UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
4 Mar
2009
Press Review
A coup reportedly foiled in Kinshasa from Saturday to Sunday night, say most local papers in Kinshasa today.
''Kinshasa had a very agitated Saturday and Sunday night. The gun shots heard in the vicinities of the main military barracks awoke the population in Kinshasa with a start'', reports L'AVENIR, adding that all the elements lead to the conclusion of an aborted coup. As proof, the paper says that 'Russian-made grenades, not used by the Congolese army or all the military arsenal, without forgetting the assailants' military objectives''. The paper also quotes some chanceries referring to ''an aborted coup''.
LE PHARE holds on to the explanation of the Minister of Information, Vital Kamerhe, stating that ''unidentified assailants attacked military targets, more particularly the Tshatshi camp, the Kokolo logistic base, the navy base and MONUC headquarters''. Seventeen assailants were arrested. Government soldiers recovered 95 individual AK 47 guns and Uzis, one machine gun, two "60" mortars, 4 rocket-launchers, six rockets, 5000 ammunitions, and about thirty grenades made in Russia, indicates the paper.
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES says the commando allegedly came from Brazzaville and had two objectives: To kidnap an ex-cobra militiaman by the name of Willy Mantsanga, native of the Pool region like the ex-Congolese Prime Minister Bernard Kolelas and who was under the protection of the army's security services at the Kinshasa navy base, and thereafter, to overthrow the Government.
''Revelations'' from LE PALMARES indicate that the key players in the aborted coup are the ''soldiers of the ex-Presidential Special Division (DSP), displeased for not being integrated into the new army''. Two ex-Faz (Forces armées zaïroises) Generals and one former Prime Minister based abroad are believed to be the masterminds, according to the paper.
The operation was code-named ''Pentecôte'' and was aimed to destabilize the Political Institutions put in place, indicates LE POTENTIEL, noting that the national police and FARDC troops thwarted it thanks to a swift counter-attack. The paper further says that the operation failed because ''the police forces were informed of the imminent attack just in time'' noting that the identity of the masterminds and the motive for their operations remain a mystery. LE POTENTIEL calls for an immediate investigation with a view to establish the responsibilities and punish the culprits. ''What has just happened is extremely serious since, in the present context, a single spark would be enough to set alight the whole country''.
President Joseph Kabila described the assailants as ''terrorists'' and said they were put to flight by the armed and police forces, reveals LA REFERENCE PLUS, adding that the Head of State has called on the population to be vigilant and help the police force in their mission.
For obvious reasons, MONUC played an active role yesterday, reports LE PALMARES, noting that it could not be otherwise since it has a mandate to support the DRC transition. The paper indicates that one of the assailants who sought refuge in the MONUC compound, was apprehended by the latter and handed over to the Congolese authorities. It further publishes a MONUC communiqué firmly condemning the Sunday attacks. ''The United Nations Mission, having a mandate to support the Transition, continues to follow closely the situation and reiterates the need for good management of the process, whose ultimate objective is the holding of free and democratic elections in 2005'', writes the paper, echoing MONUC communiqué.
LE PHARE, in turn, mentions the European Union and Belgium reactions expressing concern about the Kinshasa incidents. ''Belgium appeals to the Congolese leaders and all the transitional components to face up to their responsibilities and ensure that the transitional and reconciliation processes are under control'', while the European Union, through Javier Solana ''calls on all the Congolese authorities to remain within the transitional logic and momentum'', reports LE PHARE.
LE PHARE holds on to the explanation of the Minister of Information, Vital Kamerhe, stating that ''unidentified assailants attacked military targets, more particularly the Tshatshi camp, the Kokolo logistic base, the navy base and MONUC headquarters''. Seventeen assailants were arrested. Government soldiers recovered 95 individual AK 47 guns and Uzis, one machine gun, two "60" mortars, 4 rocket-launchers, six rockets, 5000 ammunitions, and about thirty grenades made in Russia, indicates the paper.
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES says the commando allegedly came from Brazzaville and had two objectives: To kidnap an ex-cobra militiaman by the name of Willy Mantsanga, native of the Pool region like the ex-Congolese Prime Minister Bernard Kolelas and who was under the protection of the army's security services at the Kinshasa navy base, and thereafter, to overthrow the Government.
''Revelations'' from LE PALMARES indicate that the key players in the aborted coup are the ''soldiers of the ex-Presidential Special Division (DSP), displeased for not being integrated into the new army''. Two ex-Faz (Forces armées zaïroises) Generals and one former Prime Minister based abroad are believed to be the masterminds, according to the paper.
The operation was code-named ''Pentecôte'' and was aimed to destabilize the Political Institutions put in place, indicates LE POTENTIEL, noting that the national police and FARDC troops thwarted it thanks to a swift counter-attack. The paper further says that the operation failed because ''the police forces were informed of the imminent attack just in time'' noting that the identity of the masterminds and the motive for their operations remain a mystery. LE POTENTIEL calls for an immediate investigation with a view to establish the responsibilities and punish the culprits. ''What has just happened is extremely serious since, in the present context, a single spark would be enough to set alight the whole country''.
President Joseph Kabila described the assailants as ''terrorists'' and said they were put to flight by the armed and police forces, reveals LA REFERENCE PLUS, adding that the Head of State has called on the population to be vigilant and help the police force in their mission.
For obvious reasons, MONUC played an active role yesterday, reports LE PALMARES, noting that it could not be otherwise since it has a mandate to support the DRC transition. The paper indicates that one of the assailants who sought refuge in the MONUC compound, was apprehended by the latter and handed over to the Congolese authorities. It further publishes a MONUC communiqué firmly condemning the Sunday attacks. ''The United Nations Mission, having a mandate to support the Transition, continues to follow closely the situation and reiterates the need for good management of the process, whose ultimate objective is the holding of free and democratic elections in 2005'', writes the paper, echoing MONUC communiqué.
LE PHARE, in turn, mentions the European Union and Belgium reactions expressing concern about the Kinshasa incidents. ''Belgium appeals to the Congolese leaders and all the transitional components to face up to their responsibilities and ensure that the transitional and reconciliation processes are under control'', while the European Union, through Javier Solana ''calls on all the Congolese authorities to remain within the transitional logic and momentum'', reports LE PHARE.
