UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
Press Review
Today's local papers in Kinshasa devote their comments to the progress of the transition's process, notably the statement made by the International Support Committee to the Transition (CIAT, French acronym) on the recent political crisis and the challenges to be faced by the DRC transition.
In its Thursday communiqué following the recent DRC Transition's crisis, the International Support Committee to the Transition (CIAT) showed very strict, LE POTENTIEL reports. The paper says CIAT made it once again clear to the Congolese political stakeholders ''that there is no alternative to the current transition's process'', therefore calling for ''an unconditional commitment of the Congolese political officials in favour of peace throughout the transition period in the allotted time''. CIAT insistently recalls the stakeholders that for the ten months countdown to the elections, they must sort out all the outstanding problems, notably the integration and restructuring of the army and the police, simultaneously with the implementation of the national 'DDR' programme, definitely resolve the issue of foreign armed groups which have been destabilising their countries of origin from the DRC territory as well as the preparation of the elections and restoration of the state Authority across the national territory. CIAT ''strict'' leads the paper to say that the international community has ruled out ''any prolongation of the transition''.
LE PHARE, for its part, notes that the CIAT ''has drawn a lesson from the crisis that recently plagued the DRC by resolving to consolidate the mediation conducted by the South African President Thabo Mbeki''. Some people are of the opinion that ''without clearly indicating it, CIAT implicitly agrees with RCD in acknowledging that the transitional process was indeed in danger, 10 months away from its completion and it was more than urgent to make an assessment...''. Will CIAT's warning not go unheeded, the paper wonders. Answering the question, the paper points out on one hand, the eternal question of guarantees (from the international Community), calling on CIAT, as an international institution, to stop being ''lax'' and, on the other hand questioning ''the lack of mechanism for CIAT to act beyond its communiqués reflecting mere incantations''.
Everybody apparently agrees to the mid-term assessment of the transition, says LA REFERENCE PLUS, indicating that priority must be given to army's integration. The paper is indeed convinced that ''the transition's objectives cannot be achieved without a unified national army, a police able to ensure security and special services able to take anticipative actions''. It is time, the paper indicates, for the DRC to stop being an idol with feet of clay and to equip itself with a dissuasion force.
It is in this context L'AVENIR announces, without further detail, that Joind Defense Council Meeting will shortly be convened in Kinshasa.
In the meantime, The Government is already heading for the Reform of Public Administration, reports L'OBSERVATEUR which announces the holding ''of a meeting of the Interministerial Commission this Thursday in Kinshasa due to make the assessment and come out with the guidelines for the reform of the Public Administration''. The Interministerial Commission's role is to ''determine the objectives, the plans of action, the budget, to set the guidelines on the Reform of the Public Administration, ensure monitoring'', the paper further says.
Moreover, following the return of RCD within the transition's institutions, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES is pleased to note that tensions have decreased, and ''renewed confidence in the business circle''. The paper also says ''the appeasement is visible Kinshasa and the interior of the country from where comforting news about the freedom of movement and security of goods and people are reported, because there is no more obsessive fear of war''. Likewise, the paper says, we note ''a sudden renewed confidence by the expatriates' business circle who were preparing to return to their countries fearing a possible deterioration of the situation''.
However, RCD's return to the transition's process does not conceal ''an implosive situation'' brewing within this party, says LE PALMARES. The paper writes, Azarias Ruberwa is in complete disagreement with Jean-Pierre Ondekane. The latter would have simply boycotted the meeting of the founders' college held in the residence of the national leader, Azarias Ruberwa, who reportedly accused him of having masterminded the dissension in Kinshasa, says the paper. This could be proof that ''Ruberwa brought from Goma some officials to replace the dissident ministers''.
FORUM DES AS raises a ''cabal'' against Mgr Marini, the Senate President. The 'cabal' concerns, according to the paper, a motion of audit on the high chamber. The motion ''conceals the real intentions of its authors and risks provoking a crisis with incalculable consequences on the ongoing process''.
LE PHARE, for its part, notes that the CIAT ''has drawn a lesson from the crisis that recently plagued the DRC by resolving to consolidate the mediation conducted by the South African President Thabo Mbeki''. Some people are of the opinion that ''without clearly indicating it, CIAT implicitly agrees with RCD in acknowledging that the transitional process was indeed in danger, 10 months away from its completion and it was more than urgent to make an assessment...''. Will CIAT's warning not go unheeded, the paper wonders. Answering the question, the paper points out on one hand, the eternal question of guarantees (from the international Community), calling on CIAT, as an international institution, to stop being ''lax'' and, on the other hand questioning ''the lack of mechanism for CIAT to act beyond its communiqués reflecting mere incantations''.
Everybody apparently agrees to the mid-term assessment of the transition, says LA REFERENCE PLUS, indicating that priority must be given to army's integration. The paper is indeed convinced that ''the transition's objectives cannot be achieved without a unified national army, a police able to ensure security and special services able to take anticipative actions''. It is time, the paper indicates, for the DRC to stop being an idol with feet of clay and to equip itself with a dissuasion force.
It is in this context L'AVENIR announces, without further detail, that Joind Defense Council Meeting will shortly be convened in Kinshasa.
In the meantime, The Government is already heading for the Reform of Public Administration, reports L'OBSERVATEUR which announces the holding ''of a meeting of the Interministerial Commission this Thursday in Kinshasa due to make the assessment and come out with the guidelines for the reform of the Public Administration''. The Interministerial Commission's role is to ''determine the objectives, the plans of action, the budget, to set the guidelines on the Reform of the Public Administration, ensure monitoring'', the paper further says.
Moreover, following the return of RCD within the transition's institutions, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES is pleased to note that tensions have decreased, and ''renewed confidence in the business circle''. The paper also says ''the appeasement is visible Kinshasa and the interior of the country from where comforting news about the freedom of movement and security of goods and people are reported, because there is no more obsessive fear of war''. Likewise, the paper says, we note ''a sudden renewed confidence by the expatriates' business circle who were preparing to return to their countries fearing a possible deterioration of the situation''.
However, RCD's return to the transition's process does not conceal ''an implosive situation'' brewing within this party, says LE PALMARES. The paper writes, Azarias Ruberwa is in complete disagreement with Jean-Pierre Ondekane. The latter would have simply boycotted the meeting of the founders' college held in the residence of the national leader, Azarias Ruberwa, who reportedly accused him of having masterminded the dissension in Kinshasa, says the paper. This could be proof that ''Ruberwa brought from Goma some officials to replace the dissident ministers''.
FORUM DES AS raises a ''cabal'' against Mgr Marini, the Senate President. The 'cabal' concerns, according to the paper, a motion of audit on the high chamber. The motion ''conceals the real intentions of its authors and risks provoking a crisis with incalculable consequences on the ongoing process''.
