UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
Press Review
The lists of new governors sparked several protests, say today's local papers in Kinshasa. They also raise the visit of the UN Under Secretary-General for peacekeeping operations, Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, to DRC and other Great Lakes countries.
The putting-in-place of the territorial administration sparked outcries within the political parties, notices FORUM DES AS. The paper refers to a ''wave of discontent and protests'' that followed the jubilation of the first hours of the nominations. It mentions ''protests from those blaming the presidential space for having finalised this dossier without consulting with the government''. The paper quotes RCD-N led by Roger Lumbala as those on top of the list of the discontented declaring itself ''misled'' in so far as ''in return for its post of governor for Eastern Kassaï, this party had negotiated with the PPRD and MLC one post of vice-governor for the town of Kinshasa''. But, reveals the paper, ''the presidential space denies RCD-N not only its post of Governor for Eastern Kassaï, but also the one of the vice-governor for Kinshasa''. Displeased, this party reportedly has, according to FORUM DES AS, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the International Committee to support the Transition.
LE POTENTIEL, sharing the same view, refers to ''lots of objections raised against the nominations''. The paper raises the Maï-Maï protests; the latter declare having ''never mentioned to the Head of State the name of doctor Ngoy Kisula, one of the well-known PPRD senior members, appointed governor of Katanga for their entity''. Another protest reported by LE POTENTIEL is the one of the Political Opposition component, ''today split into three groups''. According to the paper, two of the three tendencies within the political Opposition have demanded that the nominations of governors and vice-governors for their component be cancelled. ''As far as they are concerned, the Head of State was misled in nominating the candidates proposed by Vice-president Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma and his accomplice, the minister of Transports Joseph Olenghankoy''. They demand ''a prior consultation of all the component before any nominations''. The paper highlights other protests from gender lobbying groups and several female movements denouncing, ''rightly, the little number of women on the list of the nominees''. On the list of protests, the paper also mentions the ''head of ethnic groups whose candidates have not been appointed' and the Civil Society of Kinshasa who was hoping to see his candidate appointed among the three vice-governors of the city of Kinshasa''.
In view of the waves of discontent, L'AVENIR urges everybody to show ''moderation and give priority to whatever positive, namely the putting-in-place of the Territorial administration whose delay made the entire nation ridiculous''. The paper points out that there are only '' 11 provinces for 11 governors and 23 vice- governors. There is no miracle one can perform to have everybody in''.
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES devotes its headline to the visit of the UN Under Secretary-General for peacekeeping operations, Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, to the Great Lakes region. The paper feels that this visit could be ''a solution to the harmonisation of relations between Kinshasa, Kigali and Kampala that have been at odds despite the many peace agreements signed''.
Indicating that Jean-Marie Guéhenno's visit is part of regular visits by a UN senior official to the field to assess the peacekeeping process, LE PHARE says Congolese no longer believe in ''routine visits without impact''. The paper, calling on the UN to change its image, notes that ''Congolese would like to know about the real impact of the UN mission on the peace process in the DRC, the advent of a Rule of Law and serene organisation of elections''. LE PHARE feels that ''the objective is not only to prevent the belligerents from clashing, stealing and raping' but also and above all to pushing the Congolese to a real Rule of Law''. Comparing the 14,000 peacekeepers in Liberia or the 30,000 in Sierra Leone versus the few 10,000 for the DRC, the paper ''is doubtful about the International Community's willingness to really contribute to the return of peace and advent of a Rule of Law in a country with a sub-continental size''. That is why the paper feels that ''the Congolese are doubtful, if not angered by visits which are apparently simple routines as well as declarations and communiqués that are mere incantations''.
LE POTENTIEL, sharing the same view, refers to ''lots of objections raised against the nominations''. The paper raises the Maï-Maï protests; the latter declare having ''never mentioned to the Head of State the name of doctor Ngoy Kisula, one of the well-known PPRD senior members, appointed governor of Katanga for their entity''. Another protest reported by LE POTENTIEL is the one of the Political Opposition component, ''today split into three groups''. According to the paper, two of the three tendencies within the political Opposition have demanded that the nominations of governors and vice-governors for their component be cancelled. ''As far as they are concerned, the Head of State was misled in nominating the candidates proposed by Vice-president Arthur Z'Ahidi Ngoma and his accomplice, the minister of Transports Joseph Olenghankoy''. They demand ''a prior consultation of all the component before any nominations''. The paper highlights other protests from gender lobbying groups and several female movements denouncing, ''rightly, the little number of women on the list of the nominees''. On the list of protests, the paper also mentions the ''head of ethnic groups whose candidates have not been appointed' and the Civil Society of Kinshasa who was hoping to see his candidate appointed among the three vice-governors of the city of Kinshasa''.
In view of the waves of discontent, L'AVENIR urges everybody to show ''moderation and give priority to whatever positive, namely the putting-in-place of the Territorial administration whose delay made the entire nation ridiculous''. The paper points out that there are only '' 11 provinces for 11 governors and 23 vice- governors. There is no miracle one can perform to have everybody in''.
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES devotes its headline to the visit of the UN Under Secretary-General for peacekeeping operations, Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, to the Great Lakes region. The paper feels that this visit could be ''a solution to the harmonisation of relations between Kinshasa, Kigali and Kampala that have been at odds despite the many peace agreements signed''.
Indicating that Jean-Marie Guéhenno's visit is part of regular visits by a UN senior official to the field to assess the peacekeeping process, LE PHARE says Congolese no longer believe in ''routine visits without impact''. The paper, calling on the UN to change its image, notes that ''Congolese would like to know about the real impact of the UN mission on the peace process in the DRC, the advent of a Rule of Law and serene organisation of elections''. LE PHARE feels that ''the objective is not only to prevent the belligerents from clashing, stealing and raping' but also and above all to pushing the Congolese to a real Rule of Law''. Comparing the 14,000 peacekeepers in Liberia or the 30,000 in Sierra Leone versus the few 10,000 for the DRC, the paper ''is doubtful about the International Community's willingness to really contribute to the return of peace and advent of a Rule of Law in a country with a sub-continental size''. That is why the paper feels that ''the Congolese are doubtful, if not angered by visits which are apparently simple routines as well as declarations and communiqués that are mere incantations''.
