UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
10 Mar
2009
Press Review of 17 October 2005
Today's local papers mainly focus on the campaign to disseminate the draft Constitution. The press also raises the return of some former officers of the armed forces of then Zaire (FAZ).
'The head of the Independent Electoral Commission has officially launched a nation-wide campaign to disseminate the draft constitution that would be submitted for referendum,' reports L'Observateur. 'All the social sectors, notably the stakeholders that are not part of the Government, NGOs and political parties have two months to sensitise the Congolese people the Fundamental Law for a post-conflict DRC,' the pro-PPRD paper explains. The latter are therefore expected 'to clearly explain the draft Constitution to all those who can neither read nor write so that the Congolese people would move in the right direction rather than letting them buy tickets for the raffle,' further says La Référence Plus, an independent paper. With a view to helping the Congolese people get a clear insight into the draft Constitution, 'a handbook on this project and the referendum law has been prepared for those of voting age, in four languages,' writes Forum des As.
With the official launching of the dissemination campaign on the draft constitution, one can assume that 'the electoral process is indeed moving forward,' says La Tempête des Tropiques, echoing the Head of the CEI. 'Transition has picked up again, after a heavy, delicate but critical [stage] from the voter identification and registration process to another important stage expected by the Congolese people since 1964, notably the constitutional referendum,' highlights Le Potentiel. 'Covering this huge continent, DRC, within 30 days is no small matter,' warns Le Potentiel. It is however to be feared that due to 'inaccessibility of some areas, some compatriots remain unaware of the popular referendum since big towns only will be targeted,' warns the pro-opposition paper. Nevertheless, 'the referendum has been scheduled for 18 December 2005,' says La Référence Plus.
The former Zairian armed forces officers could not wait until the above date to return to Kinshasa. 'The military officers, police officers, kadogos (under-aged soldiers), Mai Mai militia members, magistrates and auxiliaries of the military justice, accompanied by their dependants are to return to DRC this Tuesday, 18 October,' indicates La Tempête des Tropiques. 'These Congolese citizens withdrew to Congo Brazzaville to seek political asylum for various reasons, notably to be safe from legal and extra judiciary proceedings, insecurity as well as a tense political climate,' explains L'Observateur, alluding to an NGO communiqué, La Voix des Sans Voix. How many of them are there' '100,' says La Référence Plus, who 'need security guarantees while in DRC,' highlights La Référence Plus.
On the social front, time is up for negotiations between the teachers having suspended the strike and the government. 'Negotiations between the government and the teachers' unions are due to resume effectively today in Bas Congo province,' points out La Tempête des Tropiques, adding, 'for the teachers' unions, consultations must revolve around how to implement the first instalment of the salary scales agreed with the government in Mbudi on February 2004.' The negotiators must understand that 'the most important in every negotiation is to make overtures; radicalism does not always pay in an environment of crisis such as the one the DRC is faced with,' notes Forum des AS. As a result, 'Classes resumed this morning,' says Forum des AS. In Kananga, Mbuji Mayi and Mbandaka, 'teachers wish to be treated on an equal footing with their colleagues in Kinshasa. They are obstinately insisting that salary scales for all the teachers be standardised across the country,' says La Tempête des Tropiques.
With the official launching of the dissemination campaign on the draft constitution, one can assume that 'the electoral process is indeed moving forward,' says La Tempête des Tropiques, echoing the Head of the CEI. 'Transition has picked up again, after a heavy, delicate but critical [stage] from the voter identification and registration process to another important stage expected by the Congolese people since 1964, notably the constitutional referendum,' highlights Le Potentiel. 'Covering this huge continent, DRC, within 30 days is no small matter,' warns Le Potentiel. It is however to be feared that due to 'inaccessibility of some areas, some compatriots remain unaware of the popular referendum since big towns only will be targeted,' warns the pro-opposition paper. Nevertheless, 'the referendum has been scheduled for 18 December 2005,' says La Référence Plus.
The former Zairian armed forces officers could not wait until the above date to return to Kinshasa. 'The military officers, police officers, kadogos (under-aged soldiers), Mai Mai militia members, magistrates and auxiliaries of the military justice, accompanied by their dependants are to return to DRC this Tuesday, 18 October,' indicates La Tempête des Tropiques. 'These Congolese citizens withdrew to Congo Brazzaville to seek political asylum for various reasons, notably to be safe from legal and extra judiciary proceedings, insecurity as well as a tense political climate,' explains L'Observateur, alluding to an NGO communiqué, La Voix des Sans Voix. How many of them are there' '100,' says La Référence Plus, who 'need security guarantees while in DRC,' highlights La Référence Plus.
On the social front, time is up for negotiations between the teachers having suspended the strike and the government. 'Negotiations between the government and the teachers' unions are due to resume effectively today in Bas Congo province,' points out La Tempête des Tropiques, adding, 'for the teachers' unions, consultations must revolve around how to implement the first instalment of the salary scales agreed with the government in Mbudi on February 2004.' The negotiators must understand that 'the most important in every negotiation is to make overtures; radicalism does not always pay in an environment of crisis such as the one the DRC is faced with,' notes Forum des AS. As a result, 'Classes resumed this morning,' says Forum des AS. In Kananga, Mbuji Mayi and Mbandaka, 'teachers wish to be treated on an equal footing with their colleagues in Kinshasa. They are obstinately insisting that salary scales for all the teachers be standardised across the country,' says La Tempête des Tropiques.
