UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
4 Mar
2009
Press Review
MONUC's repatriation operation of the foreign forces in the DRC territory, the military situation in Ituri and the Maniema province as well as the recent provincial inspection tour by Vice-President Ruberwa are the lead in today's local press in Kinshasa.
The United Nations Mission repatriated a hundred fifty one Burundian ex-combatants and twenty or so dependants, women and children, to their country of origin on 28 December 2003 from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. L'Observateur and L'Avenir made the announcement based on MONUC's press release indicating that the operation was part of the Demobilization, Disarmament, Repatriation, Reintegration and Resettlement (DDRRR) operations to be conducted in the Eastern DRC. «The Burundian ex-combatants who belong to the Forces for Defense and Democracy (FDD) and the Forces for the National Liberation (FLN) were gradually cantoned for the last eleven months, since February 2003, at MONUC transit center at Adi Kivu, situated 30 km northern Bukavu, South-Kivu province. »
In Ituri, announces La Tempête des Tropiques, five hundred nineteen (519) troops that used to serve within the Movement for the Liberation of the DR Congo (MLC) are expected « to beef up the pacification brigade. Those troops of the 311th battalion will be trained in Kisangani (before joining Bunia). They arrived Monday in Mbandaka, provincial town of Equateur province, en route to Kisangani. «Their mission is in line with the formation of the integrated army. »
During this time, says Le Phare, « Kindu is in a panic » following «the rapes, lootings and several acts of violence and atrocities committed. The population accuses the armed groups, namely the Maï Maï, of conducting systematic rapes. They mostly target young girls aged between 10 and 13 and women having already entered menopause. Journalists seeking to penetrate the mystery found out that the Maï Maï abuse those categories of women to increase their power, as their tradition has it. »
La Référence Plus raises the recent inspection tour made by Azarias Ruberwa to some DRC provinces. The tour of the Vice-President in charge of the Political, Defense and Security matters to Kisangani, Mbuji Mayi and Kananga «brought hope in regard to the reunification process» stresses the paper. «Those are the sensitive areas previously under control of the RCD/Goma's rebel groups' Azarias Ruberwa should absolutely give the lead if he intends to be taken seriously. It is incredible to believe that six months after the government has been put in place, the RCD/Goma-appointed governors in Lubao, Kabinda (Kasaï Oriental province) or North-Katanga continue functioning as governors, thereby bringing the number of provinces from 11 to 14. »
Le Potentiel says, «Ruberwa denounced the injustice against the two Kasaïs. He condemned the decision banning foreigners from settling in those regions on the ground that they are mining areas. » Referring to this tour, Le Palmarès supports Kinshasa leadership's decision to « re-launch the pluri-sectoral activities through the reunification process of the country. » The paper says that after Azarias Ruberwa, President Joseph Kabila will also «visit the provinces, especially the territories» in the East that used to be under RCD/Goma's control.
In Ituri, announces La Tempête des Tropiques, five hundred nineteen (519) troops that used to serve within the Movement for the Liberation of the DR Congo (MLC) are expected « to beef up the pacification brigade. Those troops of the 311th battalion will be trained in Kisangani (before joining Bunia). They arrived Monday in Mbandaka, provincial town of Equateur province, en route to Kisangani. «Their mission is in line with the formation of the integrated army. »
During this time, says Le Phare, « Kindu is in a panic » following «the rapes, lootings and several acts of violence and atrocities committed. The population accuses the armed groups, namely the Maï Maï, of conducting systematic rapes. They mostly target young girls aged between 10 and 13 and women having already entered menopause. Journalists seeking to penetrate the mystery found out that the Maï Maï abuse those categories of women to increase their power, as their tradition has it. »
La Référence Plus raises the recent inspection tour made by Azarias Ruberwa to some DRC provinces. The tour of the Vice-President in charge of the Political, Defense and Security matters to Kisangani, Mbuji Mayi and Kananga «brought hope in regard to the reunification process» stresses the paper. «Those are the sensitive areas previously under control of the RCD/Goma's rebel groups' Azarias Ruberwa should absolutely give the lead if he intends to be taken seriously. It is incredible to believe that six months after the government has been put in place, the RCD/Goma-appointed governors in Lubao, Kabinda (Kasaï Oriental province) or North-Katanga continue functioning as governors, thereby bringing the number of provinces from 11 to 14. »
Le Potentiel says, «Ruberwa denounced the injustice against the two Kasaïs. He condemned the decision banning foreigners from settling in those regions on the ground that they are mining areas. » Referring to this tour, Le Palmarès supports Kinshasa leadership's decision to « re-launch the pluri-sectoral activities through the reunification process of the country. » The paper says that after Azarias Ruberwa, President Joseph Kabila will also «visit the provinces, especially the territories» in the East that used to be under RCD/Goma's control.
