Press Review of 1 June 2006

Security situation in DRC, the pro and anti-political talks before 30 June marches and Pastor Kuthino's trial are the dominant issues in today's local press.

The headlines in Le Potentiel read: "Silence around the dormant rebellion of the 83rd brigade of FARDC." The paper echoes the Administrator of the Rutshuru territory in North Kivu that a portion of the national territory is out of legal authorities' control and occupied by the troops of the 83rd Brigade who refused to join the army integration process. "The populations of Kivu accuse the authorities in Kinshasa of not taking care of them," writes Le Potentiel. The paper criticises Government's negligence in "coping with such a situation." "The junction of the Ituri-Kivu axis must be averted," says Le Potentiel, indicating the "rumours about the presence of one of the Ituri war lords in Kivu, nicknamed Bosco."

"MONUC orders FNI to release the kidnapped peacekeepers," writes La Référence Plus. Echoing MONUC weekly press briefing, the paper quotes the UN Mission's spokesman as declaring that 7 peacekeepers were held hostage by Peter Karim's militiamen.

Under the headlines, "Malu Malu says the elections will held on 30 July," La Référence Plus points out, "in spite of protests and calls for talks," the process is going smoothly. "Ballot papers will soon be ready for distribution at the right time."

The street demonstrations organised by political players are gaining ground while the Independent Electoral Commission CEI is getting ready for the elections. L'Avenir refers to a "big march" that took place yesterday in Kinshasa "in favour of the holding of unconditional elections; the successful march demonstrated the Presidential party - PPRD's capacity to mobilise the Congolese people," writes the paper.

Echoing Okapi.net, La Tempête des Tropiques and Le Potentiel say, "The demonstrators received sums of money to demonstrate but did not share the money equally, which provoked clashed among the demonstrators." La Tempête des Tropiques says, "The demonstrators who heeded the PPRD's call were either its members or just fanatics attracted by the money."

Le Palmarès reports "the clash on boulevard du 30 juin between the anti and the pro political talks." Le Potentiel, for its part, says the pro-political talks demonstrators were dispersed.

"Pastor Kuthino's trial took place yesterday," writes Le Phare on its front page. The Pastor appeared before the military court of the Gombe garrison for "criminal conspiracy, illegal detention of war weapons and assassination attempt," adds the paper.