"Exactly three minutes, say from 17h25 to 17h28 like a whole life or history in a flash were enough for Etienne Tshisekedi Wa Mulumba, leader of UDPS and historical opponent, to express his party's position over the referendum scheduled for this Sunday 18 December 2005," writes LE PHARE. The same paper which wrote yesterday on its front page Tshisekedi will not talk, is confused by UDPS leader whose "message had less than 900 scripts." The paper echoes the three reasons stated by UDPS to get the Congolese people boycott the Sunday polls: "The process is exclusive, unjust, counter-productive and less credible (...) The process has scorned the Congolese people's legitimate claims. It is out of the question to support such treason by participating in the vote."

Echoing "serious analysts," LE PHARE sees in Tshisekedi's position an attitude of a person attempting to either "create an impasse against a process in which it does not believe at all," "or create an illusion on complicity between the Congolese Government and the International Community determined to put the DRC in a permanent chaotic state, whatever the costs." The paper further says, "UDPS is determined to stick to its logic since it has not authorised its militants to get registered." LE POTENTIEL however writes "there is every reason to believe that UDPS boycott will not influence the vote; just like the Catholics and Muslims who called on their members to act as their conscience dictates." Having refused to campaign for either "yes" or "no", "it is difficult to predict the result of the polls until the last ballot paper is counted down." The paper sees in UDPS attitude an attempt to reject "the institutions in place."

"How will UDPS watchword be followed,?" wonders LE PHARE, indicating,: "A massive "no" from those who will go to the polls and massive boycott from those who are determined to prove the illegitimate nature of the process." A delicate bet, the paper goes on to say, "Since the electoral lists are still unavailable."

The draft constitution continues to be "an enigma for the majority of the population, 72 hours away from the referendum," says LA REFERENCE PLUS. Under the headlines The "yes" and "no" of ignorance, the paper refers to a mixed sentiment among the voters in
Kinshasa
over the vote. Like L'AVENIR, LA REFERENCE PLUS deplores Congolese voters' ignorance of the content of the draft constitution, and accuses those who lead the electoral process of failing to disseminate the document on time. This paper wonders whether this was not done "on purpose to keep the population ignorant." Some of the
Kinshasa
residents are apparently persuaded by the "politicians who are campaigning for "no", the paper says. Others however think that it would be appropriate to vote "yes" even though the text of the draft constitution is bad for "only the yes would bring to an en d the 1+4 architecture through the elections," further says the paper.

Father Malu-Malu: "There is only one draft constitution," headlines LE PHARE, echoing MONUC weekly press conference attended by the head of the CEI. The latter declared, "There is only one draft constitution, the one issued by the parliament which bears the emblem of CEI. It is the draft constitution to be voted during the Sunday referendum," says the paper.

MONUC mobilizes means for a successful referendum, headlines L'AVENIR. According to MONUC spokesperson, Kemal Saiki, the military units and civil departments of the
Mission
are mobilized "to better assist the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) ." Peace Keepers are ready to secure the referendum, indicates LE PALMARES. MONUC military units will enhance patrols to maintain a safe climate so as to enable the Congolese people to go to the polling stations in serenity, echoing MONUC military spokesperson, Lieutenant-colonel Frédéric Médard.

In its column, In Loud Voice, LE POTENTIEL uses the setbacks suffered by the United Nations Mission in to lay into MONUC tooth and nails. Under the headlines A Peace Mission in peril, says Eritrean Government has accused the UN civil and military staff of siding with , and recalls the case of that "brutally stopped UNAVEM
Mission
," of where Peacekeepers "failed to prevent Rwandan genocide." In DRC, "MONUC hardly backs the DRC armed forces under pretext that its mandate does not authorise it to fight. It has been observing, without signalling foreign infiltrations, while foreign armed groups continue to loot, rape and kill the Congolese people," says the paper. "The UN also discredited itself by putting in peril the lives of its own peacekeepers. Is this due to diverging interests among the members of the Security Council,?" wonders the paper. If the UN Peace Mission in fails, it is more likely that the one in DRC will follow suit," concludes LE POTENTIEL.