UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
9 Mar
2009
Press Review 14 June 2005
Political initiatives to defuse tensions around 30 June, development of the electoral process, and the upsurge in insecurity across Kinshasa and Eastern DRC are the major news in today's local press.
Le Phare devotes its headline to an interview given on Monday 13 June by Etienne Tshisekedi, UDPS leader to a group of students. Under the headline '30 June: Tshisekedi breaks the taboo,' the paper reports that for UDPS leader, 'there must not be any confusion between a peace rally and a rebellion, chaos or looting.' According to Le Phare, 'Etienne Tshisekedi wonders how a peace rally can be likened to a rebellion, chaos or looting. He also wonders why expressions of people's opinions are very popular abroad ' where these led to the collapse of questionable regimes ' while this could not happen in DRC.' With respect to the rumour about the machetes, UDPS leader wonders whether 'machetes can be used to face military tanks and armoured vehicles.' Etienne Tshisekedi can not imagine 'a single Congolese beheading his neighbour. Such practices are alien to Congolese people.' he says. Le Phare goes on to say, for Etienne Tshisekedi, purchasing a machete could be a 'symbol of resistance against military tanks rather than a plan to cut Congolese heads.'
Moreover, La Référence Plus announces, 'Joseph Kabila has received the civil society' to 'discuss the evolution of the situation in the country.' 'The 30 June issue which has been mobilising the country's attention over the last two months will certainly be addressed by the meeting', the paper says.
L'Avenir headlines, 'the assessment has already posed serious problems to the civil society; the head of the Ethics and anti-corruption commission has been accused of corruption attempt, bad governance and incompetence.'
Le Potentiel for its part refers to government assessment and believes the session will be over by next weekend. The paper recalls that President Kabila put forward the objectives of the session at its opening, under the following terms: 'to review government achievements, to assess what is left to be done in respect of the transition's objectives, to take stock of available resources, to examine constraints and to finally work out a chronogram of the actions to undertake within the constitutional timeframe.'
For La Tempête des Tropiques, 'Government assessment session turns to a cover-all,' alluding to 'the failed programmes without daring to name the men and women who worked them out to put the country into a big mess.'
The programmes will give top priority to the unification and integration of armed forces. Le Potentiel devotes its headline to this issue and refers to it as a 'true fake merging.' Though the paper acknowledges the existence of effective and operational integrated brigades, it highlights that 'the expected integration does not yet come up to a deterrent force.' In this respect, La Référence Plus cites Nickel Rumb, the head of a political and military structure made up of the former Tigers unit and a group of hardliners of late president Mobutu's praetorian guard who declared on Radio Okapi that 'The merging of FARDC troops has failed because the former belligerents' elite troops continue to serve their respective leaders.' According to La Référence Plus, Rumb is denouncing the fact that 'Joseph Kabila, Jean-Pierre Bemba and Azarias Ruberwa have each kept control of their armies whilst the (Congolese) people have none for their protection.' Le Potentiel notes, 'distrust has not been dispelled, anything can happen, the danger is real.' La Référence Plus says, 'if we have an army to protect the country, Kabila, Bemba and Ruberwa will also be protected,' Rumb says.
The morning press also updates on the electoral process. La Référence Plus echoes a statement made by the Director of African Division to the UN Peace keeping Department. The paper reports that Mr. Dimitry Titov conferred with MPs and made the following statement, 'the International Community and MONUC are determined to provide assistance to the DRC for organising its elections.' Meanwhile, 'UNDP has confirmed the holding of voters' registration on 20 June,' La Tempête des Tropiques says.
L'Observateur informs, '1134 registration centres for Kinshasa have been identified.' The paper indicates that chiefs of districts in Kinshasa were convened on 13 June by the Office of the Independent Electoral Commission and received a list of the different centres. The paper further says voters' identification and registration for the town of Kinshasa will end in mid-July.
Insecurity is still making headlines. For La Tempête des Tropiques, 'Kinshasa residents are in the grip of insecurity.' L'Observateur headlines, 'Beni Butembo in the grip of terror from armed bands,' alluding to a press release issued by Agence catholique MISNA indicating that the Bishop of Butembo and Beni denounced the situation prevailing in the south of his diocese which is heavily militarised. The paper reports, 'several families have been fleeing following insecurity incidents perpetrated by troops based in the Kibirizi, Rutshuru and in the national park of Virunga areas.' The Bishop also notes, 'it is difficult to ascertain the affiliation of these armed elements in these areas where fighting are going on between the regular army and former rebels allied to some Maï-Maï.
