UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
Press Review
Renewed fighting in eastern DRC and last week's coup d'état attempt in Kinshasa are the major stories covered in Kinshasa's papers.
Most headlines are rather alarming: Laurent Nkunda to resume war this Monday, LA REFERENCE PLUS announces; Laurent Nkunda threatens, FORUM DES AS says, while LE POTENTIEL writes The third war in Kivu.
''Laurent Nkunda, the leader of the RCD dissident troops that occupied Bukavu for a week threatened to wage war on the government of Kinshasa on Sunday if a commission to investigate the presumed crimes against his community the (Banyamulenge) in Bukavu is not set up'', LA REFERENCE PLUS reports, noting that General Nkunda is declaring that he was willing to liberate eastern DRC and, at the same time, assuring that ''he was not for the partition of the DRC but was in favour of federalism''.
According to FORUM DES AS, the dissident officer is allegedly expecting a final word from Vice-President Ruberwa. The paper quotes Laurent Nkunda as declaring: ''I am expecting a final word from Azarias Ruberwa, otherwise I will fight Kinshasa''.
L'OBSERVATEUR however announces that ''fighting resumed between Mbuza Mabe's troops and the dissidents''. The violent clashes took place four days ago in Kamanyola, 40 kilometres from Bukavu near the Rwandan border, the paper indicates, adding that ''the fighting was the result of the DRC army's search for Jules Mutebutsi's troops who, it was believed, were seeking refuge in Rwanda or Burundi by the regular army''.
The worst scenario that we feared for the DRC has come to light, LE POTENTIEL says, indicating that ''the third war in Kivu has started in the Eastern hills''. By way of proof, the paper cites the reinforcements sent by Kinshasa to general Mbuza Mabe, backed by ''the Maï-Maï warriors, the Interahamwe combatants and the ex-Far in South Kivu''. The paper therefore fears a ''clash'' with the troops of the 8th military region, which, ''though incorporated into the DRC armed forces (FARDC), are, in the majority, comprised of the troops of the former RCD's armed branch and the governor Eugène Serufuli's militiamen''. The paper warns that if a cease-fire is not imposed and immediately implemented, ''it is doubtless that general Nkunda's troops and their allies of the Rwandan Patriotic Army will find themselves face to face with the loyalist forces''. The paper therefore feels that Louis Michel's emergency initiative must be accelerated, ''namely, the meeting of Foreign Affairs ministers of the Great Lakes in Brussels and the ministerial meeting of member countries of the International Committee to support the Transition (ICST) to look into the security problems and explore the means and ways for a lasting peace in this region''.
In this context, L'OBSERVATEUR says, the European Union is considering the possibility of another airlifting operation the size of the Artémis in Bukavu and its surrounding. The paper says that in light of the persistent fighting, heavy losses of human lives and rights abuses in Bukavu, the European Union could be led to decide to send an Artémis operation to restore peace to the city.
Shots were again heard Saturday in Kinshasa following major Erick Lenge's insurrection, LE PALMARES reports. The paper indicates that heavy shootings were heard near the Ambassadors' residences. This is the result of the ''clashes between the commandoes under Major Eric Lenge and the marine troops''. The paper says ''the remaining elements involved in the aborted putsch'' wanted to cross the river to seek refuge in Congo-Brazzaville but were prevented by the marines. ''The boats used by Eric Lenge's troops to get to Brazzaville were riddled with bullets and sank, and the owner of the boat was arrested''. LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES, which covers the same incident, reports that military uniforms and weapons were reportedly picked up, but no one was captured.
At the same time, Eric Lenge is still on the run, LE PHARE points out. According to the paper, ''the Kadhafi (a gasoline street vendor), who became an army high-ranking officer, was reportedly seen in Kimpangu, a district situated 250 km away from Kinshasa ''. The paper indicates that three suspects in civilian clothing were apprehended on the periphery of Lumuzu, in Bas Congo. The incident in Bukavu and Kinshasa lead the paper to say that ''the transition has further lapsed into the ridiculous'' and that ''the country has lost its points of reference''.
L'AVENIR, in turn, is concerned about the recurrence of violence. The paper highlights that the objective of all these events, fruits of ''misinformation and lots of manipulation'' was to '' destabilise'' the head of State noting that there are ''traitors in Joseph Kabila's entourage''. Referring to the four vice-presidents, the paper warns that they should know that '' destabilising Joseph Kabila amounts to destabilising everybody''.
