UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
9 Mar
2009
Press Review 12 January 2005
Today's press review mainly focus on the 'clarification' news conference held by the head of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), a day after the protest movements against the possible postponement of the elections due in June 30, 2005.
«Father Malu Malu pleads non guilty». Under this headline, La Référence Plus refers back to the head of CEI's analysis on Tuesday, dismissing responsibility for the Monday 10 January 2005 tragic event in Kinshasa. The CEI chief « clarified his statement » with respect to the postponement of the elections. During the news conference, Father Malu Malu « reiterated his commitment to organise the elections as soon as possible and, to this end, he called on the transition's institutions to expeditiously discharge their duties in order to help the CEI achieve its goals», LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES reports.
« The CEI chief also appealed to the international community to honour their financial commitments and the Congolese people to read carefully the article 196 of the Transition's constitution that clearly specifies that the transition's duration is twenty four months; however it can be renewed for another six month», the paper says, indicating: «the CEI chief was indirectly throwing the responsibility for the delay in the electoral process on the government and the parliament». The CEI chief is therefore persuaded that « another calendar with accurate electoral timing would certainly help him to plan his activities».
« Following the Monday tragic event in Kinshasa », L'Avenir notes, quoting the head of the Independent Electoral Commission, « the electoral calendar must be published by 31st January 2005». L'Avenir drawing a lesson from the events having led to the clashes between the protestors and the police force maintains, « weapons were distributed for the purpose of killing. Some sources report that people were slaughtered, especially where there were no police officers, which implies that the unrest was the work of some people aimed to physically settle score. »
According to Le Phare, « the 10 January events is indicative of a failed transition that started on 30 June 2003. Malu Malu's dossier is to be added to the existing political crisis and continued armed conflicts. »
« Tensions and hypocrisies around the electoral calendar, open war pitting MLC against PPRD », Le Phare titles and highlights « Transition in intensive care».
According to the paper's analysis, « the Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et la Démocratie (PPRD) is apparently isolated in his move to condemn the Monday escalation in Kinshasa on one hand, and on the other, in defending Father Malu Malu' » As if the PPRD « was deliberately trying to provoke another clash, its Deputy Secretary General, Marie-Ange Lukiana, publicly condemned MLC's move (Mouvement de Libération du Congo led by Jean-Pierre Bemba) for submitting the list of its ministers and deputy ministers to president Kabila within the framework of the cabinet reshuffle, on the grounds that he was not consulted to this end by the President's services' »
He thereby « demands approval of his new ministers whilst Joseph Kabila has already promulgated his decree on the cabinet reshuffle on 3 January 2005, including the one on the equitable share of posts in diplomacy, territorial administration, security services, integrated army and police'. MLC is triggering off a new political crisis in DRC», the paper says, further indicating that PPRD «was preparing to respond to the MLC declaration throwing responsibility for the crisis on the ex-government component. »
Following MLC ultimatum, Le Potentiel foresees a « New crisis in the Presidential circle; a partnership likely to be disrupted». « The scene is now set. The fact that in the last reshuffle the post of Public Works and Infrastructures, which was given to the Mouvement de Libération du Congo remains vacant, is clear evidence that the Transition's government still has a lot to do. The presidential circle can be held responsible for this», the paper writes.
« The CEI chief also appealed to the international community to honour their financial commitments and the Congolese people to read carefully the article 196 of the Transition's constitution that clearly specifies that the transition's duration is twenty four months; however it can be renewed for another six month», the paper says, indicating: «the CEI chief was indirectly throwing the responsibility for the delay in the electoral process on the government and the parliament». The CEI chief is therefore persuaded that « another calendar with accurate electoral timing would certainly help him to plan his activities».
« Following the Monday tragic event in Kinshasa », L'Avenir notes, quoting the head of the Independent Electoral Commission, « the electoral calendar must be published by 31st January 2005». L'Avenir drawing a lesson from the events having led to the clashes between the protestors and the police force maintains, « weapons were distributed for the purpose of killing. Some sources report that people were slaughtered, especially where there were no police officers, which implies that the unrest was the work of some people aimed to physically settle score. »
According to Le Phare, « the 10 January events is indicative of a failed transition that started on 30 June 2003. Malu Malu's dossier is to be added to the existing political crisis and continued armed conflicts. »
« Tensions and hypocrisies around the electoral calendar, open war pitting MLC against PPRD », Le Phare titles and highlights « Transition in intensive care».
According to the paper's analysis, « the Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et la Démocratie (PPRD) is apparently isolated in his move to condemn the Monday escalation in Kinshasa on one hand, and on the other, in defending Father Malu Malu' » As if the PPRD « was deliberately trying to provoke another clash, its Deputy Secretary General, Marie-Ange Lukiana, publicly condemned MLC's move (Mouvement de Libération du Congo led by Jean-Pierre Bemba) for submitting the list of its ministers and deputy ministers to president Kabila within the framework of the cabinet reshuffle, on the grounds that he was not consulted to this end by the President's services' »
He thereby « demands approval of his new ministers whilst Joseph Kabila has already promulgated his decree on the cabinet reshuffle on 3 January 2005, including the one on the equitable share of posts in diplomacy, territorial administration, security services, integrated army and police'. MLC is triggering off a new political crisis in DRC», the paper says, further indicating that PPRD «was preparing to respond to the MLC declaration throwing responsibility for the crisis on the ex-government component. »
Following MLC ultimatum, Le Potentiel foresees a « New crisis in the Presidential circle; a partnership likely to be disrupted». « The scene is now set. The fact that in the last reshuffle the post of Public Works and Infrastructures, which was given to the Mouvement de Libération du Congo remains vacant, is clear evidence that the Transition's government still has a lot to do. The presidential circle can be held responsible for this», the paper writes.
