UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
3 Mar
2009
MONUC expresses satisfaction over voter registration in DRC towns
MONUC 'hails the launch of electoral registration simultaneously in several towns of Eastern Province and Bas-Congo,' Mr. Kemal Saiki, Director of Public Information and MONUC Spokesman told the weekly news conference.
He underscored that, 'The only problems identified thus far by MONUC in the registration operations in the Ituri district are of a technical nature,' and added, 'No major incident was reported in yesterday's registration operations in Bunia where nearly 3,000 people registered.'
'MONUC applauds the launch of electoral operations in other provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo,' the Director of MONUC Public Information said.
Mr. Saïki recalled, 'The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for the DRC, Mr. William Swing, accompanied a delegation of the 'Comité International d'Accompagnement de la Transition' (CIAT, International Committee to Support the DRC Transition) that visited South Kivu on 22 and 23 July to see for himself the situation prevailing in that province and to express his support to the authorities and the population.' CIAT members conferred with the Province Council of Security, MONUC civilian and military officers, the office of the 'Commission Electorale Independante' (CEI, Independent Electoral Commission) as well as representatives of the civil society and women's associations of South Kivu. Mr. Kemal Saïki reported, 'In its Monday 25 July communiqué, the CIAT voiced its concern over the insecurity prevailing in some parts of the province of South Kivu. The CIAT condemned with the strongest terms the massacres perpetrated between May and July 2005, notably in the districts of Ninja (Ihembe) and Ntulumamba, which it held ex-Rwandan Armed Force (ex-FAR), Interahamwe and associates as responsible for. The CIAT called on the ex-FAR and Interahamwe to honour their commitments they freely made in the Rome declaration of 31 March that they would join the disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration programmes (DDRRR) for their repatriation to Rwanda. The CIAT expressed its full support to the intensification of joint military operations between the 'Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo' (FARDC, Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and MONUC troops against foreign armed groups, aimed at securing the populations. The CIAT called on the Transition Government to increase FARDC operational capacity in South Kivu and to provide them with minimum logistic and operational support.'
Mr. Saïki informed, 'MONUC reiterated its appeals to the Transition Government to do everything in its power to give substantial logistic support to the armed forces, including food and wages.'
With respect to disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration programme (DDRRR), 'MONUC recalled that Rwanda has once again publicly and officially made a pledge to receive those who would volunteer to return home, would guarantee their security and help them to reintegrate civilian live with dignity. The programme has been operational for several years and proved successful; hundreds of combatants have reintegrated within civilian life in Rwanda since the MONUC DDRRR operation was launched in 2001. There are five transit centres ready to receive Rwandan ex-combatants and help them familiarise with the new civilian life and to facilitate their reintegration into the society. The DDRRR programme to Rwanda is funded by the International Community, notably the World Bank,' Mr. Saïki said.
Moreover, the Director of MONUC Public Information and Spokesman said, 'MONUC took note of a declaration by a Ugandan army spokesman yesterday that Uganda will not allow anyone to use its territory for the purpose of waging war on the DRC. MONUC is closely monitoring all developments regarding the presence of militia leaders and armed groups or any war criminals in Uganda and other bordering countries against whom warrants of arrest were issued.'
With respect to military activities, the military spokesman, Lieutenant-colonel Thierry Provendier reported, 'Ituri brigade is currently engaged in a number of important operations. The first is mainly aimed at securing the population during the registration of voters' The security situation is under control. This would enable the Congolese people to fulfil their civic duty safely,' Lieutenant-colonel Provendier said, before reporting, 'Five elements of the Rapid Reaction Force have been made operational to cope with any possible threat, logistic or security dysfunction in the different centres of registration.'
The military spokesman further said, 'As part of cooperation with FARDC, MONUC has trained 170 Congolese officers in Bunia. The troops have been conducting military operations on a permanent basis with MONUC support. The Ituri Brigade provides them with helicopters for medical evacuations and close-air support. It also provides them with logistic support in respect of transport and ammunitions.'
