UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review of October 12, 2004
*Original in French
Calm has returned to Uvira allowing several Congolese refugees from Burundi to finally cross the border, after being prevented by demonstrators hostile to their return, today's local press announces. The press also offers analysis of the new transition roadmap adopted last week by the Government.
Calm has returned to Uvira allowing several Congolese refugees from Burundi to finally cross the border, after being prevented by demonstrators hostile to their return, today's local press announces. The press also offers analysis of the new transition roadmap adopted last week by the Government.
The some 1,200 Congolese refugees from Burundi, who were blocked at the Burundi-DRC border for several days, have started crossing into Uvira, LA REFERENCE PLUS announces. Since October 6, the paper recalls, the refugee returnees had been blocked in the neutral zone of the Burundi-DRC border by the Congolese army. They were placed under the protection of MONUC peacekeepers, the paper explains. On Monday, the governor of South Kivu province, Mr. Augustin Bulaimu, was at the border, personally supervising their return and assuring them that everyone would be allowed to return to his original village. On Monday evening, MONUC stated that most of these refugees had already arrived in Uvira.
Despite this relative calm, 'strong suspicions' still reign in eastern DRC, according to L'AVENIR. These refugee returnees, the paper recalls, had fled Uvira and its environs in May and June following bloody clashes between loyalist and dissident troops of the Armed Forces of the DRC. But their return met with hostile demonstrations among the population of Uvira, apparently 'manipulated by some opinion leaders,' says the paper, quoting one MONUC spokesman in Uvira. 'Opinion leaders are circulating messages that there are Rwandan infiltrators among the refugees.' Moreover, 'the populations feel offended about the ever- increasing number of these refugees ,' the paper adds. The population would like to see other people of Uvira living as refugees in Tanzania return home, notes the paper, adding that they do not understand why only Banyamulenge refugees are being taken care of.
The weekly LE SOFT GRANDS LACS runs a dossier on the crisis in Kivu, revealing that the Tutsi and the Hutu together want to fight the Bashi. According to the paper, 'The Tutsi and the Hutu living mostly in northern Kivu are tired of being the scapegoat of Congolese of the DRC. They now know who wants to send them to the gallows. They know it is their brothers and sisters peopling South Kivu, the Bashi.' The paper refers to a memo in which Rwandophone Tutsi and Hutu express their determination to fight the Bashi who disparagingly depict them as 'nationality beggars.'
LE PALMARES reveals the secrets of the transition roadmap adopted by the Government. The roadmap is not in itself a bad initiative, the paper notes, because 'where there was no clear course, with people navigating visually, there now exists a document that can be usefully used as a compass.' Nevertheless, the plan 'is unfortunately so ambitious it will require substantial means,' notes the paper, wondering where the Government will get the financial means needed to achieve all that has been planned for. The paper is also concerned about the timing. 'How can the Government, which is known to be slow, be expected to suddenly reach cruising speed'' Given the challenges involved, 'the Government has had itself trapped' by adopting this new roadmap, the paper concludes. Like LE PALMARES, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES considers that 'the new roadmap will be difficult to implement.' 'What remains to be done is practically impossible to achieve before June 30, 2005,' the paper writes.
Now that the electoral timetable is known (as defined in the roadmap), 'the responsibility to organise elections rests with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) ' stresses LE POTENTIEL, noting that 'in circles close to the IEC, people are getting ready to successfully meet that challenge.' In this regard, the paper announces a forum of political parties will soon be held. 'This forum will be aiming at dwelling at length on the electoral timetable and making all necessary arrangements for the successful organisation of elections,' says the paper, adding that apart from political parties, the IEC has already initiated a series of contacts with different components of the society in the same regard. The dice having been cast, the paper stresses that 'the responsibility for the future of the transition is now in the hands of the IEC that should set the rules of the game as soon as possible.'
As part of his tour in central Africa, the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs is expected in Kinshasa this Wednesday, announces L'OBSERVATEUR, adding that Mr. Karel DE Gucht will also visit Kigali, Bujumbura, Pretoria, Luanda and Kampala. In Kinshasa, the paper adds, MR. DE Gucht will hold talks with President Joseph Kabila and other officials. 'On the table will be the on-going transition process, preparations for elections set to take place in the DRC in June 2005 and the peaceful cohabitation between the DRC and its eastern neighbours,' according to the paper.
