UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
Press Review
Today's local press in Kinshasa raises various subjects ranging from an alleged presence of Rwandan troops in Bandundu to the turmoil within the political parties, following the nomination of new governors.
Under the headline Alert in Kikwit, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES reports the presence of Rwandan troops in Bandundu province citing a communiqué issued by a national Human Rights NGO, La Voix des Sans Voix/The Voice of the Voiceless (VSV) which ''denounces an increasing presence of Rwandan troops in the town of Kikwit''. The paper says that VSV is worried that those troops ''are acting under Commanding General Moustapha Muhikiza of the first military region''. The NGO highlights that ''the strength of the armed troops increases every time this high-ranking officer makes a trip''. The paper further reveals that Kinyarwanda speaking people with a pass signed by General Muhikiza were among the people expulsed from Angola. ''Those people apparently mixed up with the local population'', indicates the paper. The NGO further reports ''a transfer of all the military staff of the Kikwit-based 67th brigade, on the founded or unfounded grounds of securing the borders''.
''The population is seriously concerned about the clearing of the town of Kikwit of all its Defence force'', notes LE PALMARES, indicating that this constitutes ''a danger for Kinshasa, insofar as, with its practicable runway situated at an hour's flight to the capital, Kikwit is a real danger for Kinshasa''.
L'AVENIR referring to ''an incredible situation in Kikwit'', also perceives ''a danger at Kinshasa's door''. The paper notes that the local residents are intrigued by the numerous troop-movement in the town. They hold General Moustapha Muhikiza (appointed as chief of this military region by MLC) responsible for this situation. Therefore, they call for a change of the newly appointed chief of the 1st military region.
Moreover, LE PHARE refers to a ''malaise'' within the government where ''cohabitation between the Maï-Maï and ex-belligerents becomes difficult''. The paper reports that during a working session of the reconciliation commission, ''a deputy minister of the Maï-Maï component allegedly made verbal threats with defamatory insults against his colleagues of the RCD and MLC components and the representatives of the PPRD''. The paper recalls that the relation between the Maï-Maï and the representatives of other components has become tense following the turmoil raised by the recent presidential decrees on Territorial administration. The paper explains that the Maï-Maï were seeking such an opportunity in order to ''get it off one's chest'' on the PPRD whom they accuse of cheating them during the putting in place of the Territorial Administration. ''It is when MLC and RCD representatives intervened to calm down the situation that a vice-minister of the Maï-Maï component lost his composure and began hurling abuse with insults'', explains the paper.
Another turmoil was raised by the nominations in Territorial Administration, reports FORUM DES AS referring to ''turmoil'' undermining the political opposition's component, faced with a ''dissent'' since the lists of governors and vice-governors were published. The paper also mentions the ''shocks'' suffered by Vice-president Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma, following the putting in place of Territorial Administration. The latter reportedly faced ''MPs of the Political Opposition's attempt to not trust him any more''. The paper feels that ''the denial by 49 MPs of the Political Opposition's component out of 53, does not bode well for the vice-president Z'Ahidi Ngoma''.
LA REFERENCE PLUS goes back over president Kabila's letter to MPs instructing the latter to combat corruption and embezzlement of funds by the officially mandated authorities. The paper wonders ''why he had to refer to MPs and senators while there are the National Audit office' courts and tribunals''.
L'OBSERVATEUR, for its part, comments on the last weekend meeting between the UN Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno and the DRC Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Antoine Ghonda. ''Mr. Guéhenno declared at the end of the meeting that he was impressed by the progress achieved by the Congolese authorities in the peace process'', reports the paper, indicating that Mr. Guéhenno however indicated ''there are still a lot to accomplish''.
The UN Chief of Peacekeeping Operations also visited Bunia yesterday, reports LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES, noting that he availed himself of the opportunity to meet with internally displaced persons in Bunia and to visit MONUC Bangladeshi contingent based in that part of DRC.
