UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
Press review
The new fights in Bukavu dominate today's local papers in Kinshasa, after the truce observed a few days ago.
''The situation in Bukavu, provincial capital of South Kivu, remains tense, 5 days after the new fights started between the government's army and the dissidents soldiers led by commander Mutebutsi'', L'OBSERVATEUR notes, indicating that other fights are reported near Kavumu airport, 40 km away from the town of Bukavu, on the road leading to Goma. The paper indicates that Bukavu airport is under control of the regular army. It underscores that MONUC is now conducting mop up of Bukavu and '' yesterday, Monuc helicopters shelled FARDC positions by mistake''.
Escalation in Bukavu! headlines LE PHARE announcing that a '' a thousand-troop column regarded by the regular army as dissidents, is en route to Bukavu and would be arrested a dozen kilometres away from the airport of the town of Eastern DRC''. MONUC spokesman is quoted by the paper as indicating that the troops were allegedly headed by General Laurent Nkunda ''of the Congolese Rally for Democracy, an ex-rebellion allied to Rwanda which is now party to the transitional institutions'''.
L'AVENIR says that General Nkunda reportedly rushed to the rescue of colonel Mutebutsi, the suspended deputy commander, who sparked the clashes in Bukavu. The paper also raises the death of a MONUC military observer killed in Kalehe district ''where the troops of General Laurent Nkunda en route to Bukavu to capture Kavumu airport were curiously cantoned''. The paper therefore feels that even though the assailants have not been identified, ''it appears easier to understand that the attack was launched by General Nkunda's troops, from North Kivu through all the way leading to South Kivu''.
''MONUC ultimatum expired yesterday and Mutebutsi's troops reportedly surrendered to Monuc and are currently cantoned in Sominki camp in Bukavu'', reports LA REFERENCE PLUS recalling that those are the very troops that opened fire on General Félix Mbuza Mabe's troops, commander of the 10th military region on 26 May. The paper applauds the action of the DRC armed Forces which, ''after defeating Mutebutsi's troops, they held in check General Laurent Nkunda's troops estimated at 2000 elements in Kalehe''.
FORUM DES AS says it is not surprised by the intervention of General Nkunda's troops, ''his candidacy was turned down during the nominations of army officers''. The paper further indicates that ''the man represents the military side of RCD's most radical wing, opposed to any peaceful plan in the DRC''. According to this paper, ''the wing is determined to undermine the peace efforts and play the ethnical game, by throwing out a threat supposedly weighing on the Banyamulenge community''. The paper feels that the current tension in Bukavu is ''linked to an internal problem of indiscipline, rather than a campaign against an ethnical group''. It therefore calls on Rwandan authorities not to '' interfere in this crisis under pretext that the Tutsis from DRC are in danger''.
LE POTENTIEL describes Laurent Nkunda as ''new warlord''. Following the threat on the town of Bukavu, president Joseph Kabila initiated a pacification mission headed by vice-president Azarias Ruberwa, reports the paper adding that an official delegation comprised of a hundred people left Kinshasa Sunday morning, including vice-president Azarias Ruberwa, ministers Théophile Bemba, Jean-Pierre Ondekane, Vital Kamehre, Madeleine Kalala, Mohamed Bule, the president of the Truth and Verification Commission and a dozen parliament members. The delegation will contribute to ''Monuc's effort to restore peace to Kivu''.
Furthermore, reports LE POTENTIEL, president Kabila ordered the military court to investigate into ''the acts of indiscipline perpetrated by some officers of the 10th military region'' in a communiqué issued by the presidency, ''in order to establish responsibilities and punish those found guilty''. In the same communiqué, president Kabila further extends his condolences to the United Nations secretary-General and the Republic of Ghana over the death of a Ghaneen peacekeeper fallen in Kalehe in conditions yet to clarify. He ''hails Monuc for the exemplary comportment of its troops and requests that MONUC, in coordination with the army and police forces, steps up the strength of its security forces in the town of Bukavu and the surrounding''.
Escalation in Bukavu! headlines LE PHARE announcing that a '' a thousand-troop column regarded by the regular army as dissidents, is en route to Bukavu and would be arrested a dozen kilometres away from the airport of the town of Eastern DRC''. MONUC spokesman is quoted by the paper as indicating that the troops were allegedly headed by General Laurent Nkunda ''of the Congolese Rally for Democracy, an ex-rebellion allied to Rwanda which is now party to the transitional institutions'''.
L'AVENIR says that General Nkunda reportedly rushed to the rescue of colonel Mutebutsi, the suspended deputy commander, who sparked the clashes in Bukavu. The paper also raises the death of a MONUC military observer killed in Kalehe district ''where the troops of General Laurent Nkunda en route to Bukavu to capture Kavumu airport were curiously cantoned''. The paper therefore feels that even though the assailants have not been identified, ''it appears easier to understand that the attack was launched by General Nkunda's troops, from North Kivu through all the way leading to South Kivu''.
''MONUC ultimatum expired yesterday and Mutebutsi's troops reportedly surrendered to Monuc and are currently cantoned in Sominki camp in Bukavu'', reports LA REFERENCE PLUS recalling that those are the very troops that opened fire on General Félix Mbuza Mabe's troops, commander of the 10th military region on 26 May. The paper applauds the action of the DRC armed Forces which, ''after defeating Mutebutsi's troops, they held in check General Laurent Nkunda's troops estimated at 2000 elements in Kalehe''.
FORUM DES AS says it is not surprised by the intervention of General Nkunda's troops, ''his candidacy was turned down during the nominations of army officers''. The paper further indicates that ''the man represents the military side of RCD's most radical wing, opposed to any peaceful plan in the DRC''. According to this paper, ''the wing is determined to undermine the peace efforts and play the ethnical game, by throwing out a threat supposedly weighing on the Banyamulenge community''. The paper feels that the current tension in Bukavu is ''linked to an internal problem of indiscipline, rather than a campaign against an ethnical group''. It therefore calls on Rwandan authorities not to '' interfere in this crisis under pretext that the Tutsis from DRC are in danger''.
LE POTENTIEL describes Laurent Nkunda as ''new warlord''. Following the threat on the town of Bukavu, president Joseph Kabila initiated a pacification mission headed by vice-president Azarias Ruberwa, reports the paper adding that an official delegation comprised of a hundred people left Kinshasa Sunday morning, including vice-president Azarias Ruberwa, ministers Théophile Bemba, Jean-Pierre Ondekane, Vital Kamehre, Madeleine Kalala, Mohamed Bule, the president of the Truth and Verification Commission and a dozen parliament members. The delegation will contribute to ''Monuc's effort to restore peace to Kivu''.
Furthermore, reports LE POTENTIEL, president Kabila ordered the military court to investigate into ''the acts of indiscipline perpetrated by some officers of the 10th military region'' in a communiqué issued by the presidency, ''in order to establish responsibilities and punish those found guilty''. In the same communiqué, president Kabila further extends his condolences to the United Nations secretary-General and the Republic of Ghana over the death of a Ghaneen peacekeeper fallen in Kalehe in conditions yet to clarify. He ''hails Monuc for the exemplary comportment of its troops and requests that MONUC, in coordination with the army and police forces, steps up the strength of its security forces in the town of Bukavu and the surrounding''.