With regard to North Kivu, Lieutenant-colonel Provendier said, 'The primary task of the Peacekeepers' brigade in the province was to secure the villages of the Rutshuru region: Nyakakoma, Nyamilima, Ishasha' An operation was launched on 21 July to demonstrate the North Kivu brigade's determination to keep the security situation under control in the zone, and, more particularly, in the three villages that have been victims of the recent clashes. Five platoons are engaged in the operation. They mean to prove to the armed groups that MONUC will not tolerate that civilians be systematically the innocent victims of clashes,' he pointed out.
Lieutenant-colonel Provendier also reported, 'Other operations were launched in the regions of Nyamulgera volcano and the Hebo Mountains to verify the rumours of the presence of Rwandan troops in the region of the Virunga Park. Neither a single testimony nor investigation conducted throughout the area has confirmed the rumours.'
In South Kivu, 'a second operation 'Thunderstorm' led to the dismantling of three more camps, after verifying that all FDLR combatants had left the sites. This operation involved about a thousand men, 10 armoured vehicles and five helicopters. At the same time, the Lake Kivu riverine unit conducted a control operation on Idjwi island, searching for possible signs of arms trafficking or caches in this transit zone between Rwanda and DRC,' the military spokesman said.
Lt-Col Provendier concluding by indicating that a total of '16 camps were destroyed. The FDLR were pushed far away from the inhabited zones of the territories of Kabare, Walungu and Shabunda. These territories were declared freely accessible by General Shujaat, the commander of the South Kivu brigade.'
MONUC's deputy spokesman, Mr Mamadou Bah, announced that 'during a vote viewed as historic, the UN Security Council adopted yesterday, Tuesday 26 July 2005, a resolution setting up a monitoring system for crimes against children during armed conflicts and with provisions for sanctions against the authors of these crimes. For the first time, the Security Council adopted an overall mechanism that would permit to report any gross violations by the governments and armed groups which kill or mutilate children, recruit or exploit them, attack schools or hospitals, commit acts of sexual violence, carry out kidnappings, or deny children access to humanitarian assistance.'
Mr Bah quoted a UN communiqué as saying 'close to two million children have been killed and six million mutilated or wounded in armed conflicts over the last ten years, while 250,000 others still continue to be exploited.
'Reports denouncing these crimes will go out to the Security Council -- which will continue for its part to name and clearly identify the parties who persist in these violations ' and also to the General Assembly, the Commission on Human Rights, the International Criminal Court, the governments and regional organisations,' Mr Bah said.
He also noted that 'the last report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council thus names 54 parties in 11 situations of conflict. Among these 11 movements or parties in conflict, which will now be placed close watch, are the governmental forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.'
Looking at the agenda of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the DRC, the deputy spokesman said that Mr William Swing, accompanied by MONUC military chief of staff General Collot d'Escury, went to Goma yesterday Tuesday, 26 July 2005, for a daylong visit. 'During his stay, the Head of MONUC attended the inauguration ceremonies of two projects implemented through MONUC Quick Impact Projects programme. [The two projects involved] refurbishing the prosecutor's office in Goma and setting up a centre for treating traumatised victims of sexual violence and the war wounded. It is also thanks to the work and expertise provided by MONUC Blue Helmets of the Indian contingent that these two projects have materialised,' Mr Bah said.
He also said, 'Mr William Swing delivered a message of comfort to the population of Nyakakoma and other victims of the recent exactions in Rutshuru by extending his condolences, expressing MONUC's concern and demanding that the authors of such acts be identified and prosecuted.'
The deputy spokesman also announced that 'on Sunday, 31 July, Mr Swing will travel to Cape Town, South Africa, to attend a meeting on the reform of the security sector and the training of the new unified and integrated army in the DRC, This meeting is organised by the Contact Group that includes South Africa, the United States, United Kingdom, France, Belgium and MONUC.'