India places 3,000 peacekeepers at MONUC's disposal, in the context of the UN Mission's expanded strength, LE PHARE announces. 'With this significant number of troops, New Delhi responds positively and rapidly to the UN Security Council that, by its resolution 1565, had authorised the increase in MONUC strength by an additional 5,900 troops,' the paper notes.
FORUM DES AS mentions a latent war within the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD), specifically between Azarias Ruberwa and Emile Ilunga, respectively representing the factions known as 'The Goma group' and 'The nationalist group.' According to the paper, the two groups confront each other through pamphlets, hostile banners and other forms of attack.
Despite this relative calm, 'strong suspicions' still reign in eastern DRC, according to L'AVENIR. These refugee returnees, the paper recalls, had fled Uvira and its environs in May and June following bloody clashes between loyalist and dissident troops of the Armed Forces of the DRC. But their return met with hostile demonstrations among the population of Uvira, apparently 'manipulated by some opinion leaders,' says the paper, quoting one MONUC spokesman in Uvira. 'Opinion leaders are circulating messages that there are Rwandan infiltrators among the refugees.' Moreover, 'the populations feel offended about the ever- increasing number of these refugees ,' the paper adds. The population would like to see other people of Uvira living as refugees in Tanzania return home, notes the paper, adding that they do not understand why only Banyamulenge refugees are being taken care of.
The weekly LE SOFT GRANDS LACS runs a dossier on the crisis in Kivu, revealing that the Tutsi and the Hutu together want to fight the Bashi. According to the paper, 'The Tutsi and the Hutu living mostly in northern Kivu are tired of being the scapegoat of Congolese of the DRC. They now know who wants to send them to the gallows. They know it is their brothers and sisters peopling South Kivu, the Bashi.' The paper refers to a memo in which Rwandophone Tutsi and Hutu express their determination to fight the Bashi who disparagingly depict them as 'nationality beggars.'
LE PALMARES reveals the secrets of the transition roadmap adopted by the Government. The roadmap is not in itself a bad initiative, the paper notes, because 'where there was no clear course, with people navigating visually, there now exists a document that can be usefully used as a compass.' Nevertheless, the plan 'is unfortunately so ambitious it will require substantial means,' notes the paper, wondering where the Government will get the financial means needed to achieve all that has been planned for. The paper is also concerned about the timing. 'How can the Government, which is known to be slow, be expected to suddenly reach cruising speed'' Given the challenges involved, 'the Government has had itself trapped' by adopting this new roadmap, the paper concludes. Like LE PALMARES, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES considers that 'the new roadmap will be difficult to implement.' 'What remains to be done is practically impossible to achieve before June 30, 2005,' the paper writes.
Now that the electoral timetable is known (as defined in the roadmap), 'the responsibility to organise elections rests with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) ' stresses LE POTENTIEL, noting that 'in circles close to the IEC, people are getting ready to successfully meet that challenge.' In this regard, the paper announces a forum of political parties will soon be held. 'This forum will be aiming at dwelling at length on the electoral timetable and making all necessary arrangements for the successful organisation of elections,' says the paper, adding that apart from political parties, the IEC has already initiated a series of contacts with different components of the society in the same regard. The dice having been cast, the paper stresses that 'the responsibility for the future of the transition is now in the hands of the IEC that should set the rules of the game as soon as possible.'
As part of his tour in central Africa, the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs is expected in Kinshasa this Wednesday, announces L'OBSERVATEUR, adding that Mr. Karel DE Gucht will also visit Kigali, Bujumbura, Pretoria, Luanda and Kampala. In Kinshasa, the paper adds, MR. DE Gucht will hold talks with President Joseph Kabila and other officials. 'On the table will be the on-going transition process, preparations for elections set to take place in the DRC in June 2005 and the peaceful cohabitation between the DRC and its eastern neighbours,' according to the paper.
India places 3,000 peacekeepers at MONUC's disposal, in the context of the UN Mission's expanded strength, LE PHARE announces. 'With this significant number of troops, New Delhi responds positively and rapidly to the UN Security Council that, by its resolution 1565, had authorised the increase in MONUC strength by an additional 5,900 troops,' the paper notes.
FORUM DES AS mentions a latent war within the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD), specifically between Azarias Ruberwa and Emile Ilunga, respectively representing the factions known as 'The Goma group' and 'The nationalist group.' According to the paper, the two groups confront each other through pamphlets, hostile banners and other forms of attack.
