UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
9 Mar
2009
Press Review 11 March 2005
The situation in Ituri, Northeastern DRC is still commented by the local press. The local press focuses on the Congolese government and MONUC's disagreement over the resolution of Ituri crisis and the review of the draft constitution by the Parliament.
According to a Human Right Watch report on Ituri « accusing» Kinshasa, Kampala and Kigali of being involved in the war, LE PHARE writes on its front page. « The New York-based Human Rights NGO is deeply persuaded that the real stakes of the Ituri insecurity lie in the existence of several centres for decision and sources of financing in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda», the paper says. « Weapon and money-supplying network to the Lendu, Hema and other militias is reportedly very active in the three countries, and even beyond. », the paper further says. Human Right Watch points an accusing finger to « several heads of ex-rebel movements and belligerents members of the ex-Kinshasa government» that allegedly continue « pushing their underlings who are not part of the transition's institutions, to proceed with the logic of war ». The paper calls on « peace loving people» to support «MONUC to keep pressuring the Transition's Government to flush out, bring to justice and sanction both the Ituri warlords and all the ex-belligerents working in connivance with war criminals in disrupting the peace in Eastern DRC». For LE PHARE, the warlords «hiding behind the ranks of Generals, Colonels, Ministers, MPs, Senators, Members of the Institutions to Support Democracy» established as having masterminded crimes in Ituri «must be punished in accordance with the crimes committed».
Under the title Human Right Watch is explicit: « Ituri Militia chiefs must be arrested», an American NGO researcher based in DRC protests, in a written note to LE POTENTIEL against the promotion of warlords of the active armed groups in Ituri to the ranks of Generals or Colonel nor even army Commanders while it is established that they are have all «heads of the armed groups who either ordered, tolerated or participated to the slaughter of civilians». He denounces the logic that « to be promoted to higher ranks in DRC, one should commit atrocities on civilians». He voiced his wishes to see those placed under house arrest, following assassination of 9 MONUC peacekeepers to be officially arrested and stop «benefiting from the comfort offered them by Grand Hôtel of Kinshasa » where they are accommodated. He calls on the Congolese Head of State to «order» immediate investigations and arrest of all the leaders of the armed groups implicated in the slaughter of civilians including those who killed the UN peacekeepers.
The Security Council threatens the Congolese government, titles LE PALMARES. « The UN insists that the warlords enjoying luxurious life in Kinshasa should be sanctioned», the paper says.
LE POTENTIEL refers back to MONUC and Government's disagreement over the Ituri issue. The paper echoes the Information Minister and DRC Government's spokesman, Henri Mova Sakanyi's reaction to the call by the UN Mission for arrest of the chiefs of the Ituri militia groups placed under house arrest by the Government. He pointed out that MONUC did not have the right to charge the Government only, nor to pressure the latter to arrest those responsible for the Ituri tragedy, recalling « in the past, the government solicited MONUC's support to deal with the Ituri tragedy under the chapter 7 of the UN charter. Unfortunately it met with the latter's reticence». Mr. Mova then wonders if it was necessary to wait until « the death of the 9 peacekeepers to finally use this provision». The judiciary machinery is under way and must follow its normal course with respect to legal prosecution of chiefs of militia groups, government spokesman further said.
Why did they wait until the 9 peacekeepers were killed to start disarmament in Ituri', L'AVENIR wonders, expressing its surprise at a «late awareness» by MONUC which has «never felt concerned by the death of over 50,000 people» in Ituri. The paper stresses Government's good willingness to disarm the militias and said it has already started such a «costly operation». It accuses the International Community that « pressured the Government» to integrate the Ituri militia groups into FARDC and for «insisting on their promotion to the ranks of Generals». In this respect, the paper says, MONUC's chief was summoned by the UN Security Council in New York to « report on what happened in Ituri ». For this paper, the Special Representative was called to « justify the death of 50,000 Congolese». The paper therefore denounces the « United Nations ineffectiveness » in the DRC or elsewhere, quoting Côte d'Ivoire's case « where it has been refusing to disarm rebels».
For LE POTENTIEL quoting « reliable observers», Government's attitude is indicative of a lack of cohesion in its approach to the Ituri conflict that sparked off « lots of criticisms, ranging from carefree attitude to an approximate or selective perception of the crisis». LE POTENTIEL wonders: « What have they done with the provisions in the agreement urging that the Government should disarm armed groups' Who actually proposed that chiefs of militia groups be promoted to the rank of Generals' Was the goal pursued reached' ». The paper concludes that the security of people and their properties as well as territorial integrity «come within Government competence instead of MONUC's supposed to leave DRC one day». The paper therefore calls for the acceleration of troop-merging operations including the police and security services.
