesperson said. This allowed Mr William Swing 'to obtain very precise information on the drawbacks and hurdles encountered on the ground. He shared his observations with the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), and MONUC is considering ways in which it could further assist the CEI in resolving these problems quickly,' Ms Rachel Eklou-Assogabavi added.
'South and North Kivu brigades proceed with efforts to persuade FDLR members to honour their Rome commitment last March,' further said Lieutenant-Colonel Provendier before adding, 'South Kivu brigade maintains a presence in Walungu, Kabare, Shabunda territories where a South African company is now based and will be exerting control over all of the surrounding territories.'
MONUC Military Spokesman also said, 'North Kivu brigade maintains contacts with FDLR whose camps were identified during reconnaissance operations launched respectively on 10-16 August and 19 August.' The military Spokesman further indicated, 'MONUC troops are attentive about the security of the voter identification and registration process.' He recalled, 'MONUC's role is to ensure the overall security of the territory in collaboration with FARDC'. However, he highlighted, 'the Congolese Police Forces are responsible for the security of the surroundings of the 9,238 voter identification and registration offices, planned for the whole of the DRC' added Lieutenant-colonel, Thierry Provendier.
With respect to the security of the electoral process, the military spokesman said, 'MONUC is planning to participate in the training of 9 FARDC (Congolese Armed Forces) brigades to be deployed in three Eastern DRC provinces prior to the upcoming elections. This final training due to last 45 days is aimed at promoting interoperability between the FARDC brigades and MONUC troops.'
Lieutenant-colonel Provendier said, 'MONUC is preparing itself militarily to meet the new tactical imperatives and security concerns voiced by the population,' and noted, 'To this end, a Senegalese company was relocated from Kisangani to Ituri to enhance the rapid reaction capacity of MONUC Ituri Brigade. Meanwhile, MONUC South Kivu brigade is setting minimal logistic conditions for a deployment of troops in Walungu and Kabare territories. In response to the current situation in Katanga, MONUC decided to deploy troops in the region. Two companies will be deployed shortly to establish Mission's presence in the area that assessed as being the most sensitive,' MONUC Military Spokesman said.
'MONUC welcomes the launch of voter identification and registration operations in the Kivus and in Maniema, in particular the fact that registration centres opened on time and that operations have been taking place, so far without any major difficulties,' stated MONUC deputy spokesperson, Ms Rachel Eklou-Assogbavi. Meanwhile, 'MONUC joins the Independent Electoral Commission in condemning strongly the incidents that took place in Ituri last Monday and Tuesday, which resulted in the death of a local notable,' Ms Rachel Eklou-Assogbavi pointed out.
In another development, the deputy spokesperson indicated that: 'MONUC launched an investigation into allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse reportedly committed by elements of the Mission's Formed Police Unit.' 'The on-going investigation was initiated immediately upon receipt of these allegations. Should these allegations prove to be substantiated, MONUC will take appropriate administrative action, including repatriation of personnel,' Ms Rachel Eklou-Assogabavi stated.
Highlighting MONUC strict zero-tolerance policy, without exception, regarding sexual exploitation and abuse, the deputy spokesperson emphasised that the UN Mission in the DR Congo 'remains determined to implement this policy in a transparent manner. MONUC remains committed to maintain the highest standards of integrity, and to ensure that all allegations of misconduct involving its personnel are investigated and appropriate disciplinary measures taken.'
On the agenda of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for the DR Congo, Ms Rachel Eklou-Assogbavi announced that today (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday) 'Mr William Lacy Swing is in Kigali in Rwanda in order to participate in the meeting of the Tripartite Commission composed of the Governments of the DRC, Uganda and Rwanda. Mr Swing was to participate yesterday in the meeting of the Joint Verification Commission, but the meeting was cancelled, and is probably postponed until next week.'
'During this past weekend, the Special Representative travelling with the Comité International d'Accompagnement de la Transition (CIAT, International Committee in Support of the Transition) went to Lubumbashi in Katanga et Mbuji Mayi in Eastern Kasaï to look a little more closely at the conditions in which voter registrations operations are taking place in these two provinces,' MONUC deputy spokesperson said. This allowed Mr William Swing 'to obtain very precise information on the drawbacks and hurdles encountered on the ground. He shared his observations with the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), and MONUC is considering ways in which it could further assist the CEI in resolving these problems quickly,' Ms Rachel Eklou-Assogabavi added.
