UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review of October 14, 2004
*Original in French
Thursday's local newspapers devote their columns to DRC President Joseph Kabila's planned trip to the East of the country, the announced arrival of UN Under Secretary-General for peacekeeping operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, as well as the issue on the sharing of posts within state-owned companies in the DRC.
Thursday's local newspapers devote their columns to DRC President Joseph Kabila's planned trip to the East of the country, the announced arrival of UN Under Secretary-General for peacekeeping operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, as well as the issue on the sharing of posts within state-owned companies in the DRC.
The presidential trip to eastern DRC is imminent, L'OBSERVATEUR titles. Quoting various sources, the paper says President Joseph Kabila is expected to be in Kisangani by the end of this week ' most likely on Friday. 'In fact, the exact date of the presidential trip is not yet known,' concedes the paper, which brands Joseph Kabila's tour as historic, because this is first visit ever undertaken by the President in rebel-controlled parts since his accession to power in January 2001. Though the tour date remains unknown, the paper confidently gives the itinerary. 'This trip will begin in Kisangani [Province Orientale] and end in Kindu, in Maniema [province],' it says.
According to LE PALMARES, the President had initially planned to visit five eastern towns. But according to the latest news, his plans to stopover in Goma [North Kivu], Bukavu [South Kivu] and Beni [North Kivu] have been cancelled for security reasons, the paper reveals. Calling the presidential plan a 'high-risk trip', the paper explains that even if former rebel leaders, who are now in the Government, were to accompany the head of State in this trip, there would still be no security guarantees. Hence 'the caution that tipped the balance on the decision to cancel the visits to the provincial capitals of North and South Kivu ,' the paper concludes.
The aim of President Kabila's tour in the East is 'to consolidate national reunification and reconciliation,' according to LA REFERENCE PLUS, which titles 'Joseph Kabila to face the realities of eastern DRC.' ' A pile of grievances and demands awaits the President in Kisangani and Kindu,' notes the paper, hoping that Joseph Kabila 'will bring some solutions to the problems facing these populations that are cut from the realities of the capital,' Kinshasa. According to the paper, the populations are confronted with the lack of 'water, energy, roads, school and hospital infrastructures and other problems related to the peaceful cohabitation among the different communities.'
MONUC's new mandate and its additional tasks in the DRC are a matter of great concern to the United Nations. This justifies the visit the head of UN peacekeeping operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, is about to make to the DRC, according to L'OBSERVATEUR. Barring any unexpected circumstances, Jean-Marie Guéhenno will arrive in Kinshasa, on Saturday, for 'talks with the Congolese authorities over the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1565.' In this regard, India has placed 3,000 troops at the disposal of the UN mission, announces the paper, noting that the first Indian battalion will arrive in the DRC by mid-November and will be deployed in North and South Kivu.
Further, L'OBSERVATEUR looks at what the populations think about the ability of peacekeepers to restore peace to the DRC and what they think about MONUC's role in the DRC. Some Congolese, the paper notes, consider there is not point in increasing MONUC personnel, because 'it (MONUC) seldom responds to emergencies' and 'its presence is not dissuasive.' Some think that 'to increase from time to time the number of MONUC's personnel is not to help the DRC to set up its army.' Others think that 'if MONUC pulls out or its strength is maintained at the current level, the situation will get out of control.' The paper also refers to some ambiguity on the part of MONUC with respect to the implementation of Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
LE POTENTIEL announces a possible new deadlock in the transition process, due to the current 'hurly-burly' within the political class over the issue on the sharing of posts in state-owned companies. According to the paper, President Joseph Kabila's stance on this issue is that 'the country is not to be privatised' by dividing state-owned companies among the components. All other parties - MLC, RCD, Political Opposition and Civil Society ' oppose that position, arguing that such sharing of responsibilities is provided by the Global and All Inclusive Agreement and should be addressed accordingly. The MLC, the paper recalls, has referred the issue the International Committee To Support the Transition (ICST) for settlement, while Joseph Kabila and his party, PPRD, are considering seeking the Supreme Court's consultative opinion.
On the same issue, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES runs a piece titled 'How far will Joseph Kabila go'' in which the paper explains that the problem is simple, because the Global and All Inclusive Agreement provides that the Transitional Government shall carry out all appointments in respect of the balance among the different components and entities. Therefore, the President's initiative is 'unfortunate', because it is aimed at 'ensuring he has exclusive control over all state-owned companies and other joint ventures.'
'Belgium gives 10 million Euros to finance elections in the DRC,' announces FORUM DES AS, quoting the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs. According to the paper, Mr. Karel De Gucht made that announcement after meeting with President Joseph Kabila in Kinshasa on Wednesday. This is Mr. De Gucht's first visit to the DRC since he took over from his predecessor Louis Michel in July.
