UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
4 Mar
2009
DRC Press Review
Today's press is full anxiety, with all Kinshasa's newspapers carrying details of the incidents that marred International Women's Day celebrations, revealing the existence of a plot against Vice President Azarias Ruberwa and the increasing tension between the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) and the PPRD (party close to President Joseph Kabila). The papers also carry the indignation of the Catholic Church over the slowness of the electoral process, as well as the threats to the transition, with the crisis in Bukavu and the language of exclusion and provocation within the entourage of President Kabila.
"The feast did not take place in Kinshasa," notes LE POTENTIEL, recalling International Women's Day celebrations. "The event was spoiled due to the overzealous manner of some Congolese women who offered a disgusting spectacle, even changing the very nature of this historic day," explains the paper, referring to the uproar, taunts and disrespectful words uttered by a group of women against Azarias Ruberwa, the Vice President of the Republic in charge of the Commission for Political, Defence and Security Issues.
"Whatever was the colour of their loin cloths, the Congolese women gathered the People's Palace (seat of the Transitional Parliament) should not have at all used this opportunity to demonstrate their degrading and debasing militancy by which they altered the character of the ceremony," the paper says. It adds, "in fact, the danger is that the scandal that occurred at the Palais du Peuple could create a snowball effect. Tomorrow, another Vice President of the Republic, acting on behalf of the President of the Republic, risks having tomatoes thrown at him ... in Mbuji-Mayi, Matadi, Mbandaka or Kisangani."
"Those responsible for the incidents at the Palais du Peuple are known," writes LA REFERENCE PLUS in an article entitled "The RCD accuses PPRD, M17, BNPS and REFECO." PPRD and M17 are political parties, while BNPS and REFECO are women's associations, but they are all known to belong to the political family of President Joseph Kabila. The paper quotes the RCD as saying Mrs."Tshala Mwana (politician and singer) and Mrs. Aghate Mulimbi (PPRD member) were paid important sums of money two days before in order to sabotage this ceremony. In encouraging women to undress, the instigators destroyed in them the most precious thing they have, namely, honour and dignity."
"Contract killers were set loose in order to murder Azarias Ruberwa", LE PALAMARES quotes the RCD as saying.
Similarly, in a piece entitled "A professional killer has been arrested", LE PHARE quotes a statement from the RCD denouncing, among other things, "the duplicity of the Minister of Interior and the Governor of Kinshasa who failed to put in place appropriate security measures in order to prevent these women from entering the compound of the People's Palace... and bringing with them stones, sticks and banners with messages of hate." The RCD and its allies demand "that investigations be launched and that all the culprits be punished according to the laws of the Republic." The former rebel movement also demand "that new provincial governors, new unified security services and integrated police forces be put in place without delay for the security of all."
In the same connection, L'OBSERVATEUR considers that "RCD wants to impose itself by the force of arms", while L'AVENIR believes that "RCD takes up the hatchet." In a statement published in L'AVENIR, PPRD (Party for Reconstruction and Development) denied the charges brought against it by RCD. The paper quotes the statement as saying " the party (PPRD) was not involved in the organisation of the celebrations of 8 March. It is rather on 6 March, at the Grand Hotel of Kinshasa, that [the party] had organised a day of solidarity with all women. And there were no incidents throughout the day."
"President Joseph Kabila has strongly condemned the incidents at the Palais du Peuple," announces LE POTENTIEL, adding "he invites the Congolese and the political parties to cultivate a spirit of concord and reconciliation, and thus demands to the organisers of various political events to take the necessary steps in order to have their members under control"
"Fearing further delays in the holding of elections, the Catholic Church shakes up the political class", headlines FORUM DES AS, referring to a separate incident at the parish Saint Joseph in Kinshasa on Tuesday. " A large number of Catholics of parish Saint Joseph attended the opening ceremony of the civic education campaign, which is designed to prepare the population for elections in the DRC. Present at the event, the Vice President in charge of the Commission for Social and Cultural Issues, Arthur Z'ahidi Ngoma, was booed after making a slip of the tongue. During his address, he stated that several transitions could take place (even) after the elections scheduled for 2005. Considered irrelevant, these words raised the boos of the audience."