Mr Mamadou Bah also said that 'this Wednesday, 27 July, at the invitation of MONUC chief, all MONUC heads of office in the interior of the DRC, numbering about 15, are in Kinshasa for two meetings. The first, which took place today, was to review ways and means of bringing active support to the 'Commission Electorale Independante' (CEI, Independent Electoral Commission) and working out a common support strategy with respect to the electoral process. The second meeting will focus on the issue of repatriation of ex-FAR, Interahamwe and other FDLR.'
In concluding, the deputy spokesman mentioned that 'the Deputy Special Representative, Mr Ross Mountain, returned to Kinshasa yesterday, after his fund-mobilising European tour for the DRC, especially in the humanitarian and development areas.'
Joining today's press briefing, the Special Investigations Coordinator within the Human Rights Division, Ms Sonia Bakar, indicated that 'a MONUC multidisciplinary team comprising members of the Human Rights, Child Protection, Political Affairs and Public Information Sections conducted, from 18 to 22 July, 2005, a mission in Walungu territory for a first evaluation of the human rights and humanitarian situation in the localities of Nyamilina, Ishasha, Nyakakoma and Vitshummbi after clashes erupted there between 11 and 15 July 2005.'
As the Special Investigation Coordinator pointed out, 'the MONUC team experienced difficulties in obtaining reliable eyewitness accounts to help establish the number of fatalities among the FARDC and the assailants.' However, she noted, in respect of civilians, that 'while still visiting Nyakakoma the team found five bodies: two women, a small child and two fishermen. The fishermen were allegedly killed on 15 July, and the two women and the baby on 16 July. The team reported that in Nyakakoma several houses were burned and that the entire village was subjected to systematic looting. Witnesses reported afterwards that the FARDC had forced residents who had stayed in the village to load 3 trucks with looted goods.'
In closing, Ms Sonia Bakar stressed that 'all sources unanimously reported that the assailants, whom the residents identified as Maï Maï fighters, did not mistreat the population but did loot some food warehouses. The witnesses added that the killings, lootings and house burning were carried out after the recapture of Nyakakoma by FARDC elements.'
'MONUC applauds the launch of electoral operations in other provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo,' the Director of MONUC Public Information said.
Mr. Saïki recalled, 'The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for the DRC, Mr. William Swing, accompanied a delegation of the 'Comité International d'Accompagnement de la Transition' (CIAT, International Committee to Support the DRC Transition) that visited South Kivu on 22 and 23 July to see for himself the situation prevailing in that province and to express his support to the authorities and the population.' CIAT members conferred with the Province Council of Security, MONUC civilian and military officers, the office of the 'Commission Electorale Independante' (CEI, Independent Electoral Commission) as well as representatives of the civil society and women's associations of South Kivu. Mr. Kemal Saïki reported, 'In its Monday 25 July communiqué, the CIAT voiced its concern over the insecurity prevailing in some parts of the province of South Kivu. The CIAT condemned with the strongest terms the massacres perpetrated between May and July 2005, notably in the districts of Ninja (Ihembe) and Ntulumamba, which it held ex-Rwandan Armed Force (ex-FAR), Interahamwe and associates as responsible for. The CIAT called on the ex-FAR and Interahamwe to honour their commitments they freely made in the Rome declaration of 31 March that they would join the disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration programmes (DDRRR) for their repatriation to Rwanda. The CIAT expressed its full support to the intensification of joint military operations between the 'Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo' (FARDC, Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and MONUC troops against foreign armed groups, aimed at securing the populations. The CIAT called on the Transition Government to increase FARDC operational capacity in South Kivu and to provide them with minimum logistic and operational support.'
Mr. Saïki informed, 'MONUC reiterated its appeals to the Transition Government to do everything in its power to give substantial logistic support to the armed forces, including food and wages.'
