UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
Press Review 14 September 2004
Commanders of South Kivu, North Kivu and Oriental Provinces met in Kinshasa with regard to security situation in eastern DRC: this is the overwhelming subject in today's local papers which also raises the pygmies' withdrawal of cannibalistic charges against Jean-Pierre Bemba's MLC.
Generals Mbuja Mabe, Padiri Bulenda and Obed Ruibasira, respectively commanders of 10th, 9th and 8th military region have been convened by the FARDC chief of staff, LE PALMARES reports. The three Generals are allegedly convened for a ''48-hour coordinating meeting according to the military Hierarchy's message'', the paper says.
L'AVENIR recalls that they have been convened after General Mbuja Mabe has recaptured Walikale and Minova districts from the renegade General Laurent Nkunda, in South-Kivu. The context is also characterized by differences of views between the commanders of the 8th and 10th military regions ''jus as if they were from two different countries'', the paper underscores, citing the last June event when from North Kivu, Laurent Nkunda, accompanied by approximately 4,000 troops captured Bukavu, the administrative town of South Kivu, ''without any reaction from the commander of the 8th military region''. The paper therefore considers that the Kinshasa meeting should ''restore discipline'' and ''put everyone into a better frame; they should also be reminded that they serve in the same army and the same country, that is, the DRC''. The Kisangani-based General Padiri's presence in Kinshasa is justified since ''the tense situation in eastern DRC could as well affect the Eastern Province, which requires some common strategies''.
Referring to the differences of views between the commanders of eastern DRC military regions, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES, notes that the actual objective of the meeting, which is of utmost importance, remains secret. The paper is of the opinion that only ''an accelerated process of the creation of a restructured and integrated army, in the service of the country'' would be the most effective remedy to the differences of views. LA REFERENCE PLUS is in full supports of this and indicates that it is ''the DRC military authorities' responsibility to issue clear guidelines to both Generals Obed and Mbuja Mabe, the two FARDC high-ranking military officers, who are unfortunately looking daggers at each other''.
FORUM DES AS hopes that ''the military commanders' meeting will lead to concrete results towards the consolidation of Peace 'and elimination of warlords' vague desires for troubles, sponsored by politicians in authority''.
Pygmies apologise to Jean-Pierre Bemba for falsely accusing MLC of being a cannibalistic movement, LA REFERENCE PLUS reports. Echoing the news conference held Monday 13 September by representatives of the Mambasa pygmies' community in Kinshasa, the paper says the widely-covered Pygmies' declaration made in December 2002 accusing MLC of perpetrating cannibalism is ''a mere politicians' fabrication cooked up by Jean-Pierre Bemba's political opponents with a view to sullying him'', indicating that the pygmies have gone back on their previous declaration, stating that '' those reported killed and eaten are indeed alive'', further indicating ''In all conscience'', on behalf of their community, they apologized to Mr. Jean-Pierre Bemba for the wrong done to him, the paper says.
FORUM DES AS reveals that MLC has forgiven them but ''reserves the right to sue those who organised the libel against it and its leader''.
In its today's editorial, L'AVENIR considers that the Pygmies change of position would not change the situation as such, noting that '' by inducing the Pygmies to retract, MLC has only accounted to the medias but not the International Criminal Court which needs more evidence than simple declarations''. Whatever it is, the paper says, the trial must take place and only then ''the awaited truth will out despite the Pygmies' declaration''.
This new development, added to the Gatumba massacre, leads LE PHARE to say that ''the political climate in DRC is increasingly corrupted''. The paper thinks that the Pygmies' retracting ''throws discredit to the whole DRC political process since it will be difficult to know where the truth lies'', further asking what would happen tomorrow ''if eye witnesses to the massacres are pushed to tell lies; what guarantee would be given to the population that the same scenario will not happen tomorrow when dealing with election's riggings''.