''Laurent Nkunda, the leader of the RCD dissident troops that occupied Bukavu for a week threatened to wage war on the government of Kinshasa on Sunday if a commission to investigate the presumed crimes against his community the (Banyamulenge) in Bukavu is not set up'', LA REFERENCE PLUS reports, noting that General Nkunda is declaring that he was willing to liberate eastern DRC and, at the same time, assuring that ''he was not for the partition of the DRC but was in favour of federalism''.
According to FORUM DES AS, the dissident officer is allegedly expecting a final word from Vice-President Ruberwa. The paper quotes Laurent Nkunda as declaring: ''I am expecting a final word from Azarias Ruberwa, otherwise I will fight Kinshasa''.
L'OBSERVATEUR however announces that ''fighting resumed between Mbuza Mabe's troops and the dissidents''. The violent clashes took place four days ago in Kamanyola, 40 kilometres from Bukavu near the Rwandan border, the paper indicates, adding that ''the fighting was the result of the DRC army's search for Jules Mutebutsi's troops who, it was believed, were seeking refuge in Rwanda or Burundi by the regular army''.
The worst scenario that we feared for the DRC has come to light, LE POTENTIEL says, indicating that ''the third war in Kivu has started in the Eastern hills''. By way of proof, the paper cites the reinforcements sent by Kinshasa to general Mbuza Mabe, backed by ''the Maï-Maï warriors, the Interahamwe combatants and the ex-Far in South Kivu''. The paper therefore fears a ''clash'' with the troops of the 8th military region, which, ''though incorporated into the DRC armed forces (FARDC), are, in the majority, comprised of the troops of the former RCD's armed branch and the governor Eugène Serufuli's militiamen''. The paper warns that if a cease-fire is not imposed and immediately implemented, ''it is doubtless that general Nkunda's troops and their allies of the Rwandan Patriotic Army will find themselves face to face with the loyalist forces''. The paper therefore feels that Louis Michel's emergency initiative must be accelerated, ''namely, the meeting of Foreign Affairs ministers of the Great Lakes in Brussels and the ministerial meeting of member countries of the International Committee to support the Transition (ICST) to look into the security problems and explore the means and ways for a lasting peace in this region''.
In this context, L'OBSERVATEUR says, the European Union is considering the possibility of another airlifting operation the size of the Artémis in Bukavu and its surrounding. The paper says that in light of the persistent fighting, heavy losses of human lives and rights abuses in Bukavu, the European Union could be led to decide to send an Artémis operation to restore peace to the city.
Shots were again heard Saturday in Kinshasa following major Erick Lenge's insurrection, LE PALMARES reports. The paper indicates that heavy shootings were heard near the Ambassadors' residences. This is the result of the ''clashes between the commandoes under Major Eric Lenge and the marine troops''. The paper says ''the remaining elements involved in the aborted putsch'' wanted to cross the river to seek refuge in Congo-Brazzaville but were prevented by the marines. ''The boats used by Eric Lenge's troops to get to Brazzaville were riddled with bullets and sank, and the owner of the boat was arrested''. LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES, which covers the same incident, reports that military uniforms and weapons were reportedly picked up, but no one was captured.
At the same time, Eric Lenge is still on the run, LE PHARE points out. According to the paper, ''the Kadhafi (a gasoline street vendor), who became an army high-ranking officer, was reportedly seen in Kimpangu, a district situated 250 km away from Kinshasa ''. The paper indicates that three suspects in civilian clothing were apprehended on the periphery of Lumuzu, in Bas Congo. The incident in Bukavu and Kinshasa lead the paper to say that ''the transition has further lapsed into the ridiculous'' and that ''the country has lost its points of reference''.
L'AVENIR, in turn, is concerned about the recurrence of violence. The paper highlights that the objective of all these events, fruits of ''misinformation and lots of manipulation'' was to '' destabilise'' the head of State noting that there are ''traitors in Joseph Kabila's entourage''. Referring to the four vice-presidents, the paper warns that they should know that '' destabilising Joseph Kabila amounts to destabilising everybody''.
