UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
9 Mar
2009
Press Review 15 February 2005
Violations of arms embargo in eastern DRC and Parliament special session are the major issues covered by today's local press.
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES titles 'UN experts denounce arms embargo violation in the Kivus and in Ituri'. The paper publishes in full the report that «UN experts conclude in clearer and alarming terms that arms embargo in Eastern DRC is regularly violated mainly due to absence of State authority in that part of the country'. The UN experts further 'highlights that even in zones where transitional government is apparently respected, political stakeholders and local troops are sporadically using force, threatening to destabilise the political process or even to support foreign forces in keeping Kinshasa in dire straits. ».
LA REFERENCE PLUS goes back over the accusations of sexual abuse involving MONUC peacekeepers and civilians and titles: 'Sex for food: Embarrassing case against MONUC'. The paper quotes American TV channel ABC NEWS as broadcasting on Friday 11 February 2005 the identity of the former chief of Transports in MONUC Goma, Didier Bourguet. « ABC has shown his pictures and declares having had access to his computer's hard disc containing thousands of photographs in which he is having sex intercourse', the paper writes. The French paper known as LE MONDE has, according to LA REFERENCE PLUS, denounced, 'The United Nations' refusal to provide detailed information about this employee whilst unofficial sources have displayed digital pictures and videos that are circulating in corridors the pain of coping with an Abou Ghraib in the UN'; quoting ABC television channel as announcing that 'Didier Bourguet has confessed providing photos to a network of paedophiles. »
LE PHARE goes back over the visit by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for the DRC to Brussels, indicating that 'CIAT and the European Union are secretly meeting in Brussels to seal the fate of the DRC's transition process in light of the last alarming developments in Kinshasa'.
L'AVENIR publishes MONUC press release in full, highlighting that «the UN Mission has welcomed the decision by Moroccan authorities to initiate legal proceedings against Moroccan troops involved in sex scandals in the UN Mission in DRC'. The paper recalls 'that a commission comprised of high ranking officers of the Royal Armed Forces was rushed to the DRC on 12 June 2004 to gather every information relating to such a regrettable affair'. 'As part of the first complaint-based investigation, four peacekeepers were identified by two victims. They were arrested and will be tried by a military court', the paper says.
L'OBSERVATEUR refers to the Parliament's extraordinary session opened yesterday and says, 'the adoption of the draft constitution (is) a priority'. It quotes the speaker of the national assembly, Olivier Kamitatu as declaring that 'DRC elections will definitely take place, whatever the circumstances' and the speaker of the Senate, Bishop Marini Bodho as stating that '2005 is a year of hope for the Congolese people'). LE POTENTIEL, as far as it is concerned, refers to the Parliament's extraordinary session and wonders whether 'the elections would effectively take place within the indicated time frame' and expresses hope that 'this would come true. »
LA REFERENCE PLUS goes back over the accusations of sexual abuse involving MONUC peacekeepers and civilians and titles: 'Sex for food: Embarrassing case against MONUC'. The paper quotes American TV channel ABC NEWS as broadcasting on Friday 11 February 2005 the identity of the former chief of Transports in MONUC Goma, Didier Bourguet. « ABC has shown his pictures and declares having had access to his computer's hard disc containing thousands of photographs in which he is having sex intercourse', the paper writes. The French paper known as LE MONDE has, according to LA REFERENCE PLUS, denounced, 'The United Nations' refusal to provide detailed information about this employee whilst unofficial sources have displayed digital pictures and videos that are circulating in corridors the pain of coping with an Abou Ghraib in the UN'; quoting ABC television channel as announcing that 'Didier Bourguet has confessed providing photos to a network of paedophiles. »
LE PHARE goes back over the visit by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for the DRC to Brussels, indicating that 'CIAT and the European Union are secretly meeting in Brussels to seal the fate of the DRC's transition process in light of the last alarming developments in Kinshasa'.
L'AVENIR publishes MONUC press release in full, highlighting that «the UN Mission has welcomed the decision by Moroccan authorities to initiate legal proceedings against Moroccan troops involved in sex scandals in the UN Mission in DRC'. The paper recalls 'that a commission comprised of high ranking officers of the Royal Armed Forces was rushed to the DRC on 12 June 2004 to gather every information relating to such a regrettable affair'. 'As part of the first complaint-based investigation, four peacekeepers were identified by two victims. They were arrested and will be tried by a military court', the paper says.
L'OBSERVATEUR refers to the Parliament's extraordinary session opened yesterday and says, 'the adoption of the draft constitution (is) a priority'. It quotes the speaker of the national assembly, Olivier Kamitatu as declaring that 'DRC elections will definitely take place, whatever the circumstances' and the speaker of the Senate, Bishop Marini Bodho as stating that '2005 is a year of hope for the Congolese people'). LE POTENTIEL, as far as it is concerned, refers to the Parliament's extraordinary session and wonders whether 'the elections would effectively take place within the indicated time frame' and expresses hope that 'this would come true. »