The same paper also says They all failed, referring to both the Government and MONUC. However « the most important thing to do today is to come up with a commitment for the future without any emotion». « Apparently MONUC does not like to sink by shouldering the responsibility for the Ituri tragedy alone», L'OBSERVATEUR says in its editorial.
L'AVENIR says security situation in the country, notably in Ituri, was at the centre of the Thursday talks between the FARDC chief of staff and the Congolese president who made a surprise visit to Mont-Ngaliema. Kisempia Sungilanga and Joseph Kabila held a three-hour working session'
Under the title Human Right Watch is explicit: « Ituri Militia chiefs must be arrested», an American NGO researcher based in DRC protests, in a written note to LE POTENTIEL against the promotion of warlords of the active armed groups in Ituri to the ranks of Generals or Colonel nor even army Commanders while it is established that they are have all «heads of the armed groups who either ordered, tolerated or participated to the slaughter of civilians». He denounces the logic that « to be promoted to higher ranks in DRC, one should commit atrocities on civilians». He voiced his wishes to see those placed under house arrest, following assassination of 9 MONUC peacekeepers to be officially arrested and stop «benefiting from the comfort offered them by Grand Hôtel of Kinshasa » where they are accommodated. He calls on the Congolese Head of State to «order» immediate investigations and arrest of all the leaders of the armed groups implicated in the slaughter of civilians including those who killed the UN peacekeepers.
The Security Council threatens the Congolese government, titles LE PALMARES. « The UN insists that the warlords enjoying luxurious life in Kinshasa should be sanctioned», the paper says.
LE POTENTIEL refers back to MONUC and Government's disagreement over the Ituri issue. The paper echoes the Information Minister and DRC Government's spokesman, Henri Mova Sakanyi's reaction to the call by the UN Mission for arrest of the chiefs of the Ituri militia groups placed under house arrest by the Government. He pointed out that MONUC did not have the right to charge the Government only, nor to pressure the latter to arrest those responsible for the Ituri tragedy, recalling « in the past, the government solicited MONUC's support to deal with the Ituri tragedy under the chapter 7 of the UN charter. Unfortunately it met with the latter's reticence». Mr. Mova then wonders if it was necessary to wait until « the death of the 9 peacekeepers to finally use this provision». The judiciary machinery is under way and must follow its normal course with respect to legal prosecution of chiefs of militia groups, government spokesman further said.
Why did they wait until the 9 peacekeepers were killed to start disarmament in Ituri', L'AVENIR wonders, expressing its surprise at a «late awareness» by MONUC which has «never felt concerned by the death of over 50,000 people» in Ituri. The paper stresses Government's good willingness to disarm the militias and said it has already started such a «costly operation». It accuses the International Community that « pressured the Government» to integrate the Ituri militia groups into FARDC and for «insisting on their promotion to the ranks of Generals». In this respect, the paper says, MONUC's chief was summoned by the UN Security Council in New York to « report on what happened in Ituri ». For this paper, the Special Representative was called to « justify the death of 50,000 Congolese». The paper therefore denounces the « United Nations ineffectiveness » in the DRC or elsewhere, quoting Côte d'Ivoire's case « where it has been refusing to disarm rebels».
For LE POTENTIEL quoting « reliable observers», Government's attitude is indicative of a lack of cohesion in its approach to the Ituri conflict that sparked off « lots of criticisms, ranging from carefree attitude to an approximate or selective perception of the crisis». LE POTENTIEL wonders: « What have they done with the provisions in the agreement urging that the Government should disarm armed groups' Who actually proposed that chiefs of militia groups be promoted to the rank of Generals' Was the goal pursued reached' ». The paper concludes that the security of people and their properties as well as territorial integrity «come within Government competence instead of MONUC's supposed to leave DRC one day». The paper therefore calls for the acceleration of troop-merging operations including the police and security services.
The same paper also says They all failed, referring to both the Government and MONUC. However « the most important thing to do today is to come up with a commitment for the future without any emotion». « Apparently MONUC does not like to sink by shouldering the responsibility for the Ituri tragedy alone», L'OBSERVATEUR says in its editorial.
L'AVENIR says security situation in the country, notably in Ituri, was at the centre of the Thursday talks between the FARDC chief of staff and the Congolese president who made a surprise visit to Mont-Ngaliema. Kisempia Sungilanga and Joseph Kabila held a three-hour working session'
