UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
Press Review
The publication of Government's roadmap has given rise to several comments by the local Press analysing its twists and turns. Today's papers also mention some new developments on the tense relations between Brazzaville and Kinshasa.
Decisive roadmap, entitles LE POTENTIEL in its editorial, alluding to the new Transitional timings set by the Head of State, to lead to ''free, transparent and democratic elections''. The paper indicates that this is not the first time such measures have been taken recalling that the signatories of the All-inclusive agreement had established a timing for the ongoing transition, unfortunately, the national opinion which believed this calendar was brought down to earth ''due to the pace given to the transition by the key players''. The paper however hopes that the new calendar will be respected by all the parties whether in power or not, since the ''DRC's national and international credibility is at risk''. It is time, indicates the paper, that the image of the DRC being that of a country that is unable to fulfil its commitments or pledges should definitely disappear.
With the publication of the roadmap, Joseph Kabila puts a close watch on himself, says LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES. According to the paper, the publication of this document makes Joseph Kabila appear, for the opinion, as a personage determined to bring the transition to fruition to enable the Congolese to elect their new leaders. The paper further says ''the document having put the Head of State at ease, all eyes are now turned to him and await to see how things are going to be put into practice''. And the different government's actions will be judged in light of the calendar set, indicates the paper.
LE PALMARES in turn sees the roadmap as a blunder made by president Kabila's clan. The paper says that ''by appropriating the document's ownership that should be endorsed by all, the Head of State will have all the responsibilities in the event of failure''. The paper highlights that for an action program spreading over a period of time which should take into consideration all the hazards and imponderables, '' it could be better to have the responsibilities shared by all the parties, more particularly the Presidential Space and the Government''. While denouncing the ''hasty and unilateral ways used in publishing the document'', the paper singles out ''some unnecessary combinations that make the document confusing'': What do the erection of President Kasa-Vubu's mausoleum and the rehabilitation of government's buildings have to do with the transition. The paper goes on and on about the changes in the elections timing, and recalls that the transitional Constitution has already scheduled the elections timing for June 2005. ''In this roadmap, presidential elections are scheduled for September 2005'', notes the paper, pointing out that it is a violation of the constitutional provisions. It also notes that there is no provision on the funding of the chronogram.
For L'AVENIR, the publication of the roadmap is not an end in itself. ''Everything already achieved, such as the putting-in-place of the institutions, should lead to the same objective, namely the elections' while the other deeds executed by the Transition constitute the means'', writes the paper, recalling that the elections will take place from July to September 2005, according to the provisions of the roadmap. '' But the fact of announcing this timing is not enough to organise the elections. The transitional players at every level should support president Kabila's initiative'', indicates the paper putting in the same context the ongoing consultations conducted by the Head of State.
The gap is widening between Brazzaville and Kinshasa, says LE POTENTIEL: ''The ex- DSP (Presidential Special Division)'s troops arrested in Brazzaville, accuse President Denis Sassou Nguesso's Government of forcing them to declare having been manipulated by Kabila's power, just for the purpose of accusing Brazzaville of making destabilisation attempt'', reports the paper, quoting a BBC dispatch. In the same development, LA REFERENCE PLUS refers to the damning revelations made by ex-DSP against Brazzaville and concludes that 'the Congo Brazzaville's secret agents have been caught red-handed in the fiendish dossier of the 27 to 28 March attacks on Kinshasa''.
Following the rumours of war in the East, MONUC is to dispatch a verification mission to the site, reports LE PHARE quoting MONUC spokesman. The paper indicates that this mission intervenes after the persisting rumours indicating the existence of a letter from Rwandan authorities addressed to the UN Mission in the DRC in which Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his army chief of General staff, James Kabarebe, apparently threatening to launch a fresh invasion on the DRC. MONUC spokesman declared in an interview having not seen such a letter, indicates the paper.
With the publication of the roadmap, Joseph Kabila puts a close watch on himself, says LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES. According to the paper, the publication of this document makes Joseph Kabila appear, for the opinion, as a personage determined to bring the transition to fruition to enable the Congolese to elect their new leaders. The paper further says ''the document having put the Head of State at ease, all eyes are now turned to him and await to see how things are going to be put into practice''. And the different government's actions will be judged in light of the calendar set, indicates the paper.
LE PALMARES in turn sees the roadmap as a blunder made by president Kabila's clan. The paper says that ''by appropriating the document's ownership that should be endorsed by all, the Head of State will have all the responsibilities in the event of failure''. The paper highlights that for an action program spreading over a period of time which should take into consideration all the hazards and imponderables, '' it could be better to have the responsibilities shared by all the parties, more particularly the Presidential Space and the Government''. While denouncing the ''hasty and unilateral ways used in publishing the document'', the paper singles out ''some unnecessary combinations that make the document confusing'': What do the erection of President Kasa-Vubu's mausoleum and the rehabilitation of government's buildings have to do with the transition. The paper goes on and on about the changes in the elections timing, and recalls that the transitional Constitution has already scheduled the elections timing for June 2005. ''In this roadmap, presidential elections are scheduled for September 2005'', notes the paper, pointing out that it is a violation of the constitutional provisions. It also notes that there is no provision on the funding of the chronogram.
For L'AVENIR, the publication of the roadmap is not an end in itself. ''Everything already achieved, such as the putting-in-place of the institutions, should lead to the same objective, namely the elections' while the other deeds executed by the Transition constitute the means'', writes the paper, recalling that the elections will take place from July to September 2005, according to the provisions of the roadmap. '' But the fact of announcing this timing is not enough to organise the elections. The transitional players at every level should support president Kabila's initiative'', indicates the paper putting in the same context the ongoing consultations conducted by the Head of State.
The gap is widening between Brazzaville and Kinshasa, says LE POTENTIEL: ''The ex- DSP (Presidential Special Division)'s troops arrested in Brazzaville, accuse President Denis Sassou Nguesso's Government of forcing them to declare having been manipulated by Kabila's power, just for the purpose of accusing Brazzaville of making destabilisation attempt'', reports the paper, quoting a BBC dispatch. In the same development, LA REFERENCE PLUS refers to the damning revelations made by ex-DSP against Brazzaville and concludes that 'the Congo Brazzaville's secret agents have been caught red-handed in the fiendish dossier of the 27 to 28 March attacks on Kinshasa''.
Following the rumours of war in the East, MONUC is to dispatch a verification mission to the site, reports LE PHARE quoting MONUC spokesman. The paper indicates that this mission intervenes after the persisting rumours indicating the existence of a letter from Rwandan authorities addressed to the UN Mission in the DRC in which Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his army chief of General staff, James Kabarebe, apparently threatening to launch a fresh invasion on the DRC. MONUC spokesman declared in an interview having not seen such a letter, indicates the paper.
