UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
4 Mar
2009
Press Review
The commemoration of the national heroes Days, Patrice Lumumba and Laurent-Désiré Kabila on 16 and 17 January features high in most local papers today in Kinshasa. The press has also focused on the attack on Monuc helicopter in Ituri and the last United Nations Security Council resolution.
Congolese people paid tribute to Laurent-Désiré Kabila and Patrice Emery Lumumba, headlines L'Observateur, highlighting that ''spectacular ceremonies were organized from 15 to 18 January on the occasion of the commemoration of the third year of the villainous assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila and the 43rd anniversary of the tragic death of Patrice Emery Lumumba''.
Today's papers attention is mainly focused on the personal implication of the transition's major players during the commemorations. In this regard, Forum des As headlines: J. Pierre Bemba got involved, A. Ruberwa stayed away. The paper reports that if Vice-presidents Jean-Pierre Bemba, Abdoulaye Yerodia and Z'Ahidi Goma took part in the ceremonies organized in memory of the national heroes, '' Vice-president Ruberwa, however, was not seen in the different celebrations''. L'Avenir, which also noted the absence of Azarias Ruberwa, calls for people's judgment.
La Tempête des Tropiques notes that Jean-Pierre Bemba, for his part, ''impressed the people'', by advocating national unity. He is said to have been ''fair play'' by recognizing that ''Laurent Désiré Kabila is the 3rd president of the DRC and died as a martyr in his Marble Palace residence''.
The same Jean-Pierre Bemba is said to be in trouble with the Belgian justice, writes Le Potentiel. The paper recalls that Vice-president Bemba was formerly sentenced by default to one-year imprisonment for rights abuse on his house workers (1 female and 1 male). His lawyer claims his immunity due to his function as Vice-President that is equivalent to that of the Head of State, indicates the paper. As a result, the paper explains, Jean-Pierre Bemba's lawyer ''has appealed to the Court to drop the charges against the Vice-president'during his tenure of office''.
Le Phare refers to an intensifying crisis within the government sparked by an interview given by Joseph Olenghankoy to the monthly Grands Lacs Magazine, during which the Transport minister reportedly made abusive and slanderous statements against MLC leader and Vice-president, Jean-Pierre Bemba. In a communiqué echoed by the paper, MLC declared that it ''won't pass over in silence these filthy statements and reserves the right to give an appropriate political response to put an end to such a comportment''.
La Référence Plus mentions the Security Council resolution on army reform, alluding to the Resolution 1522 in which the Security Council hailed the efforts made to put in place the integrated and unified brigade in Kisangani. ''The Security Council members insistently called on the transitional and national unity government to take appropriate actions in favor of the reform and integration of armed forces into the DRC ''', indicates the paper, noting that the appeal is made to the Congolese authorities to take their responsibilities.
William Swing condemns, in the strongest term, the attack on Monuc helicopter in Ituri, reports La Tempête des Tropiques, alluding to the firing which Monuc helicopter came under while flying over Mutshanga territory in Ituri district. '' Swing said Monuc takes seriously the attack and indicated that Monuc elements destroyed a camp said to house the FNI combatants, the presumed perpetrators of the attack'', writes the paper.
Today's papers attention is mainly focused on the personal implication of the transition's major players during the commemorations. In this regard, Forum des As headlines: J. Pierre Bemba got involved, A. Ruberwa stayed away. The paper reports that if Vice-presidents Jean-Pierre Bemba, Abdoulaye Yerodia and Z'Ahidi Goma took part in the ceremonies organized in memory of the national heroes, '' Vice-president Ruberwa, however, was not seen in the different celebrations''. L'Avenir, which also noted the absence of Azarias Ruberwa, calls for people's judgment.
La Tempête des Tropiques notes that Jean-Pierre Bemba, for his part, ''impressed the people'', by advocating national unity. He is said to have been ''fair play'' by recognizing that ''Laurent Désiré Kabila is the 3rd president of the DRC and died as a martyr in his Marble Palace residence''.
The same Jean-Pierre Bemba is said to be in trouble with the Belgian justice, writes Le Potentiel. The paper recalls that Vice-president Bemba was formerly sentenced by default to one-year imprisonment for rights abuse on his house workers (1 female and 1 male). His lawyer claims his immunity due to his function as Vice-President that is equivalent to that of the Head of State, indicates the paper. As a result, the paper explains, Jean-Pierre Bemba's lawyer ''has appealed to the Court to drop the charges against the Vice-president'during his tenure of office''.
Le Phare refers to an intensifying crisis within the government sparked by an interview given by Joseph Olenghankoy to the monthly Grands Lacs Magazine, during which the Transport minister reportedly made abusive and slanderous statements against MLC leader and Vice-president, Jean-Pierre Bemba. In a communiqué echoed by the paper, MLC declared that it ''won't pass over in silence these filthy statements and reserves the right to give an appropriate political response to put an end to such a comportment''.
La Référence Plus mentions the Security Council resolution on army reform, alluding to the Resolution 1522 in which the Security Council hailed the efforts made to put in place the integrated and unified brigade in Kisangani. ''The Security Council members insistently called on the transitional and national unity government to take appropriate actions in favor of the reform and integration of armed forces into the DRC ''', indicates the paper, noting that the appeal is made to the Congolese authorities to take their responsibilities.
William Swing condemns, in the strongest term, the attack on Monuc helicopter in Ituri, reports La Tempête des Tropiques, alluding to the firing which Monuc helicopter came under while flying over Mutshanga territory in Ituri district. '' Swing said Monuc takes seriously the attack and indicated that Monuc elements destroyed a camp said to house the FNI combatants, the presumed perpetrators of the attack'', writes the paper.
