Press Review of 15 May 2006

The arrest of Pastor Fernando Kuthino, spiritual leader of the church known as "Armée de victoire" is the lead story in today's local press.

The headlines in La Référence Plus read: Kuthino Fernando Under Arrest, a Week after His Return from Exile in France. "The pastor was interrogated for illegal detention of weapons of war." The paper quotes the Governor of Kinshasa as declaring, "Two Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba's body guards were arrested along with the pastor." L'Avenir refers to "Pastor Kuthino's church as a real arms cache for Jean-Pierre Bemba."

Le Palmarès, for its part, argues, "Kuthino was arrested after a successful religious ceremony in Tata Raphaël's stadium attended by the political personalities, who use harsh rhetoric against the transition's government in general and President Kabila in particular.
Dressed in red gown as catholic Bishops, the pastor of a Pentecostal church, appealed to the Congolese people to "free themselves from the yoke of foreigners," notes L'Observateur.

Forum des As recalls that three weeks earlier, Cardinal Etsou held similar speech in a mass at Saint Joseph church of Matonge district in Kinshasa and Archbishop Bishop Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kisangani, Chairman of the "Conférence Episcopale Nationale du Congo" followed suit.

Le Potentiel reports "Nkunda, Mutebusi and Bosco already braced for war." Echoing "different reliable sources," the paper says "Mutebusi had left Rwanda and was seen in Goma to join Nkunda Batware and Bosco, chief of Ituri militia." Le Potentiel sees "the possibility of a putsch from both Kasaïs provinces followed by another one from the eastern provinces."

Under the headlines, "No money for MONUC," Le Phare says "American government is not willing any more to provide the United Nations Mission in the DRC with funds." It further indicates in spite of William Lacy Swing's advocacy, American government is doubtful of "he mission's efficiency and prefers directing support to Darfour."