UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
9 Mar
2009
Press Review 28 March 2005
DRC political transition, UN internal report about MONUC and President Joseph Kabila's return from Asian trip are the major issues dealt with by today's local press.
« DRC Transition: A meeting between Belgians and Americans is scheduled for mid-April», Le Phare announces, quoting « credible information', that during the meeting, «Belgium will request from Washington its effective participation for the consolidation of the DRC transition process instead of just declarations of intent». For Le Phare, USA Ambassador, Roger Meece's statement about the DRC situation last Wednesday «would not be enough to bring appeasement to the DRC». « We remain actively committed, with the International Committee to Support the Transition and other DRC International Partners including MONUC, the President and Vice-Presidents as well as other Congolese officials key players to the transition, to achieve these goals», the paper reports.
In this respect, Le Palmarès writes in a different tone «Karel de Gucht and Condoleeza Rice at odds about the DRC». The paper also says, «Belgians are persuaded that some of the Congolese officials are not in their right place. Accordingly a streamlining strategy must be worked out to have them disqualified». The Americans, for their part, «hold on to the elections as the only way to have these people evicted from power». Le Potentiel further says, «The objective of the Washington meeting was not to get the USA to make a substantive contribution to the formation of DRC's integrated brigades».
Last Friday the French and USA Ambassadors to the DRC made a clear statement through the press that there was "no alternative to the transition", opposing another option envisaged by the International Community.
L'Avenir focuses on a « UN internal report» that «harshly criticises William Swing ». The paper indicates, « the UN internal report highlights MONUC's ineffectiveness and cowardice, notably alluding to the June events of last year». For this paper, « MONUC continues its descent into hell with its bad image left to the Congolese people and the United Nations. For the Congolese people, MONUC must change its ways. Of course, many people are not aware of what MONUC is exactly doing; however, there are some obvious facts which can but play down the UN mission's image», alluding to the report published by the Financial Times last Wednesday on the last Bukavu events).
Referring to MONUC, Le Palmarès writes, «Rumours about Rwandan infiltration into the DRC: nothing observed on the ground». The paper quotes Mr. Mamadou Bah, MONUC spokesman as declaring, «MONUC was informed of the rumours about Rwandan infiltrations into the DRC several days ago; it initiated investigations but found nothing on the ground ». Concerning « the movements of Rwandan troops in North Kivu», L'Avenir, for its part, highlights «MONUC interpellated times and again about Rwandan patriotic Army but is slow to understand their troops' movement since the latter are now disguising as Congolese».
President Kabila's return to Kinshasa after his Asian two-week trip is also commented by the press. « Joseph Kabila enters incognito, without making a song and dance about it», La Tempête des Tropiques says on its front page. La Référence Plus, in turn, is opinion that «Kabila has not returned empty-handed».
In its today's publication, Le Potentiel makes an assessment of the Congolese army's merging. « Army: slow merging», the paper says, indicating, «it is time to assess the army's merging»; a successful transition is contingent upon « the formation of a real national army». Le Potentiel therefore says, « it is time the parliament made an assessment of the FARDC merging, as part of its regular control on Government activities. Defence Minister must be interpellated on the slow merging of the army».
In this respect, Le Palmarès writes in a different tone «Karel de Gucht and Condoleeza Rice at odds about the DRC». The paper also says, «Belgians are persuaded that some of the Congolese officials are not in their right place. Accordingly a streamlining strategy must be worked out to have them disqualified». The Americans, for their part, «hold on to the elections as the only way to have these people evicted from power». Le Potentiel further says, «The objective of the Washington meeting was not to get the USA to make a substantive contribution to the formation of DRC's integrated brigades».
Last Friday the French and USA Ambassadors to the DRC made a clear statement through the press that there was "no alternative to the transition", opposing another option envisaged by the International Community.
L'Avenir focuses on a « UN internal report» that «harshly criticises William Swing ». The paper indicates, « the UN internal report highlights MONUC's ineffectiveness and cowardice, notably alluding to the June events of last year». For this paper, « MONUC continues its descent into hell with its bad image left to the Congolese people and the United Nations. For the Congolese people, MONUC must change its ways. Of course, many people are not aware of what MONUC is exactly doing; however, there are some obvious facts which can but play down the UN mission's image», alluding to the report published by the Financial Times last Wednesday on the last Bukavu events).
Referring to MONUC, Le Palmarès writes, «Rumours about Rwandan infiltration into the DRC: nothing observed on the ground». The paper quotes Mr. Mamadou Bah, MONUC spokesman as declaring, «MONUC was informed of the rumours about Rwandan infiltrations into the DRC several days ago; it initiated investigations but found nothing on the ground ». Concerning « the movements of Rwandan troops in North Kivu», L'Avenir, for its part, highlights «MONUC interpellated times and again about Rwandan patriotic Army but is slow to understand their troops' movement since the latter are now disguising as Congolese».
President Kabila's return to Kinshasa after his Asian two-week trip is also commented by the press. « Joseph Kabila enters incognito, without making a song and dance about it», La Tempête des Tropiques says on its front page. La Référence Plus, in turn, is opinion that «Kabila has not returned empty-handed».
In its today's publication, Le Potentiel makes an assessment of the Congolese army's merging. « Army: slow merging», the paper says, indicating, «it is time to assess the army's merging»; a successful transition is contingent upon « the formation of a real national army». Le Potentiel therefore says, « it is time the parliament made an assessment of the FARDC merging, as part of its regular control on Government activities. Defence Minister must be interpellated on the slow merging of the army».
