UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
10 Mar
2009
Press Review of 31 August 2005
Today's local press focuses on General Laurent Nkunda's recent threat to attack DRC. The press also comment on the ongoing electoral process.
'Laurent Nkunda's threats are getting clearer,' reports Le Palmarès (a pro-opposition paper) on its front page, adding, 'Nkundabatware's shade was seen in Tshitshanga, Masisi, Eastern DRC where deserters of the 8th military region, mostly comprised of Kinyarwanda-speaking troops, of the two merged battalions tasked to secure the Rwindi-Kanyabayonga axes (') have allegedly surrendered.' alerts L'Avenir (pro-PPRD) says, 'General Nkunda is determined to bring to an end President Kabila's clan.' Le Palmarès, another pro-PPRD paper, says, 'General Nkunda is planning to assassinate Joseph Kabila (') whom he accuses of being the root cause of all the problems plaguing the DRC,' highlighting, 'This is no more time for speculation nor rumour.' The paper further recalls, 'particularly because, everything started with rumours when Laurent Désire Kabila was cowardly assassinated in his office. The Government must therefore be more responsible in handling such provocations which are beginning to upset the Congolese people,' says the independent paper, La Référence Plus, in its editorial. La Tempête des Tropiques, for its part, quotes the Minister of Defence, Onusumba as reacting to Nkunda's threat, the minister called on 'the dissident officer to clearly state the reason for his threats,' reports the paper, indicating, 'This is apparently an appeal for negotiations,' further advising, 'in such circumstances (') every means should be used to definitely counter and neutralise the mutineers.'
The electoral process is pressing on, amidst 'Government disengagement' (that) 'shocks MONUC,' reveals La Tempête des Tropiques. 'Congolese Government is showing little concern about moving the electoral kits to the voter identification and registration centres and the security of the voter identification and registration centres,' explains the paper, reporting, 'Insiders find it strange that the UN Mission helicopters and all-terrain vehicles earmarked for military operations are used to transport electoral kits.' The paper then warns the Government against 'confusing its attributions with MONUC's,' recalling, 'the security of voter identification and registration centres and the forceful disarmament of Rwandan Hutu rebels spreading insecurity in Eastern DRC are the responsibility of the FARDC and National Police.'
'Etienne Tshisekedi in Disagreement with Everybody for refusing to embark on the ongoing electoral process,' says Le Potentiel, echoing Tshisekedi's pledge 'to call for a boycott of the elections if UDPS' concerns were not taken into consideration.' His views are not shared by 'PALU lead by Antoine Gizenga ' even less so by RCD, MLC or PPRD,' Le Potentiel says.
The electoral process is pressing on, amidst 'Government disengagement' (that) 'shocks MONUC,' reveals La Tempête des Tropiques. 'Congolese Government is showing little concern about moving the electoral kits to the voter identification and registration centres and the security of the voter identification and registration centres,' explains the paper, reporting, 'Insiders find it strange that the UN Mission helicopters and all-terrain vehicles earmarked for military operations are used to transport electoral kits.' The paper then warns the Government against 'confusing its attributions with MONUC's,' recalling, 'the security of voter identification and registration centres and the forceful disarmament of Rwandan Hutu rebels spreading insecurity in Eastern DRC are the responsibility of the FARDC and National Police.'
'Etienne Tshisekedi in Disagreement with Everybody for refusing to embark on the ongoing electoral process,' says Le Potentiel, echoing Tshisekedi's pledge 'to call for a boycott of the elections if UDPS' concerns were not taken into consideration.' His views are not shared by 'PALU lead by Antoine Gizenga ' even less so by RCD, MLC or PPRD,' Le Potentiel says.