In Ituri, 'the reintegration of militia members is delaying the peace process,' Le Potentiel writes, echoing a FARDC officer's statement that the demobilisation and community reintegration process will not yield the expected results due to 'lack of preparation from the CONADER and slowness in disbursing funds and coordinating viable projects by UNDP.' According to an NGO member in Bunia, 'the demobilised militia members handed over only half of the estimated 30,000 weapons circulating in the region,' Le Potentiel says.
Moreover, La Référence Plus announces, 'Joseph Kabila has received the civil society' to 'discuss the evolution of the situation in the country.' 'The 30 June issue which has been mobilising the country's attention over the last two months will certainly be addressed by the meeting', the paper says.
L'Avenir headlines, 'the assessment has already posed serious problems to the civil society; the head of the Ethics and anti-corruption commission has been accused of corruption attempt, bad governance and incompetence.'
Le Potentiel for its part refers to government assessment and believes the session will be over by next weekend. The paper recalls that President Kabila put forward the objectives of the session at its opening, under the following terms: 'to review government achievements, to assess what is left to be done in respect of the transition's objectives, to take stock of available resources, to examine constraints and to finally work out a chronogram of the actions to undertake within the constitutional timeframe.'
For La Tempête des Tropiques, 'Government assessment session turns to a cover-all,' alluding to 'the failed programmes without daring to name the men and women who worked them out to put the country into a big mess.'
The programmes will give top priority to the unification and integration of armed forces. Le Potentiel devotes its headline to this issue and refers to it as a 'true fake merging.' Though the paper acknowledges the existence of effective and operational integrated brigades, it highlights that 'the expected integration does not yet come up to a deterrent force.' In this respect, La Référence Plus cites Nickel Rumb, the head of a political and military structure made up of the former Tigers unit and a group of hardliners of late president Mobutu's praetorian guard who declared on Radio Okapi that 'The merging of FARDC troops has failed because the former belligerents' elite troops continue to serve their respective leaders.' According to La Référence Plus, Rumb is denouncing the fact that 'Joseph Kabila, Jean-Pierre Bemba and Azarias Ruberwa have each kept control of their armies whilst the (Congolese) people have none for their protection.' Le Potentiel notes, 'distrust has not been dispelled, anything can happen, the danger is real.' La Référence Plus says, 'if we have an army to protect the country, Kabila, Bemba and Ruberwa will also be protected,' Rumb says.
The morning press also updates on the electoral process. La Référence Plus echoes a statement made by the Director of African Division to the UN Peace keeping Department. The paper reports that Mr. Dimitry Titov conferred with MPs and made the following statement, 'the International Community and MONUC are determined to provide assistance to the DRC for organising its elections.' Meanwhile, 'UNDP has confirmed the holding of voters' registration on 20 June,' La Tempête des Tropiques says.
L'Observateur informs, '1134 registration centres for Kinshasa have been identified.' The paper indicates that chiefs of districts in Kinshasa were convened on 13 June by the Office of the Independent Electoral Commission and received a list of the different centres. The paper further says voters' identification and registration for the town of Kinshasa will end in mid-July.
Insecurity is still making headlines. For La Tempête des Tropiques, 'Kinshasa residents are in the grip of insecurity.' L'Observateur headlines, 'Beni Butembo in the grip of terror from armed bands,' alluding to a press release issued by Agence catholique MISNA indicating that the Bishop of Butembo and Beni denounced the situation prevailing in the south of his diocese which is heavily militarised. The paper reports, 'several families have been fleeing following insecurity incidents perpetrated by troops based in the Kibirizi, Rutshuru and in the national park of Virunga areas.' The Bishop also notes, 'it is difficult to ascertain the affiliation of these armed elements in these areas where fighting are going on between the regular army and former rebels allied to some Maï-Maï.
In Ituri, 'the reintegration of militia members is delaying the peace process,' Le Potentiel writes, echoing a FARDC officer's statement that the demobilisation and community reintegration process will not yield the expected results due to 'lack of preparation from the CONADER and slowness in disbursing funds and coordinating viable projects by UNDP.' According to an NGO member in Bunia, 'the demobilised militia members handed over only half of the estimated 30,000 weapons circulating in the region,' Le Potentiel says.
