UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
Press review
A lot of ink continues to be spilled over the presence of Rwandan troops in the Eastern DRC. Today's local papers in Kinshasa mainly analyses the position of the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD), a former pro-Rwanda DRC rebel group on the above issue.
RCD denies the presence of Rwandan troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo, reports LA TEMEPETE DES TROPIQUES, echoing a press conference held Wednesday by the Congolese ex rebel movement (RCD/Goma). The paper says that RCD has denied Monuc report on the presence of Rwandan troops in Bunangana (North Kivu). The newspaper publishes the statement issued by RCD/G's Secretary General ad interim concerning the situation in the Eastern province, 'In fulfilment of its duty of getting informed and better informing, RCD/G verified Monuc information; it turns out that the information released is not true''. RCD argues that the alleged Rwandan army officer commanding the troops found in Bunangana is lieutenant colonel Munyakazi, second in commandant of the Rutshuru brigade who was approached by South African military observers. According to RCD, ''this officer was confronted by the commander of the 8th military Region, with the South African military observer who released the information. The latter declared that it was a mistake (he was mistaken)''. In its statement published in full, RCD said it feels that the DRC territory, its borders as well as the Congolese people themselves are not protected. It accuses the transitional government of ''dragging feet in the formation of the new Restructured and Integrated Army, which will be able to defend the integrity of the DRC territory''. RCD also blames the government for not ''making any tangible effort'' to normalise and consolidate its relations with its neighbouring countries. Finally, RCD request that Monuc be given the chapter 7 mandate of disarming the foreign armed groups in the DRC territory.
LE PALMARES describes this declaration as a ''scathing statement'' and believes it is the ''work of a government coalition's party''. For the paper, ''such a declaration could have been issued by UDPS which, honestly, was opposed to the transitional institutions''. The fact that Azarias Ruberwa's party has called the transitional Government incompetent is ''a flat falling on the back'', given that he is one of the Vice-presidents in the presidential circle and has eight ministers in the Government, says the paper.
L'AVENIR is of the same opinion. The paper feels that the presence of Rwandan troops in the East discredits Ruberwa, since he is the Vice-President for Political, Defence and Security matters, that is, the security of the DRC throughout the Transitional period. In this respect, the paper was expecting him to play the leading role ''in denouncing, even issuing a strong warning against Rwanda''. Unfortunately, notes the paper, ''Being himself submitted to Kigali, he did not dare open his mouth''.
RCD's position vis-à-vis the presence of Rwandan troops in DRC led another former rebel movement, RCD-K-ML, to ask RCD/Goma to disclose its military ties with Rwanda, announces L'OBSERVATEUR. '' RCD-Goma should then choose between continuing its relations with its backers or fully complying with its commitments for a successful transition'', says RCD-K-ML further calling on the government ''to take appropriate measures that would prevent DRC from continuing to be either victim of foreign negative forces or regular armies from the neighbouring countries''.
In South-Kivu, Rwandan rebels are said to have captured several districts, according to LA REFERENCE PLUS. '' Lemera village, in South Kivu, which saw the creation of the AFDL under the late President Laurent Desiré Kabila, in October 1996 fell last Tuesday in the hands of the Rwandan rebels, known as the Interhamwe'', announces the paper revealing that ''the fights launched by the Congolese armed Forces troops, backed by the Maï-Maï combatants in a bid to dislodge the negative forces were extremely violent''. According to the paper, before capturing Lemera, the same Interhamwe and ex-FAR took control of Bunyakiri last week.
FORUM DES AS mentions the creation of a UN Committee in charge of Monitoring Arms flows in Eastern DRC. The paper quotes the Head of MONUC Public Information as declaring that the committee is tasked to gather information in this respect and ensure the respect of the UN Security Council resolution 1493 relating to arms embargo in the DRC.
LE PHARE titles: the UN's reserve on the roadmap issued by President Joseph Kabila's office. The paper thus alludes to the presentation by the head of Monuc electoral unit who when asked to express his position on the existence of two Transitional roadmaps (one from the Independent Electoral Commission and another from the President's office), declared ''internal discussions on the road map issued by the Presidency would be necessary since it includes most of the technical aspects''. The paper echoes the Mission's position on the presence of Rwandan troops. ''Monuc loudly confirms having seen Rwandan troops in the DRC territory'', indicates LE PHARE further announcing the arrival in Kinshasa, of the humanitarian barge which left Mbandaka on 2 April
LE PALMARES describes this declaration as a ''scathing statement'' and believes it is the ''work of a government coalition's party''. For the paper, ''such a declaration could have been issued by UDPS which, honestly, was opposed to the transitional institutions''. The fact that Azarias Ruberwa's party has called the transitional Government incompetent is ''a flat falling on the back'', given that he is one of the Vice-presidents in the presidential circle and has eight ministers in the Government, says the paper.
L'AVENIR is of the same opinion. The paper feels that the presence of Rwandan troops in the East discredits Ruberwa, since he is the Vice-President for Political, Defence and Security matters, that is, the security of the DRC throughout the Transitional period. In this respect, the paper was expecting him to play the leading role ''in denouncing, even issuing a strong warning against Rwanda''. Unfortunately, notes the paper, ''Being himself submitted to Kigali, he did not dare open his mouth''.
RCD's position vis-à-vis the presence of Rwandan troops in DRC led another former rebel movement, RCD-K-ML, to ask RCD/Goma to disclose its military ties with Rwanda, announces L'OBSERVATEUR. '' RCD-Goma should then choose between continuing its relations with its backers or fully complying with its commitments for a successful transition'', says RCD-K-ML further calling on the government ''to take appropriate measures that would prevent DRC from continuing to be either victim of foreign negative forces or regular armies from the neighbouring countries''.
In South-Kivu, Rwandan rebels are said to have captured several districts, according to LA REFERENCE PLUS. '' Lemera village, in South Kivu, which saw the creation of the AFDL under the late President Laurent Desiré Kabila, in October 1996 fell last Tuesday in the hands of the Rwandan rebels, known as the Interhamwe'', announces the paper revealing that ''the fights launched by the Congolese armed Forces troops, backed by the Maï-Maï combatants in a bid to dislodge the negative forces were extremely violent''. According to the paper, before capturing Lemera, the same Interhamwe and ex-FAR took control of Bunyakiri last week.
FORUM DES AS mentions the creation of a UN Committee in charge of Monitoring Arms flows in Eastern DRC. The paper quotes the Head of MONUC Public Information as declaring that the committee is tasked to gather information in this respect and ensure the respect of the UN Security Council resolution 1493 relating to arms embargo in the DRC.
LE PHARE titles: the UN's reserve on the roadmap issued by President Joseph Kabila's office. The paper thus alludes to the presentation by the head of Monuc electoral unit who when asked to express his position on the existence of two Transitional roadmaps (one from the Independent Electoral Commission and another from the President's office), declared ''internal discussions on the road map issued by the Presidency would be necessary since it includes most of the technical aspects''. The paper echoes the Mission's position on the presence of Rwandan troops. ''Monuc loudly confirms having seen Rwandan troops in the DRC territory'', indicates LE PHARE further announcing the arrival in Kinshasa, of the humanitarian barge which left Mbandaka on 2 April
