Press Review of 31 May 2007

Today's local press mainly focus on MONUC's news conference and the ongoing parliament sessions debating the state budget proposed by the Prime Minister.

Echoing MONUC's news conference yesterday, L'Observateur reports, "UN Mission has urged DRC Government to do everything in its power to arrest and bring to justice those who committed the Kanyola crimes."

La Tempête des Tropiques, for its part, says, "MONUC urged Congolese authorities to protect the population and their properties."

The headlines in Le Phare read, "MONUC Undesirable in Kanyola." L'Observateur comments, "UN Investigation Team has been denied access to the Kanyola territory by the local population who set road blocks to prevent UN investigators from conducting investigations." "Villagers threw stones at MONUC vehicles," further says Le Palmarès, arguing, "Because the villagers did not understand why such killings should happen in their territory while it is under control of the FARDC troops and regularly patrolled by UN peacekeepers."

In other news, L'Avenir reports, "Parliament is definitely heading for the adoption of the budget with amendments by a large majority of the MPs."

Le Potentiel reports "the presence of invalidated MPs within the hemicycle of the Parliament," which it refers to as an encroachment.