UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
Press Review 7 January 2005
Review of the electoral process by the Independent Electoral Commission 'CEI' and MONUC military activities in Eastern DRC are the dominant subjects covered by today's local press.
The CEI chief, Father Apollinaire Malu Malu, is of the opinion that elections could quite possibly be held by October 2005, Le Potentiel says, quoting the CEI chief statement to RFI (Radio France Internationale). « We are intent on holding the elections by October' », Father Malu Malu said, indicating that his institution has set itself two priority objectives: «the holding of the local, legislative and the first run of the presidential elections at the same time' and then the census to begin in April or May given the training of the staff to work for the census offices ' whose number is estimated at 40 000 for the 9,000 registration centres. » The Head of the CEI mentioned the following priority objectives: « the framing and finalising of the pending laws: the draft constitution and the law on referendum and elections. » Other preconditions: « The Government should accelerate the putting in place of the security mechanisms and the resolution of the issue relating to the foreign armed groups. »
With respect to the foreign troops, Le Phare titles MONUC has spotted FDLR camps. The paper refers to it as « a decisive step in the international community's struggle against the Rwandan rebels». Referring to a cartography drawn by the UN Mission in the DRC, a copy of which was received by the paper, it applauds the UN/FARDC military awareness campaign of the Rwandan rebels' « MONUC has finally spotted FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) in North Kivu », the paper writes. « Another meaningful breakthrough», Le Phare says: « Interhamwe's positions, whose troops estimated at about 11,000, have been spotted. »
Whilst Le Potentiel maintains that MONUC has spotted FDLR camps, L'AVENIR, in turn, alerts to « Imminent attacks on Beni, Butembo and Bukavu » According to the paper, « fighting can break out in Walikale, Beni and Butembo, North Kivu province and in Bukavu, South Kivu any time now». The same paper goes on to quote some « reliable sources in Goma » as indicating, « the MONUC-imposed buffer zone in Kanyabayonga has already been violated by Rwandan soldiers upon the order of the North Kivu governor, Eugene Serufuli, according to reliable sources' The soldiers were preparing to attack Lubero district in order to gain control of Beni and Butembo' Another attack is being prepared on Bukavu, South Kivu, in the next few days, from the Rwandan towns of Cyangungu and Bugarama. »
With respect to the foreign troops, Le Phare titles MONUC has spotted FDLR camps. The paper refers to it as « a decisive step in the international community's struggle against the Rwandan rebels». Referring to a cartography drawn by the UN Mission in the DRC, a copy of which was received by the paper, it applauds the UN/FARDC military awareness campaign of the Rwandan rebels' « MONUC has finally spotted FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) in North Kivu », the paper writes. « Another meaningful breakthrough», Le Phare says: « Interhamwe's positions, whose troops estimated at about 11,000, have been spotted. »
Whilst Le Potentiel maintains that MONUC has spotted FDLR camps, L'AVENIR, in turn, alerts to « Imminent attacks on Beni, Butembo and Bukavu » According to the paper, « fighting can break out in Walikale, Beni and Butembo, North Kivu province and in Bukavu, South Kivu any time now». The same paper goes on to quote some « reliable sources in Goma » as indicating, « the MONUC-imposed buffer zone in Kanyabayonga has already been violated by Rwandan soldiers upon the order of the North Kivu governor, Eugene Serufuli, according to reliable sources' The soldiers were preparing to attack Lubero district in order to gain control of Beni and Butembo' Another attack is being prepared on Bukavu, South Kivu, in the next few days, from the Rwandan towns of Cyangungu and Bugarama. »
