UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
Press Review
The most dominant news in today's local papers is the international conference on peace, security and development in the Great Lakes region.
Dar-es-Salaam, the capital city of Tanzania will host the international conference on peace, security and development in the Great Lakes region due to start this Friday. L'OBSERVATEUR broadly comments on the UN-sponsored forum. ''The conference will be attended by a dozen African presidents'and the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan'', the paper says, further indicating that Congolese President, Joseph Kabila arrived yesterday in Dar es-Salaam. The paper highlights that the Dar es-Salaam meeting is ''the first international conference that will attempt to work out the Great Lakes political, economic and social problems''. It will also address major issues such as peace, security, good governance, democracy, economic development, regional integration as well as humanitarian and social issues, the paper says, adding that the heads of states will ratify a ''declaration on peace, security, democracy and development in the Great Lakes region'' at the end of the meeting.
LA REFERENCE PLUS, in turn, wonders whether there is any hope for success, highlighting that ''the Great Lakes region is one of the most troubled areas in the world, plagued by wars, massacres and even genocide''. The conference may bring hope to the region since ''for the first time, regional players will discuss openly and freely for the sake of stability in the region that is a guarantee for peace and development'', the paper writes, further indicating that the conference will also address the concerns raised by the ''armed groups that they were excluded from the different processes, so they continued fighting their respective governments by using neighbouring countries as rear base'', more particularly alluding to the politico-military movement known as the 'Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR)' which predicted last October that the conference would be ''a waste of time'' if it was not associated.
In this regard, LE PHARE comes up with a reflection on armed groups and how they impact on the DRC peace process. Under the heading: Interhamwe's plot against the DRC, the paper uncovers the ''malicious intent and cynicism'' of the DRC's ''troublesome occupants, the Interhamwe, the FDLR and ex-Far''. The paper points out that ''having opted for desperate solutions, even chaos, Rwandan rebels oppose both the voluntary and forced disarmament as well as any prospect for the restoration of normalcy between Kinshasa and Kigali in order to make themselves ever indispensable''. The paper wonders how long 'will the new affront to the Great Lakes be tolerated, indicating that they are not willing to leave their sanctuary and wants the Congolese to pay for being ungrateful''. LE PHARE echoes rumours according to which ''the Interhamwe, the FDLR and the ex-FAR spared the Congolese a repeat of Kigali-inspired regime in Kinshasa''. The paper also wonders ''how long will the Congolese be backing down and overlooking the arrogance of the negative forces'''.
L'AVENIR is most concerned about insecurity in Nord-Kivu, the paper says, echoing MONUC chief in Goma, Mr. Hand Ladjouzi. Reporting on a meeting between MONUC and Nord Kivu notables, the paper says, Mr. Ladjouzi made it clear that population's security is the responsibility of the local authorities. ''Monuc is not there to replace the Congolese authorities. It is in Congo to back the transition that should lead to transparent elections, even though it has to protect the population, it is still the responsibility of the local authorities'', Monuc Goma's chief declared. This leads the paper to say that Monuc has attested to RCD's unpopularity, the civilian authorities, notably the Governor and the Commander of the Nord Kivu military region who are members of RCD.
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES goes back over the visit of the UN Security Council's mission to the DRC. The Security Council's delegation is expected Sunday in Kinshasa, the paper recalls, noting that the Mission will spend a week in DRC. ''It is due to make a thorough assessment of the DRC situation with respect to the following axes: the evolution of DRC transition and the root cause of its predictable failure, the difficult task of the UN to disarm the former troops of the Rwandan armies and Interahamwe militias'and finally the humanitarian tragedy faced by the DRC over the years''.
LE POTENTIEL brings up again the issue relating to the public firms audits, indicating that people are anxious to know what action will be taken against the Ministers and public firms CEOs involved in embezzlement. The paper says that ''the National Assembly must initiate judicial hearings in order to establish responsibilities'', indicating that Vice-President in charge of Political, Defence and Security Affairs, Azarias Ruberwa is the first to demand disciplinary measures against those proven guilty.
LA REFERENCE PLUS, in turn, wonders whether there is any hope for success, highlighting that ''the Great Lakes region is one of the most troubled areas in the world, plagued by wars, massacres and even genocide''. The conference may bring hope to the region since ''for the first time, regional players will discuss openly and freely for the sake of stability in the region that is a guarantee for peace and development'', the paper writes, further indicating that the conference will also address the concerns raised by the ''armed groups that they were excluded from the different processes, so they continued fighting their respective governments by using neighbouring countries as rear base'', more particularly alluding to the politico-military movement known as the 'Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR)' which predicted last October that the conference would be ''a waste of time'' if it was not associated.
In this regard, LE PHARE comes up with a reflection on armed groups and how they impact on the DRC peace process. Under the heading: Interhamwe's plot against the DRC, the paper uncovers the ''malicious intent and cynicism'' of the DRC's ''troublesome occupants, the Interhamwe, the FDLR and ex-Far''. The paper points out that ''having opted for desperate solutions, even chaos, Rwandan rebels oppose both the voluntary and forced disarmament as well as any prospect for the restoration of normalcy between Kinshasa and Kigali in order to make themselves ever indispensable''. The paper wonders how long 'will the new affront to the Great Lakes be tolerated, indicating that they are not willing to leave their sanctuary and wants the Congolese to pay for being ungrateful''. LE PHARE echoes rumours according to which ''the Interhamwe, the FDLR and the ex-FAR spared the Congolese a repeat of Kigali-inspired regime in Kinshasa''. The paper also wonders ''how long will the Congolese be backing down and overlooking the arrogance of the negative forces'''.
L'AVENIR is most concerned about insecurity in Nord-Kivu, the paper says, echoing MONUC chief in Goma, Mr. Hand Ladjouzi. Reporting on a meeting between MONUC and Nord Kivu notables, the paper says, Mr. Ladjouzi made it clear that population's security is the responsibility of the local authorities. ''Monuc is not there to replace the Congolese authorities. It is in Congo to back the transition that should lead to transparent elections, even though it has to protect the population, it is still the responsibility of the local authorities'', Monuc Goma's chief declared. This leads the paper to say that Monuc has attested to RCD's unpopularity, the civilian authorities, notably the Governor and the Commander of the Nord Kivu military region who are members of RCD.
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES goes back over the visit of the UN Security Council's mission to the DRC. The Security Council's delegation is expected Sunday in Kinshasa, the paper recalls, noting that the Mission will spend a week in DRC. ''It is due to make a thorough assessment of the DRC situation with respect to the following axes: the evolution of DRC transition and the root cause of its predictable failure, the difficult task of the UN to disarm the former troops of the Rwandan armies and Interahamwe militias'and finally the humanitarian tragedy faced by the DRC over the years''.
LE POTENTIEL brings up again the issue relating to the public firms audits, indicating that people are anxious to know what action will be taken against the Ministers and public firms CEOs involved in embezzlement. The paper says that ''the National Assembly must initiate judicial hearings in order to establish responsibilities'', indicating that Vice-President in charge of Political, Defence and Security Affairs, Azarias Ruberwa is the first to demand disciplinary measures against those proven guilty.
