UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
3 Mar
2009
Any delay in the organization of the elections would be prejudicial to the Congolese population
Any delay in the organization of the elections would be prejudicial to the Congolese population, says Mr. William Swing
The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, William Lacy Swing, declared Wednesday in Kinshasa that any delay in the organization of elections in DRC would be prejudicial to the populations on whom the war has taken a heavy toll and who now need and have the right to enjoy the benefits of Peace.
Addressing the Mission's weekly press conference, the MONUC chief pointed out that the current transitional period was not ''a transition for the sake of transition'', but a 24-month transition that should lead to free, transparent and democratic elections under the terms of the Constitution. ''With substantial financial, technical and logistical support, it is quite possible to respect the elections calendar scheduled for'' 2005, Mr. Swing assured.
The Special Representative however stressed that respect for the calendar would be contingent upon a number of preconditions: voting of generic laws, implementing the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme of the Congolese armed groups, returning of refugees, successful reform of the security sector and reinforcement of Government authority throughout the DRC.
Mr. Swing returned from New York where he briefed the Security Council members on the ongoing situation in the DRC. He held a series of talks with several ambassadors from the member countries of the Security Council, members of the American congress and non-government organizations represented in the DRC. Expressing his perception on the DRC situation, he indicated that the International Community would provide the DRC with the strongest support since the independences era.
''Everybody notes that the DRC has gone trough several spots of turbulence, but did not collapse after the 5-year war, the 12-year chronic instability and 4 decades of political and economic mismanagement'', declared Mr. Swing.
Presenting a broad outline of the UN Mission's activities in DRC, the Special Representative stressed that the new MONUC task will revolve around 5 points: ensure peace and stability in the country, support the Transitional Government and the organization of the elections, put in place a Rule of Law, improve humanitarian conditions for the Congolese population and adapt MONUC to the new realities to make it more effective.
With a military strength of 10,800, MONUC is the largest Peacekeeping mission out of the 16 missions in the world. One hundred nine countries contribute troops. It has 24 offices throughout the DRC. MONUC is redeploying its troops, which are no longer positioned along the former front line between belligerents in order to concentrate more in Ituri, the Kivus, Maniema and Katanga where continued tensions are reported.
The Special Representative made the most of his visit to condemn in the strongest terms the attacks on MONUC convoys by armed troops yet unidentified. ''Those acts are considered very serious since the attacks are directed against the International Community, including the 109 countries that make up MONUC'', declared Mr. Swing while paying a deferent tribute to a Kenyan military observed killed in an ambush on 12 February in Katoto, Ituri. Mr. Swing assured ''that his death would not have been in vain'' and ''the perpetrators of the crime would be tracked down and brought to Justice''.
Addressing the Mission's weekly press conference, the MONUC chief pointed out that the current transitional period was not ''a transition for the sake of transition'', but a 24-month transition that should lead to free, transparent and democratic elections under the terms of the Constitution. ''With substantial financial, technical and logistical support, it is quite possible to respect the elections calendar scheduled for'' 2005, Mr. Swing assured.
The Special Representative however stressed that respect for the calendar would be contingent upon a number of preconditions: voting of generic laws, implementing the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme of the Congolese armed groups, returning of refugees, successful reform of the security sector and reinforcement of Government authority throughout the DRC.
Mr. Swing returned from New York where he briefed the Security Council members on the ongoing situation in the DRC. He held a series of talks with several ambassadors from the member countries of the Security Council, members of the American congress and non-government organizations represented in the DRC. Expressing his perception on the DRC situation, he indicated that the International Community would provide the DRC with the strongest support since the independences era.
''Everybody notes that the DRC has gone trough several spots of turbulence, but did not collapse after the 5-year war, the 12-year chronic instability and 4 decades of political and economic mismanagement'', declared Mr. Swing.
Presenting a broad outline of the UN Mission's activities in DRC, the Special Representative stressed that the new MONUC task will revolve around 5 points: ensure peace and stability in the country, support the Transitional Government and the organization of the elections, put in place a Rule of Law, improve humanitarian conditions for the Congolese population and adapt MONUC to the new realities to make it more effective.
With a military strength of 10,800, MONUC is the largest Peacekeeping mission out of the 16 missions in the world. One hundred nine countries contribute troops. It has 24 offices throughout the DRC. MONUC is redeploying its troops, which are no longer positioned along the former front line between belligerents in order to concentrate more in Ituri, the Kivus, Maniema and Katanga where continued tensions are reported.
The Special Representative made the most of his visit to condemn in the strongest terms the attacks on MONUC convoys by armed troops yet unidentified. ''Those acts are considered very serious since the attacks are directed against the International Community, including the 109 countries that make up MONUC'', declared Mr. Swing while paying a deferent tribute to a Kenyan military observed killed in an ambush on 12 February in Katoto, Ituri. Mr. Swing assured ''that his death would not have been in vain'' and ''the perpetrators of the crime would be tracked down and brought to Justice''.