With respect to disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration programme (DDRRR), 'MONUC recalled that Rwanda has once again publicly and officially made a pledge to receive those who would volunteer to return home, would guarantee their security and help them to reintegrate civilian live with dignity. The programme has been operational for several years and proved successful; hundreds of combatants have reintegrated within civilian life in Rwanda since the MONUC DDRRR operation was launched in 2001. There are five transit centres ready to receive Rwandan ex-combatants and help them familiarise with the new civilian life and to facilitate their reintegration into the society. The DDRRR programme to Rwanda is funded by the International Community, notably the World Bank,' Mr. Saïki said.
Moreover, the Director of MONUC Public Information and Spokesman said, 'MONUC took note of a declaration by a Ugandan army spokesman yesterday that Uganda will not allow anyone to use its territory for the purpose of waging war on the DRC. MONUC is closely monitoring all developments regarding the presence of militia leaders and armed groups or any war criminals in Uganda and other bordering countries against whom warrants of arrest were issued.'
With respect to military activities, the military spokesman, Lieutenant-colonel Thierry Provendier reported, 'Ituri brigade is currently engaged in a number of important operations. The first is mainly aimed at securing the population during the registration of voters' The security situation is under control. This would enable the Congolese people to fulfil their civic duty safely,' Lieutenant-colonel Provendier said, before reporting, 'Five elements of the Rapid Reaction Force have been made operational to cope with any possible threat, logistic or security dysfunction in the different centres of registration.'
The military spokesman further said, 'As part of cooperation with FARDC, MONUC has trained 170 Congolese officers in Bunia. The troops have been conducting military operations on a permanent basis with MONUC support. The Ituri Brigade provides them with helicopters for medical evacuations and close-air support. It also provides them with logistic support in respect of transport and ammunitions.'
With regard to North Kivu, Lieutenant-colonel Provendier said, 'The primary task of the Peacekeepers' brigade in the province was to secure the villages of the Rutshuru region: Nyakakoma, Nyamilima, Ishasha' An operation was launched on 21 July to demonstrate the North Kivu brigade's determination to keep the security situation under control in the zone, and, more particularly, in the three villages that have been victims of the recent clashes. Five platoons are engaged in the operation. They mean to prove to the armed groups that MONUC will not tolerate that civilians be systematically the innocent victims of clashes,' he pointed out.
Lieutenant-colonel Provendier also reported, 'Other operations were launched in the regions of Nyamulgera volcano and the Hebo Mountains to verify the rumours of the presence of Rwandan troops in the region of the Virunga Park. Neither a single testimony nor investigation conducted throughout the area has confirmed the rumours.'
In South Kivu, 'a second operation 'Thunderstorm' led to the dismantling of three more camps, after verifying that all FDLR combatants had left the sites. This operation involved about a thousand men, 10 armoured vehicles and five helicopters. At the same time, the Lake Kivu riverine unit conducted a control operation on Idjwi island, searching for possible signs of arms trafficking or caches in this transit zone between Rwanda and DRC,' the military spokesman said.
Lt-Col Provendier concluding by indicating that a total of '16 camps were destroyed. The FDLR were pushed far away from the inhabited zones of the territories of Kabare, Walungu and Shabunda. These territories were declared freely accessible by General Shujaat, the commander of the South Kivu brigade.'
MONUC's deputy spokesman, Mr Mamadou Bah, announced that 'during a vote viewed as historic, the UN Security Council adopted yesterday, Tuesday 26 July 2005, a resolution setting up a monitoring system for crimes against children during armed conflicts and with provisions for sanctions against the authors of these crimes. For the first time, the Security Council adopted an overall mechanism that would permit to report any gross violations by the governments and armed groups which kill or mutilate children, recruit or exploit them, attack schools or hospitals, commit acts of sexual violence, carry out kidnappings, or deny children access to humanitarian assistance.'
