UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
4 Mar
2009
Press Review
Today's local press raises the issue of delay in the drafting, examination and adoption of the legislative texts alluding to the International Committee for the Support of the Transition (CIAT in French acronym)'s press release issued on Thursday after a meeting reviewing the outcome of the first ordinary session of the Parliament. Some papers further wrote about MONUC's repatriation of the troops of the foreign armed groups still in the DRC territory.
The International Committee for the Support of the Transition met on Thursday 8 January 2004 at MONUC headquarters in Kinshasa, to assess the outcome of the recently-held first ordinary session of the Transitional Parliament. Le Potentiel echoes excerpts of the CIAT press release indicating « CIAT hailed the work achieved by the Parliament but is worried about the delay in the drafting, examination and adoption of the legislative texts essential for the success of the Transition and the holding of the free, transparent and democratic elections within the time frame set by the All-inclusive Agreement. »
Furthermore, « the CIAT welcomes the decision jointly made by the two Chambers and the Head of State (on 6 January 2004) to convene the extraordinary session of the Parliament as from 7 January. Considering the scope of the issues in the agenda, the CIAT invites the Transitional Government and the members of parliament to speed up the legislative work and hopes that the Parliament will be provided with sufficient means during the year 2004 to enable it to finalize the legal Transitional architecture. »
The paper recalls « the same institution of the All-inclusive Agreement drew Government's attention late in 2003 on the delay in forming the Transitional Institutions, notably citing the restructured and integrated national army whose formation is still not achieved. The same is true for the institutions for the support of the democracy which, due to lack of organic laws, are facing difficulties to start their respective missions. »
Along with CIAT's concerns, « there are visible signs of discontent everywhere in the country », reports Le Potentiel. Under the headline « The DRC on the brink of social implosion», the paper sounds the alarm: « Civil servants call the attention of the Parliament for being reduced to no more than a state of vagrancy. The public administration unions have laid a claim against the government with a notice of strike. Teachers in Kinshasa have threatened to stop working on 15 January whereas the financial institutions staff in South-Kivu is already on strike. In Matadi, however, ONATRA (Office national des transports)'s staff has threatened to paralyze activities at the port if their claims on improvement of their social conditions are not met by 12 January 2004. »
Le Palmarès echoes the announcement made by the Head of MONUC Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Reintegration and Resettlement (DDRRR) Division, Peter Swarbrick, to the Congolese Press Agency (ACP) indicating « 4,670 foreign armed troops repatriated by MONUC as of 7 January 2004. The number of troops repatriated might reach 5,000 by 26 January 2004. »
In other news, L'Observateur publishes a memorandum issued by « 79 workers abusively made redundant by MONUC in Kinshasa », addressed to the Head of State, Joseph Kabila. The document is meant, « to draw the Head of State's attention on MONUC and its staff abuses on the Congolese local staff. It alludes to MONUC's bad treatment inflicted on the local staffs», says the paper.
Furthermore, « the CIAT welcomes the decision jointly made by the two Chambers and the Head of State (on 6 January 2004) to convene the extraordinary session of the Parliament as from 7 January. Considering the scope of the issues in the agenda, the CIAT invites the Transitional Government and the members of parliament to speed up the legislative work and hopes that the Parliament will be provided with sufficient means during the year 2004 to enable it to finalize the legal Transitional architecture. »
The paper recalls « the same institution of the All-inclusive Agreement drew Government's attention late in 2003 on the delay in forming the Transitional Institutions, notably citing the restructured and integrated national army whose formation is still not achieved. The same is true for the institutions for the support of the democracy which, due to lack of organic laws, are facing difficulties to start their respective missions. »
Along with CIAT's concerns, « there are visible signs of discontent everywhere in the country », reports Le Potentiel. Under the headline « The DRC on the brink of social implosion», the paper sounds the alarm: « Civil servants call the attention of the Parliament for being reduced to no more than a state of vagrancy. The public administration unions have laid a claim against the government with a notice of strike. Teachers in Kinshasa have threatened to stop working on 15 January whereas the financial institutions staff in South-Kivu is already on strike. In Matadi, however, ONATRA (Office national des transports)'s staff has threatened to paralyze activities at the port if their claims on improvement of their social conditions are not met by 12 January 2004. »
Le Palmarès echoes the announcement made by the Head of MONUC Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Reintegration and Resettlement (DDRRR) Division, Peter Swarbrick, to the Congolese Press Agency (ACP) indicating « 4,670 foreign armed troops repatriated by MONUC as of 7 January 2004. The number of troops repatriated might reach 5,000 by 26 January 2004. »
In other news, L'Observateur publishes a memorandum issued by « 79 workers abusively made redundant by MONUC in Kinshasa », addressed to the Head of State, Joseph Kabila. The document is meant, « to draw the Head of State's attention on MONUC and its staff abuses on the Congolese local staff. It alludes to MONUC's bad treatment inflicted on the local staffs», says the paper.