In another development, LE POTENTIEL proposes an analysis on the next Constitution that will replace the one of the transition's period. According to the paper, the text must be ''impersonal'' and be framed with lots of ''seriousness'', for ''the DRC future, which everybody wishes to see brilliant and prosperous, is contingent upon the way the basic text will be conceived and framed''. The paper says the new constitution must ''reflect people's expectations and prefigure a break with all the past regimes and political systems''. The paper further calls on the International Community to assist in the organisation of free, democratic and transparent elections, considering that ''the limitations of the transition's government became evident, notably in the financial area''.
L'AVENIR recalls that they have been convened after General Mbuja Mabe has recaptured Walikale and Minova districts from the renegade General Laurent Nkunda, in South-Kivu. The context is also characterized by differences of views between the commanders of the 8th and 10th military regions ''jus as if they were from two different countries'', the paper underscores, citing the last June event when from North Kivu, Laurent Nkunda, accompanied by approximately 4,000 troops captured Bukavu, the administrative town of South Kivu, ''without any reaction from the commander of the 8th military region''. The paper therefore considers that the Kinshasa meeting should ''restore discipline'' and ''put everyone into a better frame; they should also be reminded that they serve in the same army and the same country, that is, the DRC''. The Kisangani-based General Padiri's presence in Kinshasa is justified since ''the tense situation in eastern DRC could as well affect the Eastern Province, which requires some common strategies''.
Referring to the differences of views between the commanders of eastern DRC military regions, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES, notes that the actual objective of the meeting, which is of utmost importance, remains secret. The paper is of the opinion that only ''an accelerated process of the creation of a restructured and integrated army, in the service of the country'' would be the most effective remedy to the differences of views. LA REFERENCE PLUS is in full supports of this and indicates that it is ''the DRC military authorities' responsibility to issue clear guidelines to both Generals Obed and Mbuja Mabe, the two FARDC high-ranking military officers, who are unfortunately looking daggers at each other''.
FORUM DES AS hopes that ''the military commanders' meeting will lead to concrete results towards the consolidation of Peace 'and elimination of warlords' vague desires for troubles, sponsored by politicians in authority''.
Pygmies apologise to Jean-Pierre Bemba for falsely accusing MLC of being a cannibalistic movement, LA REFERENCE PLUS reports. Echoing the news conference held Monday 13 September by representatives of the Mambasa pygmies' community in Kinshasa, the paper says the widely-covered Pygmies' declaration made in December 2002 accusing MLC of perpetrating cannibalism is ''a mere politicians' fabrication cooked up by Jean-Pierre Bemba's political opponents with a view to sullying him'', indicating that the pygmies have gone back on their previous declaration, stating that '' those reported killed and eaten are indeed alive'', further indicating ''In all conscience'', on behalf of their community, they apologized to Mr. Jean-Pierre Bemba for the wrong done to him, the paper says.
FORUM DES AS reveals that MLC has forgiven them but ''reserves the right to sue those who organised the libel against it and its leader''.
In its today's editorial, L'AVENIR considers that the Pygmies change of position would not change the situation as such, noting that '' by inducing the Pygmies to retract, MLC has only accounted to the medias but not the International Criminal Court which needs more evidence than simple declarations''. Whatever it is, the paper says, the trial must take place and only then ''the awaited truth will out despite the Pygmies' declaration''.
This new development, added to the Gatumba massacre, leads LE PHARE to say that ''the political climate in DRC is increasingly corrupted''. The paper thinks that the Pygmies' retracting ''throws discredit to the whole DRC political process since it will be difficult to know where the truth lies'', further asking what would happen tomorrow ''if eye witnesses to the massacres are pushed to tell lies; what guarantee would be given to the population that the same scenario will not happen tomorrow when dealing with election's riggings''.
In another development, LE POTENTIEL proposes an analysis on the next Constitution that will replace the one of the transition's period. According to the paper, the text must be ''impersonal'' and be framed with lots of ''seriousness'', for ''the DRC future, which everybody wishes to see brilliant and prosperous, is contingent upon the way the basic text will be conceived and framed''. The paper says the new constitution must ''reflect people's expectations and prefigure a break with all the past regimes and political systems''. The paper further calls on the International Community to assist in the organisation of free, democratic and transparent elections, considering that ''the limitations of the transition's government became evident, notably in the financial area''.