Mr Bah quoted a UN communiqué as saying 'close to two million children have been killed and six million mutilated or wounded in armed conflicts over the last ten years, while 250,000 others still continue to be exploited.
'Reports denouncing these crimes will go out to the Security Council -- which will continue for its part to name and clearly identify the parties who persist in these violations ' and also to the General Assembly, the Commission on Human Rights, the International Criminal Court, the governments and regional organisations,' Mr Bah said.
He also noted that 'the last report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council thus names 54 parties in 11 situations of conflict. Among these 11 movements or parties in conflict, which will now be placed close watch, are the governmental forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.'
Looking at the agenda of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the DRC, the deputy spokesman said that Mr William Swing, accompanied by MONUC military chief of staff General Collot d'Escury, went to Goma yesterday Tuesday, 26 July 2005, for a daylong visit. 'During his stay, the Head of MONUC attended the inauguration ceremonies of two projects implemented through MONUC Quick Impact Projects programme. [The two projects involved] refurbishing the prosecutor's office in Goma and setting up a centre for treating traumatised victims of sexual violence and the war wounded. It is also thanks to the work and expertise provided by MONUC Blue Helmets of the Indian contingent that these two projects have materialised,' Mr Bah said.
He also said, 'Mr William Swing delivered a message of comfort to the population of Nyakakoma and other victims of the recent exactions in Rutshuru by extending his condolences, expressing MONUC's concern and demanding that the authors of such acts be identified and prosecuted.'
The deputy spokesman also announced that 'on Sunday, 31 July, Mr Swing will travel to Cape Town, South Africa, to attend a meeting on the reform of the security sector and the training of the new unified and integrated army in the DRC, This meeting is organised by the Contact Group that includes South Africa, the United States, United Kingdom, France, Belgium and MONUC.'
Mr Mamadou Bah also said that 'this Wednesday, 27 July, at the invitation of MONUC chief, all MONUC heads of office in the interior of the DRC, numbering about 15, are in Kinshasa for two meetings. The first, which took place today, was to review ways and means of bringing active support to the 'Commission Electorale Independante' (CEI, Independent Electoral Commission) and working out a common support strategy with respect to the electoral process. The second meeting will focus on the issue of repatriation of ex-FAR, Interahamwe and other FDLR.'
In concluding, the deputy spokesman mentioned that 'the Deputy Special Representative, Mr Ross Mountain, returned to Kinshasa yesterday, after his fund-mobilising European tour for the DRC, especially in the humanitarian and development areas.'
Joining today's press briefing, the Special Investigations Coordinator within the Human Rights Division, Ms Sonia Bakar, indicated that 'a MONUC multidisciplinary team comprising members of the Human Rights, Child Protection, Political Affairs and Public Information Sections conducted, from 18 to 22 July, 2005, a mission in Walungu territory for a first evaluation of the human rights and humanitarian situation in the localities of Nyamilina, Ishasha, Nyakakoma and Vitshummbi after clashes erupted there between 11 and 15 July 2005.'
As the Special Investigation Coordinator pointed out, 'the MONUC team experienced difficulties in obtaining reliable eyewitness accounts to help establish the number of fatalities among the FARDC and the assailants.' However, she noted, in respect of civilians, that 'while still visiting Nyakakoma the team found five bodies: two women, a small child and two fishermen. The fishermen were allegedly killed on 15 July, and the two women and the baby on 16 July. The team reported that in Nyakakoma several houses were burned and that the entire village was subjected to systematic looting. Witnesses reported afterwards that the FARDC had forced residents who had stayed in the village to load 3 trucks with looted goods.'
In closing, Ms Sonia Bakar stressed that 'all sources unanimously reported that the assailants, whom the residents identified as Maï Maï fighters, did not mistreat the population but did loot some food warehouses. The witnesses added that the killings, lootings and house burning were carried out after the recapture of Nyakakoma by FARDC elements.'
