UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
Press Review
Most of today's local papers devote their headlines to the UN Security Council declaration issued by its decision-makers' body proposing, among other things, to equip MONUC with a rapid reaction force. The papers also echo the findings made by a team investigating the 27 to 28 March coup attempt in Kinshasa.
''The United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo will be equipped, in the next few weeks, with a rapid reaction force to counter acts of violence in eastern DRC'', LE POTENTIEL reports. The paper quotes the President of the Security Council, ambassador Philippines Lauro Baja from Philippine as declaring that the Secretary-General has been instructed to ''determine the need for a rapid reaction for Monuc''. The Council further warned all the parties to the Congolese crisis to refrain ''from resorting to acts of war or violating the embargo imposed by the resolution 1493 on eastern DRC'', the paper says.
Though describing the declaration as ''good news'', LE PALMARES underscores that ''the force cannot be operational overnight''. The Secretary-General must first define the need thereof. ''Once this is done, the UN will turn to troop-contributing countries'', the paper further says. In this case, the paper notes, ''with the new Security Council's position, MONUC mandate under chapter 7 which was passed nearly a year ago, will no longer remain wishful thinking''.
With the creation of a rapid reaction unit in the DRC, the Security Council has cornered Kagame, L'AVENIR says. According to this paper, the force commander will ''most likely'' be a French officer. This approach gives ''sleepless nights to the Kigali leadership'', the paper says, indicating that ''Kigali is further abandoned by the International Community''. As proof, the Security Council ''has clearly disowned Rwanda for supporting armed groups in DRC''.
For LE PHARE, the Security Council's position is ''an appeal to the Congolese authorities to immediately and definitely sort out the cases of General Nkunda and Colonel Mutebutsi as well as their troops''. The paper further says ''if the transitional Government had the intention of issuing an international arrest warrant against Colonel Mutebutsi, it could have done so since he is has been clearly identified as the mastermind of the acts of violence committed on civilians in Bukavu and Kamanyola''.
With regard to the other chief dissident, General Laurent Nkunda, LE PHARE reports that ''MONUC has no indication of his whereabouts''. It quotes the Mission's spokesman, commander Abou Thiam as declaring that ''MONUC's role was to monitor the withdrawal of Laurent Nkunda along with his troops and equipments from Bukavu to Minova''. LE PALMARES has reportedly spotted him. According to this paper, General Nkunda returned to Goma where he is allegedly staying in the house of a transitional government official. ''Riding in a white jeep, his security is ensured by military in civilian clothes, guarding his house'', the paper says.
It is in such a context that LA REFERENCE PLUS has announced that the International Criminal Court has opened investigations on the crimes committed in the DRC. ''The decision to open the investigations was made cooperatively with Kinshasa officials'', the paper says.
The headlines in LE POTENTIEL read: MONUC has called for a sense of responsibility from the political key players, recalling the declaration made by the head of the Mission's Public Information, Ms Patricia Tome, during MONUC weekly press conference. Reflecting with journalists on the transitional process and the organisation of elections, Ms Tome declared that ''the transition must be carried through since all the means will be available''. She indicated that ''the responsibility, the credibility of the political players were put to a severe test with the recent events in eastern DRC and Kinshasa'', and ''the International Community, the UN and MONUC have called on the political players to show a sense of responsibility in their declarations and behaviour''.
''The 27 to 28 March coup attempt in Kinshasa initiated by a military group of the Special Ex-Division under late president Mobutu was not a farce as many people had believed'', LA REFERENCE PLUS says, while disclosing the finding of a three-month investigation conducted by the Transitional Government. The operation's coordinator, Lieutenant Bobo, who showed the 12 assailants to the public, said that the latter, ''were claiming the rehabilitation of the ex-Faz troops and a true Inter-Congolese dialogue since, according to them, such a dialogue has never taken place''. LE PALMARES says that the Board of inquiry also investigated the source of the funds for the operation. It emerged that ''25 funds remittals came from abroad and a portion of the funds were from the former DSP (President Mobutu's Special Division) in Brazzaville''. In Europe, the paper further says, ''the conspiracy was funded by the son of General Nzimbi (an ex-DSP)''. This leads the paper to conclude that ex-DSP General Nzimbi wanted to get rid of president Joseph Kabila.
