UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
9 Mar
2009
Press Review 21 January 2005
Today's local papers devoted their headlines to the funerals held in Kinshasa for the mother in law of Congo-Brazzaville President attended by 3 Central African presidents: Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo Brazzaville, Omar Bongo of Gabon and Joseph Kabila of the DR Congo.
Central African Presidents get together to honour the memory of the mother in law of Congo-Brazzaville President, Deni Sassou Nguesso. Central Africa recovers its unity, LA REFERENCE PLUS titles, describing it as a reconciliation of three Heads of State at a funeral in Kinshasa. This explains the Bantu adage that a funeral venue is an ideal place for people having different views on one point or another to sort out their differences as if in a family and reconcile, the paper says noting that ''all the Congolese leadership whatever the tendency put a damper on their claims as they were attending the funerals of the late Marie-Louise Poto Galo, mother of President Sassou's spouse, Antoinette Sassou Nguesso''. In spite of the funeral, the paper says the three heads of State certainly raised some political issues.
This is confirmed by L'OBSERVATEUR, when announcing that Bongo, Sassou and Kabila reviewed the DRC transition. The paper reports that Joseph Kabila allegedly briefed his peers on the march of the transition process, declaring ''the current transition must be carried through despite the difficulties faced until free and democratic elections are organised''. Gabon and Congo Brazzaville's heads of states urged Joseph Kabila to proceed with dialogue and peace as adopted by the DRC, the paper says.
The funeral did not however defuse the tension between Joseph Kabila and Jean-Pierre Bemba, most of today's local papers say. That is how LE PALMARES has referred to a ''frontal showdown'' between Joseph Kabila and J.P Bemba, in the presence of Sassou and Bongo. ''The rival enemies met accidentally around presidents Bongo and Sassou'', the paper reports, adding that ''both personalities shook hands in spite of themselves''. However, in the graveyard, their bodyguards almost grappled with each other, the paper indicates. In this respect, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES reports a protocol incident having occurred between J.P Bemba and A. Yerodia who came to the airport to meet Presidents Bongo and Sassou. Both Vice-Presidents' bodyguards almost exchanged fire, the paper reports.
L'AVENIR for its part notes that 'J.P Bemba almost staged a war in Kinshasa'. According to the paper, the Vice-President increased acts of provocation in the margin of the funerals.
In other news, LE POTENTIEL announces that South African President, Thabo Mbeki, is due to return to Kinshasa on Tuesday, 25 January 2005. The trip ''fits into the defusing effort of the DRC tensions, notably the recent umpteenth crisis in the presidential circle''. It will be the last hope meeting, the paper says.
How do Congolese people rate MONUC mission on the ground' LE POTENTIEL gathered some of the views expressed by the Congolese people about MONUC's mission in DRC especially with respect to ''their conduct that is inconsistent with the mission vested them''. The paper says: ''Congolese people accuse the UN troops of sodomising Congolese girls and women and MONUC officials of being in the pay of the big powers that disburse money to fund operations against DRC''.
The paper also echoes a local NGO's declaration known as 'La Voix des Sans Voix (VSV)' claiming compensations for the Congolese victims by MONUC for all the harms done to the Congolese people, especially the victims (killed or injured) during the 3-4 June 2004 demonstrations in Kinshasa.
On the other hand, LE PHARE writes MONUC declared ''undesirable'' in Kikwit, where ''a heavy tension prevailed following the arrival of four MONUC officers in this town, who apparently came in to join a lady whom they referred to as chief of the mission and who arrived there a few weeks earlier''. According to the paper, Kikwit residents told MONUC peacekeepers in their territory that there were not expected there. ''Having understood the extent of animosity prevailing in, they immediately flew back on Monday 17 January 2005, on board a helicopter that came to fetch them'', the paper reports.
This is confirmed by L'OBSERVATEUR, when announcing that Bongo, Sassou and Kabila reviewed the DRC transition. The paper reports that Joseph Kabila allegedly briefed his peers on the march of the transition process, declaring ''the current transition must be carried through despite the difficulties faced until free and democratic elections are organised''. Gabon and Congo Brazzaville's heads of states urged Joseph Kabila to proceed with dialogue and peace as adopted by the DRC, the paper says.
The funeral did not however defuse the tension between Joseph Kabila and Jean-Pierre Bemba, most of today's local papers say. That is how LE PALMARES has referred to a ''frontal showdown'' between Joseph Kabila and J.P Bemba, in the presence of Sassou and Bongo. ''The rival enemies met accidentally around presidents Bongo and Sassou'', the paper reports, adding that ''both personalities shook hands in spite of themselves''. However, in the graveyard, their bodyguards almost grappled with each other, the paper indicates. In this respect, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES reports a protocol incident having occurred between J.P Bemba and A. Yerodia who came to the airport to meet Presidents Bongo and Sassou. Both Vice-Presidents' bodyguards almost exchanged fire, the paper reports.
L'AVENIR for its part notes that 'J.P Bemba almost staged a war in Kinshasa'. According to the paper, the Vice-President increased acts of provocation in the margin of the funerals.
In other news, LE POTENTIEL announces that South African President, Thabo Mbeki, is due to return to Kinshasa on Tuesday, 25 January 2005. The trip ''fits into the defusing effort of the DRC tensions, notably the recent umpteenth crisis in the presidential circle''. It will be the last hope meeting, the paper says.
How do Congolese people rate MONUC mission on the ground' LE POTENTIEL gathered some of the views expressed by the Congolese people about MONUC's mission in DRC especially with respect to ''their conduct that is inconsistent with the mission vested them''. The paper says: ''Congolese people accuse the UN troops of sodomising Congolese girls and women and MONUC officials of being in the pay of the big powers that disburse money to fund operations against DRC''.
The paper also echoes a local NGO's declaration known as 'La Voix des Sans Voix (VSV)' claiming compensations for the Congolese victims by MONUC for all the harms done to the Congolese people, especially the victims (killed or injured) during the 3-4 June 2004 demonstrations in Kinshasa.
On the other hand, LE PHARE writes MONUC declared ''undesirable'' in Kikwit, where ''a heavy tension prevailed following the arrival of four MONUC officers in this town, who apparently came in to join a lady whom they referred to as chief of the mission and who arrived there a few weeks earlier''. According to the paper, Kikwit residents told MONUC peacekeepers in their territory that there were not expected there. ''Having understood the extent of animosity prevailing in, they immediately flew back on Monday 17 January 2005, on board a helicopter that came to fetch them'', the paper reports.
