UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
5 Mar
2009
Press Review
Most of today's papers in Kinshasa devote their headlines to the DRC Government's polemics on the incursion of Rwandan troops into North Kivu and the presence of Interahamwe and FDLR rebels in the Eastern DRC.
With regard to Rwandan incursions into North Kivu, Azarias Ruberwa takes up the cause of Rwanda, reports L'OBSERVATEUR, noting that the position of the Vice-president for Political, Defence and Security matters has caused ''a stir of protests within the public political opinion'. The paper recalls that during his 3rd May news conference, Azarias Ruberwa was ''not at all shocked by the violation of the DRC national integrity by Rwandan regular Army but took up the cause of Rwanda by declaring that the DRC should rather endeavour to remove every argument for Rwanda to invade its territory''. The paper further indicates that ''people were shocked to learn that Azarias Ruberwa has blamed the minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antoine Ghonda for having referred the issue relating to the incursion of Rwandan regular forces into North-Kivu to the Security Council'.
FORUM DES AS mentions a clash between Ruberwa and Ghonda, adding that the latter responded to the Vice-President, saying that in his capacity as minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, ''he has every right to refer this nation-wide issue to the International Institutions'. Minister Ghonda declares 'he has done nothing wrong since the principle on the intangibility of borders concerns both the Congolese and Rwandans'.
Ruberwa, a traitor, titles L'AVENIR, indicating that ''by openly taking up the cause of Rwanda, the Vice-President for Political, Defence and Security matters has fallen into the enemy's trap'. For this reason, the paper notes, ''it becomes necessary to initiate the process of deposing him for high treason'', writes the paper, alluding to article 84, chapter 1, of the Transitional Constitution.
In the same development, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES refers to a ''components' plague brewing within the Government', while LE PALMARES raises a ''serious cacophony within the government''.
In the meantime, the North Kivu civil society denounces a new occupation of the Congolese territory, says LA REFERENCE PLUS. According to the North Kivu civil society echoed by the paper, ''Nyiragongo, Rutshuru and Masisi were recently occupied by the Rwandan army. Night patrols in the town of Goma are conducted by the Rwandan army'. In a document sent to LA REFERENCE PLUS, the North Kivu civil society ''protests against the presence of FDLR and RPA troops in the Congolese territory, the RCD negative attitude in continuing to back the Rwandan thesis and the humiliation of the United Nations by Rwandan authorities who demand an explanation from Monuc as if they were commanding the UN'. Furthermore, the paper says, North Kivu civil society argues that Rwandan troops have never withdrawn. ''To mislead the International Community, they leave when it is daytime to return during the night in civilian clothes to enhance their position inside the DRC''.
The last developments in Kivu have led LE PHARE to say ''Pretty soon Paul Kagame's commandos will be crossing again the border and settling into the DRC''. The paper recalls Rwandan President's recent statement that if Monuc and the DRC are no longer able to neutralise the Interahamwe and the FDLR, he would personally re-deploy his troops to carry out this job for the FARDC and Peacekeepers'. The paper feels that 'this threat is not a mere joke since neither Monuc nor FARDC have the necessary capacity to stamp out the Interahamwe'' It is for this very reason, indicates the paper in another article, that ''the natives of the Eastern DRC demand a forced repatriation of the Rwandan rebels'.
FORUM DES AS mentions a clash between Ruberwa and Ghonda, adding that the latter responded to the Vice-President, saying that in his capacity as minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, ''he has every right to refer this nation-wide issue to the International Institutions'. Minister Ghonda declares 'he has done nothing wrong since the principle on the intangibility of borders concerns both the Congolese and Rwandans'.
Ruberwa, a traitor, titles L'AVENIR, indicating that ''by openly taking up the cause of Rwanda, the Vice-President for Political, Defence and Security matters has fallen into the enemy's trap'. For this reason, the paper notes, ''it becomes necessary to initiate the process of deposing him for high treason'', writes the paper, alluding to article 84, chapter 1, of the Transitional Constitution.
In the same development, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES refers to a ''components' plague brewing within the Government', while LE PALMARES raises a ''serious cacophony within the government''.
In the meantime, the North Kivu civil society denounces a new occupation of the Congolese territory, says LA REFERENCE PLUS. According to the North Kivu civil society echoed by the paper, ''Nyiragongo, Rutshuru and Masisi were recently occupied by the Rwandan army. Night patrols in the town of Goma are conducted by the Rwandan army'. In a document sent to LA REFERENCE PLUS, the North Kivu civil society ''protests against the presence of FDLR and RPA troops in the Congolese territory, the RCD negative attitude in continuing to back the Rwandan thesis and the humiliation of the United Nations by Rwandan authorities who demand an explanation from Monuc as if they were commanding the UN'. Furthermore, the paper says, North Kivu civil society argues that Rwandan troops have never withdrawn. ''To mislead the International Community, they leave when it is daytime to return during the night in civilian clothes to enhance their position inside the DRC''.
The last developments in Kivu have led LE PHARE to say ''Pretty soon Paul Kagame's commandos will be crossing again the border and settling into the DRC''. The paper recalls Rwandan President's recent statement that if Monuc and the DRC are no longer able to neutralise the Interahamwe and the FDLR, he would personally re-deploy his troops to carry out this job for the FARDC and Peacekeepers'. The paper feels that 'this threat is not a mere joke since neither Monuc nor FARDC have the necessary capacity to stamp out the Interahamwe'' It is for this very reason, indicates the paper in another article, that ''the natives of the Eastern DRC demand a forced repatriation of the Rwandan rebels'.