Though describing the declaration as ''good news'', LE PALMARES underscores that ''the force cannot be operational overnight''. The Secretary-General must first define the need thereof. ''Once this is done, the UN will turn to troop-contributing countries'', the paper further says. In this case, the paper notes, ''with the new Security Council's position, MONUC mandate under chapter 7 which was passed nearly a year ago, will no longer remain wishful thinking''.
With the creation of a rapid reaction unit in the DRC, the Security Council has cornered Kagame, L'AVENIR says. According to this paper, the force commander will ''most likely'' be a French officer. This approach gives ''sleepless nights to the Kigali leadership'', the paper says, indicating that ''Kigali is further abandoned by the International Community''. As proof, the Security Council ''has clearly disowned Rwanda for supporting armed groups in DRC''.
For LE PHARE, the Security Council's position is ''an appeal to the Congolese authorities to immediately and definitely sort out the cases of General Nkunda and Colonel Mutebutsi as well as their troops''. The paper further says ''if the transitional Government had the intention of issuing an international arrest warrant against Colonel Mutebutsi, it could have done so since he is has been clearly identified as the mastermind of the acts of violence committed on civilians in Bukavu and Kamanyola''.
With regard to the other chief dissident, General Laurent Nkunda, LE PHARE reports that ''MONUC has no indication of his whereabouts''. It quotes the Mission's spokesman, commander Abou Thiam as declaring that ''MONUC's role was to monitor the withdrawal of Laurent Nkunda along with his troops and equipments from Bukavu to Minova''. LE PALMARES has reportedly spotted him. According to this paper, General Nkunda returned to Goma where he is allegedly staying in the house of a transitional government official. ''Riding in a white jeep, his security is ensured by military in civilian clothes, guarding his house'', the paper says.
It is in such a context that LA REFERENCE PLUS has announced that the International Criminal Court has opened investigations on the crimes committed in the DRC. ''The decision to open the investigations was made cooperatively with Kinshasa officials'', the paper says.
The headlines in LE POTENTIEL read: MONUC has called for a sense of responsibility from the political key players, recalling the declaration made by the head of the Mission's Public Information, Ms Patricia Tome, during MONUC weekly press conference. Reflecting with journalists on the transitional process and the organisation of elections, Ms Tome declared that ''the transition must be carried through since all the means will be available''. She indicated that ''the responsibility, the credibility of the political players were put to a severe test with the recent events in eastern DRC and Kinshasa'', and ''the International Community, the UN and MONUC have called on the political players to show a sense of responsibility in their declarations and behaviour''.
''The 27 to 28 March coup attempt in Kinshasa initiated by a military group of the Special Ex-Division under late president Mobutu was not a farce as many people had believed'', LA REFERENCE PLUS says, while disclosing the finding of a three-month investigation conducted by the Transitional Government. The operation's coordinator, Lieutenant Bobo, who showed the 12 assailants to the public, said that the latter, ''were claiming the rehabilitation of the ex-Faz troops and a true Inter-Congolese dialogue since, according to them, such a dialogue has never taken place''. LE PALMARES says that the Board of inquiry also investigated the source of the funds for the operation. It emerged that ''25 funds remittals came from abroad and a portion of the funds were from the former DSP (President Mobutu's Special Division) in Brazzaville''. In Europe, the paper further says, ''the conspiracy was funded by the son of General Nzimbi (an ex-DSP)''. This leads the paper to conclude that ex-DSP General Nzimbi wanted to get rid of president Joseph Kabila.