Quoting the results of an opinion poll conducted by L'Institut des recherches, d'études de marché et d'opinion, LE PHARE writes 'in all scenarios, Etienne Tshisekedi remains the most popular politician in the DRC.' If elections were held today, Tshisekedi would get 41% of the votes, followed by Joseph Kabila (12,3%), Eugene Diomi Ndongala (10,1%), Olivier Kamitatu (4,7%), Jean-Pierre Bemba (3,5%), etc.
L'AVENIR mentions the signature of a new agreement between the DRC and the International Criminal Court (ICC). 'This is an agreement on the privileges and immunities' of the ICC, which agreement is designed to facilitate the activities of the Court in the DRC, also enabling it to conduct its activities on the ground in independence, security and confidentiality, the paper explains.
According to LE PALMARES, the President had initially planned to visit five eastern towns. But according to the latest news, his plans to stopover in Goma [North Kivu], Bukavu [South Kivu] and Beni [North Kivu] have been cancelled for security reasons, the paper reveals. Calling the presidential plan a 'high-risk trip', the paper explains that even if former rebel leaders, who are now in the Government, were to accompany the head of State in this trip, there would still be no security guarantees. Hence 'the caution that tipped the balance on the decision to cancel the visits to the provincial capitals of North and South Kivu ,' the paper concludes.
The aim of President Kabila's tour in the East is 'to consolidate national reunification and reconciliation,' according to LA REFERENCE PLUS, which titles 'Joseph Kabila to face the realities of eastern DRC.' ' A pile of grievances and demands awaits the President in Kisangani and Kindu,' notes the paper, hoping that Joseph Kabila 'will bring some solutions to the problems facing these populations that are cut from the realities of the capital,' Kinshasa. According to the paper, the populations are confronted with the lack of 'water, energy, roads, school and hospital infrastructures and other problems related to the peaceful cohabitation among the different communities.'
MONUC's new mandate and its additional tasks in the DRC are a matter of great concern to the United Nations. This justifies the visit the head of UN peacekeeping operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, is about to make to the DRC, according to L'OBSERVATEUR. Barring any unexpected circumstances, Jean-Marie Guéhenno will arrive in Kinshasa, on Saturday, for 'talks with the Congolese authorities over the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1565.' In this regard, India has placed 3,000 troops at the disposal of the UN mission, announces the paper, noting that the first Indian battalion will arrive in the DRC by mid-November and will be deployed in North and South Kivu.
Further, L'OBSERVATEUR looks at what the populations think about the ability of peacekeepers to restore peace to the DRC and what they think about MONUC's role in the DRC. Some Congolese, the paper notes, consider there is not point in increasing MONUC personnel, because 'it (MONUC) seldom responds to emergencies' and 'its presence is not dissuasive.' Some think that 'to increase from time to time the number of MONUC's personnel is not to help the DRC to set up its army.' Others think that 'if MONUC pulls out or its strength is maintained at the current level, the situation will get out of control.' The paper also refers to some ambiguity on the part of MONUC with respect to the implementation of Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
LE POTENTIEL announces a possible new deadlock in the transition process, due to the current 'hurly-burly' within the political class over the issue on the sharing of posts in state-owned companies. According to the paper, President Joseph Kabila's stance on this issue is that 'the country is not to be privatised' by dividing state-owned companies among the components. All other parties - MLC, RCD, Political Opposition and Civil Society ' oppose that position, arguing that such sharing of responsibilities is provided by the Global and All Inclusive Agreement and should be addressed accordingly. The MLC, the paper recalls, has referred the issue the International Committee To Support the Transition (ICST) for settlement, while Joseph Kabila and his party, PPRD, are considering seeking the Supreme Court's consultative opinion.
On the same issue, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES runs a piece titled 'How far will Joseph Kabila go'' in which the paper explains that the problem is simple, because the Global and All Inclusive Agreement provides that the Transitional Government shall carry out all appointments in respect of the balance among the different components and entities. Therefore, the President's initiative is 'unfortunate', because it is aimed at 'ensuring he has exclusive control over all state-owned companies and other joint ventures.'
'Belgium gives 10 million Euros to finance elections in the DRC,' announces FORUM DES AS, quoting the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs. According to the paper, Mr. Karel De Gucht made that announcement after meeting with President Joseph Kabila in Kinshasa on Wednesday. This is Mr. De Gucht's first visit to the DRC since he took over from his predecessor Louis Michel in July.
Quoting the results of an opinion poll conducted by L'Institut des recherches, d'études de marché et d'opinion, LE PHARE writes 'in all scenarios, Etienne Tshisekedi remains the most popular politician in the DRC.' If elections were held today, Tshisekedi would get 41% of the votes, followed by Joseph Kabila (12,3%), Eugene Diomi Ndongala (10,1%), Olivier Kamitatu (4,7%), Jean-Pierre Bemba (3,5%), etc.
L'AVENIR mentions the signature of a new agreement between the DRC and the International Criminal Court (ICC). 'This is an agreement on the privileges and immunities' of the ICC, which agreement is designed to facilitate the activities of the Court in the DRC, also enabling it to conduct its activities on the ground in independence, security and confidentiality, the paper explains.
