UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
Press Review
The official publication of the elections roadmap by the President's office containing the different activities to be carried out by the transitional institutions up to the elections is the major news in today's local press.
LE POTENTIEL reveals that the roadmap which is subdivided into four parts clearly specifies the tasks of the Presidency, the Parliament, the Government and the International Community and includes a clear timing and a summary of each transitional institution's assignments; the paper also provides for the nominations of governors, ambassadors, proxies for government-owned firms and heads of different security services between April and June 2004. ''Several laws are scheduled to be promulgated between July and September 2004, amongst others, the ones on the referendum of the 3rd republic's constitution and amnesty''. The paper further says that identification papers' issuance is scheduled for the same period, local elections in April and the legislative elections in June. And to bring the whole plan to fruition, the presidential elections are scheduled for July.
According to LA REFERENCE PLUS, the roadmap should as of now serve as a reference in so far as it sets out the objectives with a clear timing. ''Each institution knows, as of now, what it is supposed to do in order to reach the transition's objectives which will lead to the elections at every level'', highlights the paper further indicating that the roadmap is ''a concrete response to the criticisms on the absence of leadership at the head of the Government''. People will now be able to understand, thanks to this document, the responsibilities of each political player and determine, based on their performance, ''who is blocking what and why; and who is not up to his task under the modalities and timing set'', says the paper pointing out that the roadmap alone will not be enough. One must also allow for imponderables such as ''the lack of financial and material resources which may undermine the process''.
FORUM DES AS hails the publication of the roadmap, which it considers to be ''a clear sign of the Head of State's willingness to comply with the transitional timing''.
LE PHARE in turn, is of the same opinion with LA REFERENCE PLUS, stressing that the good will demonstrated through the roadmap will ''help the Congolese people to aim at the right objectives and to know where to exert their pressures while claiming for elections''. The paper adds that the chronogram ''does not apparently provide for a Coordinator whose nomination is apparently backed by those who like to make people kings in the DRC''.
In this respect, L'AVENIR declares that it is William Swing, the head of the UN mission in the DRC, who expressed the wish, not long ago, to have a government's coordinator appointed. The paper feels that ''the alternative of a government's coordinator comes at a wrong time in so far as the new scheme will call to question the very essence of the 1+4 principle (one president and 4 vice-presidents)'' and will further increase the delay accumulated by the transitional process that is already decried by the International Committee to Support the Transition (CIAT), headed by Mr. Swing, recalls the paper concluding that ''Kofi Annan's Special Representative keeps contradicting himself''.
LE PALMARES mentions the West's secret plan over the DRC, referring to a '' ultra ' secret confidence - leaked out by a diplomat''. ''Having noted that the Congolese are taking their time in organising the elections, they (The West) would like to go round the pitfall'', reports the paper, highlighting that ''it will be difficult to get the idea of a Government coordinator accepted. So, they set their cap at Moustapha Niasse to organise the elections''.
L'AVENIR goes back over President Joseph Kabila's letter referring the matter about the crimes perpetrated in DRC to the International Criminal Court. '' Yesterday, the Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo confirmed being in possession of President Kabila's letter in this respect'', indicates the paper concluding that ''the net is tightening around the war criminals'' in DRC.
After a three-month dithering, the national Assembly adopted an organic bill on the organisation, terms of reference and functioning of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), reports LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES. The MPs have taken into consideration the recommendations formulated by the CIAT on some of the articles contained in this law, indicates L'OBSERVATEUR, adding that the CEI bill is due to be submitted to the Head of State on Tuesday for promulgation.
According to LA REFERENCE PLUS, the roadmap should as of now serve as a reference in so far as it sets out the objectives with a clear timing. ''Each institution knows, as of now, what it is supposed to do in order to reach the transition's objectives which will lead to the elections at every level'', highlights the paper further indicating that the roadmap is ''a concrete response to the criticisms on the absence of leadership at the head of the Government''. People will now be able to understand, thanks to this document, the responsibilities of each political player and determine, based on their performance, ''who is blocking what and why; and who is not up to his task under the modalities and timing set'', says the paper pointing out that the roadmap alone will not be enough. One must also allow for imponderables such as ''the lack of financial and material resources which may undermine the process''.
FORUM DES AS hails the publication of the roadmap, which it considers to be ''a clear sign of the Head of State's willingness to comply with the transitional timing''.
LE PHARE in turn, is of the same opinion with LA REFERENCE PLUS, stressing that the good will demonstrated through the roadmap will ''help the Congolese people to aim at the right objectives and to know where to exert their pressures while claiming for elections''. The paper adds that the chronogram ''does not apparently provide for a Coordinator whose nomination is apparently backed by those who like to make people kings in the DRC''.
In this respect, L'AVENIR declares that it is William Swing, the head of the UN mission in the DRC, who expressed the wish, not long ago, to have a government's coordinator appointed. The paper feels that ''the alternative of a government's coordinator comes at a wrong time in so far as the new scheme will call to question the very essence of the 1+4 principle (one president and 4 vice-presidents)'' and will further increase the delay accumulated by the transitional process that is already decried by the International Committee to Support the Transition (CIAT), headed by Mr. Swing, recalls the paper concluding that ''Kofi Annan's Special Representative keeps contradicting himself''.
LE PALMARES mentions the West's secret plan over the DRC, referring to a '' ultra ' secret confidence - leaked out by a diplomat''. ''Having noted that the Congolese are taking their time in organising the elections, they (The West) would like to go round the pitfall'', reports the paper, highlighting that ''it will be difficult to get the idea of a Government coordinator accepted. So, they set their cap at Moustapha Niasse to organise the elections''.
L'AVENIR goes back over President Joseph Kabila's letter referring the matter about the crimes perpetrated in DRC to the International Criminal Court. '' Yesterday, the Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo confirmed being in possession of President Kabila's letter in this respect'', indicates the paper concluding that ''the net is tightening around the war criminals'' in DRC.
After a three-month dithering, the national Assembly adopted an organic bill on the organisation, terms of reference and functioning of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), reports LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES. The MPs have taken into consideration the recommendations formulated by the CIAT on some of the articles contained in this law, indicates L'OBSERVATEUR, adding that the CEI bill is due to be submitted to the Head of State on Tuesday for promulgation.