According to LE POTENTIEL, Major Kasongo's case remains a threat to the Transition. The paper recalls this issue, which resurfaces with the arrival in Kinshasa of General Prosper Nabyolwa, the commander of the 10th military region. It speculates on what responsibility might have the entourage of President Kabila, "who seems to have accepted to lose face temporarily by returning Major Kasongo to Bukavu, but reserving the last word for it "
"Whatever was the colour of their loin cloths, the Congolese women gathered the People's Palace (seat of the Transitional Parliament) should not have at all used this opportunity to demonstrate their degrading and debasing militancy by which they altered the character of the ceremony," the paper says. It adds, "in fact, the danger is that the scandal that occurred at the Palais du Peuple could create a snowball effect. Tomorrow, another Vice President of the Republic, acting on behalf of the President of the Republic, risks having tomatoes thrown at him ... in Mbuji-Mayi, Matadi, Mbandaka or Kisangani."
"Those responsible for the incidents at the Palais du Peuple are known," writes LA REFERENCE PLUS in an article entitled "The RCD accuses PPRD, M17, BNPS and REFECO." PPRD and M17 are political parties, while BNPS and REFECO are women's associations, but they are all known to belong to the political family of President Joseph Kabila. The paper quotes the RCD as saying Mrs."Tshala Mwana (politician and singer) and Mrs. Aghate Mulimbi (PPRD member) were paid important sums of money two days before in order to sabotage this ceremony. In encouraging women to undress, the instigators destroyed in them the most precious thing they have, namely, honour and dignity."
"Contract killers were set loose in order to murder Azarias Ruberwa", LE PALAMARES quotes the RCD as saying.
Similarly, in a piece entitled "A professional killer has been arrested", LE PHARE quotes a statement from the RCD denouncing, among other things, "the duplicity of the Minister of Interior and the Governor of Kinshasa who failed to put in place appropriate security measures in order to prevent these women from entering the compound of the People's Palace... and bringing with them stones, sticks and banners with messages of hate." The RCD and its allies demand "that investigations be launched and that all the culprits be punished according to the laws of the Republic." The former rebel movement also demand "that new provincial governors, new unified security services and integrated police forces be put in place without delay for the security of all."
In the same connection, L'OBSERVATEUR considers that "RCD wants to impose itself by the force of arms", while L'AVENIR believes that "RCD takes up the hatchet." In a statement published in L'AVENIR, PPRD (Party for Reconstruction and Development) denied the charges brought against it by RCD. The paper quotes the statement as saying " the party (PPRD) was not involved in the organisation of the celebrations of 8 March. It is rather on 6 March, at the Grand Hotel of Kinshasa, that [the party] had organised a day of solidarity with all women. And there were no incidents throughout the day."
"President Joseph Kabila has strongly condemned the incidents at the Palais du Peuple," announces LE POTENTIEL, adding "he invites the Congolese and the political parties to cultivate a spirit of concord and reconciliation, and thus demands to the organisers of various political events to take the necessary steps in order to have their members under control"
"Fearing further delays in the holding of elections, the Catholic Church shakes up the political class", headlines FORUM DES AS, referring to a separate incident at the parish Saint Joseph in Kinshasa on Tuesday. " A large number of Catholics of parish Saint Joseph attended the opening ceremony of the civic education campaign, which is designed to prepare the population for elections in the DRC. Present at the event, the Vice President in charge of the Commission for Social and Cultural Issues, Arthur Z'ahidi Ngoma, was booed after making a slip of the tongue. During his address, he stated that several transitions could take place (even) after the elections scheduled for 2005. Considered irrelevant, these words raised the boos of the audience."
According to LE POTENTIEL, Major Kasongo's case remains a threat to the Transition. The paper recalls this issue, which resurfaces with the arrival in Kinshasa of General Prosper Nabyolwa, the commander of the 10th military region. It speculates on what responsibility might have the entourage of President Kabila, "who seems to have accepted to lose face temporarily by returning Major Kasongo to Bukavu, but reserving the last word for it "