As of Tuesday, MONUC will be re-deploying a contingent of Uruguayan peacekeepers in Eastern DRC through Bujumbura as reported by LE POTENTIEL, adding that the deployment which started on 15 May with a transit of equipment will proceed through the end of the week. The paper indicates that the head of MONUC, William Swing, had secured a clearance for transit through Burundi during his visit to Bujumbura on 25 March. According to the paper, ''the re-deployment of peacekeepers to the border between the DRC and Burundi will facilitate securing work along the border between both countries and prevent infiltrations by Rwandan militiamen from the DRC''.
''The population is seriously concerned about the clearing of the town of Kikwit of all its Defence force'', notes LE PALMARES, indicating that this constitutes ''a danger for Kinshasa, insofar as, with its practicable runway situated at an hour's flight to the capital, Kikwit is a real danger for Kinshasa''.
L'AVENIR referring to ''an incredible situation in Kikwit'', also perceives ''a danger at Kinshasa's door''. The paper notes that the local residents are intrigued by the numerous troop-movement in the town. They hold General Moustapha Muhikiza (appointed as chief of this military region by MLC) responsible for this situation. Therefore, they call for a change of the newly appointed chief of the 1st military region.
Moreover, LE PHARE refers to a ''malaise'' within the government where ''cohabitation between the Maï-Maï and ex-belligerents becomes difficult''. The paper reports that during a working session of the reconciliation commission, ''a deputy minister of the Maï-Maï component allegedly made verbal threats with defamatory insults against his colleagues of the RCD and MLC components and the representatives of the PPRD''. The paper recalls that the relation between the Maï-Maï and the representatives of other components has become tense following the turmoil raised by the recent presidential decrees on Territorial administration. The paper explains that the Maï-Maï were seeking such an opportunity in order to ''get it off one's chest'' on the PPRD whom they accuse of cheating them during the putting in place of the Territorial Administration. ''It is when MLC and RCD representatives intervened to calm down the situation that a vice-minister of the Maï-Maï component lost his composure and began hurling abuse with insults'', explains the paper.
Another turmoil was raised by the nominations in Territorial Administration, reports FORUM DES AS referring to ''turmoil'' undermining the political opposition's component, faced with a ''dissent'' since the lists of governors and vice-governors were published. The paper also mentions the ''shocks'' suffered by Vice-president Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma, following the putting in place of Territorial Administration. The latter reportedly faced ''MPs of the Political Opposition's attempt to not trust him any more''. The paper feels that ''the denial by 49 MPs of the Political Opposition's component out of 53, does not bode well for the vice-president Z'Ahidi Ngoma''.
LA REFERENCE PLUS goes back over president Kabila's letter to MPs instructing the latter to combat corruption and embezzlement of funds by the officially mandated authorities. The paper wonders ''why he had to refer to MPs and senators while there are the National Audit office' courts and tribunals''.
L'OBSERVATEUR, for its part, comments on the last weekend meeting between the UN Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno and the DRC Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Antoine Ghonda. ''Mr. Guéhenno declared at the end of the meeting that he was impressed by the progress achieved by the Congolese authorities in the peace process'', reports the paper, indicating that Mr. Guéhenno however indicated ''there are still a lot to accomplish''.
The UN Chief of Peacekeeping Operations also visited Bunia yesterday, reports LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES, noting that he availed himself of the opportunity to meet with internally displaced persons in Bunia and to visit MONUC Bangladeshi contingent based in that part of DRC.
As of Tuesday, MONUC will be re-deploying a contingent of Uruguayan peacekeepers in Eastern DRC through Bujumbura as reported by LE POTENTIEL, adding that the deployment which started on 15 May with a transit of equipment will proceed through the end of the week. The paper indicates that the head of MONUC, William Swing, had secured a clearance for transit through Burundi during his visit to Bujumbura on 25 March. According to the paper, ''the re-deployment of peacekeepers to the border between the DRC and Burundi will facilitate securing work along the border between both countries and prevent infiltrations by Rwandan militiamen from the DRC''.
