UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
Press Review
The main focus of today's local papers in Kinshasa is the violent clashes in the Kivus that resulted in a massive exodus.
Echoing the catholic Misna news agency, LE POTENTIEL reports violent clashes in North-Kivu province where the 8th military region is based. It further reports that the fighting pitting ''Laurent Nkunda's dissident troops against the Maï-Maï troops, loyal to the Kinshasa Government component' broke out early Wednesday''. The catholic news agency highlights that the renegade troops was reportedly intent on stopping the Congolese regular army troops' advance which, under General Mbuja Mabe, drove Nkunda and his troops out of Minova. As a result of the fighting, ''at least 100,000 people abandoned their houses to seek refuge elsewhere, fearing new violence'', the paper says.
L'AVENIR indicates that the new population displacement comes in at a time when the eastern DRC military regions' commanders, notably those of North and South Kivus are sitting in Kinshasa. It would be very difficult to explain that the majority of the displaced population are of the Banyamulenge community, if that is not caused by a ''wide-scale disinformation campaign'' masterminded by ''forces that refuse to admit defeat''. The objective of the campaign, the paper says, is to have ''the recaptured districts by the loyalist troops evacuated due to insecurity''. The paper further raises United Nations Humanitarian Agencies' concerns over ''the displacement of the Banyamulenge populations, fleeing the territory occupied by the Congolese autochthon troops in South Kivu province following insecurity''. Quoting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR)'s statistics, the paper reveals that ''150,000 members of the Congolese Banyamulenge Community fled their homes to take refuge in the forests''.
Going back over the fall of Minova, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES recalls that the 10th military region's troops entered Minova district, until then insurgent troops' stronghold under General Laurent Nkunda, on Sunday ''without any fighting''. General Mbuja Mabe must have been ordered by the FARDC chief of staff, Lieutenant General Kisempia, ''against tracking Laurent Nkunda's troops allegedly retreated to North Kivu''.
The military situation in Minova is apparently quiet after it has been recaptured by Mbuja Mabe's troops, FORUM DES AS says, adding that MONUC team recently travelled to Minova to assess the security situation on the ground. LE PHARE, which is of the same views, quotes MONUC spokesman, Mamadou Bah, as confirming that ''the 10th military region's troops under General Mbuja Mabe indeed occupy South-Kivu province''. The paper informs that Laurent Nkunda has taken an unknown destination ''may be in Masisi''.
LE PALMARES, for its part, reveals ''what is left unsaid'' referring to the meeting between the four FARDC Generals: Kisempia, Mbuja Mabe, Padiri and Obed. The paper says that, besides the harmonisation of relations between the 10th military region's commander Mbuja Mabe and his 8th military region's colleague, Obed Ruibasira, the four Generals were called upon to reflect on the pacification of eastern DRC. It emerges from the closed door meeting that ''the army is determined to facilitate elections in DRC'', the paper further says.
Moreover, L'OBSERVATEUR announces that on Belgium's initiative, the International Support Committee to the Transition (CIAT) is due to meet in New York, USA. ''Transition's process and DRC elections will be discussed by the meeting'', the paper says, adding that this will be a ministerial-level meeting of countries which are members of CIAT: The five UN Security Council's permanent member countries (China, United States, France, Great-Britain, and Russia) as well as Belgium, Canada, South Africa, Angola, Gabon, Zambia, European Union, African Union and Monuc.
Simultaneously, the European Union will disburse 650,000 euros for the training of 1008 members of the integrated police, LE POTENTIEL says, underscoring that the police officers will be part of the Unit tasked to protect Transition's institutions. The training centre is situated in Kasangulu, about forty kilometres, on Matadi road.
L'AVENIR indicates that the new population displacement comes in at a time when the eastern DRC military regions' commanders, notably those of North and South Kivus are sitting in Kinshasa. It would be very difficult to explain that the majority of the displaced population are of the Banyamulenge community, if that is not caused by a ''wide-scale disinformation campaign'' masterminded by ''forces that refuse to admit defeat''. The objective of the campaign, the paper says, is to have ''the recaptured districts by the loyalist troops evacuated due to insecurity''. The paper further raises United Nations Humanitarian Agencies' concerns over ''the displacement of the Banyamulenge populations, fleeing the territory occupied by the Congolese autochthon troops in South Kivu province following insecurity''. Quoting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR)'s statistics, the paper reveals that ''150,000 members of the Congolese Banyamulenge Community fled their homes to take refuge in the forests''.
Going back over the fall of Minova, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES recalls that the 10th military region's troops entered Minova district, until then insurgent troops' stronghold under General Laurent Nkunda, on Sunday ''without any fighting''. General Mbuja Mabe must have been ordered by the FARDC chief of staff, Lieutenant General Kisempia, ''against tracking Laurent Nkunda's troops allegedly retreated to North Kivu''.
The military situation in Minova is apparently quiet after it has been recaptured by Mbuja Mabe's troops, FORUM DES AS says, adding that MONUC team recently travelled to Minova to assess the security situation on the ground. LE PHARE, which is of the same views, quotes MONUC spokesman, Mamadou Bah, as confirming that ''the 10th military region's troops under General Mbuja Mabe indeed occupy South-Kivu province''. The paper informs that Laurent Nkunda has taken an unknown destination ''may be in Masisi''.
LE PALMARES, for its part, reveals ''what is left unsaid'' referring to the meeting between the four FARDC Generals: Kisempia, Mbuja Mabe, Padiri and Obed. The paper says that, besides the harmonisation of relations between the 10th military region's commander Mbuja Mabe and his 8th military region's colleague, Obed Ruibasira, the four Generals were called upon to reflect on the pacification of eastern DRC. It emerges from the closed door meeting that ''the army is determined to facilitate elections in DRC'', the paper further says.
Moreover, L'OBSERVATEUR announces that on Belgium's initiative, the International Support Committee to the Transition (CIAT) is due to meet in New York, USA. ''Transition's process and DRC elections will be discussed by the meeting'', the paper says, adding that this will be a ministerial-level meeting of countries which are members of CIAT: The five UN Security Council's permanent member countries (China, United States, France, Great-Britain, and Russia) as well as Belgium, Canada, South Africa, Angola, Gabon, Zambia, European Union, African Union and Monuc.
Simultaneously, the European Union will disburse 650,000 euros for the training of 1008 members of the integrated police, LE POTENTIEL says, underscoring that the police officers will be part of the Unit tasked to protect Transition's institutions. The training centre is situated in Kasangulu, about forty kilometres, on Matadi road.
