The Wednesday, 19 April 2006 news conference was held by Kemal Saïki, Director of MONUC Public Information and the Mission's Spokesman along with Lieutenant-colonel Frederic Médard, military Spokesman.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,
Listeners of Radio okapi

Good morning and welcome to our weekly news conference of this Wednesday 19 April 2006.

We will start with the Special Representative's agenda. Mr. William Swing is travelling to Bujumbura, Burundi, this afternoon to attend a Tripartite Plus meeting between Burundi, DRC, Rwanda and Uganda. The Tripartite Plus meeting is facilitated by USA. Observer members include the African Union, MONUC and the European Union. The meeting will discuss common security problems faced by the member countries and most certainly the Kisangani-based Fusion and Intelligence Cell.

MONUC applauds last week's news from Uganda on the arrest of some leaders of the Mouvement Révolutionnaire Congolais (MRC) on its territory, notably Mr. Bwambale Kakolele. The detention of the above members is a step forward in the right direction likely to contribute to improving the security situation in Ituri.

Again about Ituri, MONUC wishes to hail local senators' initiative to undertake a tour in the area prior to the elections.

The chairman of the Commission of the African Union, Alpha Omar Konaré was in Kinshasa on a 48-hour visit during which he conferred with DRC political authorities and leaders. He also conferred with CIAT, the International Committee To Support the Transition and the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for the DRC, Mr. William Swing, along with MONUC Force Commander, General Babacar Gaye. Together they reviewed the different aspects of MONUC intervention in the DRC.

Mr. Konaré's visit demonstrates, once again, the importance the International Community, in general, and Africa in particular, attach to the DRC peace process which everybody wish to be successful. DRC, situated at the heart of Africa, with great human and economic potentials, represent a major stake for peace, stability and development of the continent. We do not have the slightest doubt that the Congolese will be able to make a good reading of the interest shown for peace in their country and will accordingly react with responsibility.

The Human Right Division is greatly concerned about the death threats and the harassment of a human rights activist in Katanga, Mr. Hubert Tshiswaka, Director of the Human Rights organisation Action contre l'impunité pour les droits de humains (ACIDH) over the last week. Hubert Tshiswaka came under threats after publishing a press communiqué on 11 March, calling on voters not to cast ballots during the upcoming elections. for those who commit human rights abuses and loot the DRC natural resources.

The Human Rights Division is monitoring closely the situation of Mr. Tshiswaka and calls on the authorities to take the necessary measures to immediately stop attacks on the freedom of expression and to guarantee the security of the ACIDH members. Following a complaint filed by the Director of 'ACIDH with the Chief Prosecutor's office in Lubumbashi, MONUC received assurances from the Prosecutor and the Justice Minister that investigations will be initiated to identify those responsible for the threats and intimidations.

MONUC proceeds with the reinforcement of its military presence in Katanga with the arrival of Beninese troops. Lieutenant colonel Médard, military spokesman will soon give details on this issue. The presence of MONUC military elements in Mitwaba has considerably improved the security situation and the working conditions of humanitarian staff in that locality.

MONUC hails Ministry of Defence's initiative to have the judiciary code and military regulations disseminated to FARDC troops. The programme is due to start in May 2006 with MONUC support.

The Ministry of Defense, the General Auditor and the Chief of General Army Staff identified the need for the sensitization to the duties and responsibilities of the FARDC elements, following the human rights abuses committed by some of its elements, notably in the east of the country. The objective is to discourage and control the exactions and abuses committed on the civilians.

The programme will be mainly coordinated by the Senior Military Magistrates appointed by the Ministry of Defense, including the Chief of staff and magistrates from the General Auditor's Office, with support from MONUC Force and the Rule of Law Unit.

MONUC commends the Minister, the General Auditor and the Chief General Army Staff for the initiative, and reiterates its commitment to back Congolese authorities' efforts to fight impunity, improve and reinforce military and civilian justice, as guarantor for the protection of human rights for all the citizens.

Presentation by Lieutenant-Colonel Frédéric Médard
Military spokesperson

In Katanga, a first batch of 149 Beninese Bleu Helmets started deploying in Kalemie and Manono on 15 April. The rest of the 750-strong battalion is due to arrive before the end of this month. When it becomes operational, this battalion will comprise 4 companies, one of which to be equipped with armoured vehicles and the three others to be mounted on all-terrain trucks. Once the deployment phase is completed, pacification patrols will then commence. Nearly 50 South African Blue Helmets remain deployed in Mitwaba, where they conduct securitisation patrols. By the beginning of May, slightly more than a thousand peacekeeping soldiers will be in Katanga, including 90 observers.

In North Kivu, on April 12, the operation North Necklace, an operation conducted jointly with 500 FARDC soldiers, helped to dismantle FDRL bases in Kuhumiro, 3 km from Kibrizi. As a result, 3 Rwandan ex-combatants were captured and 4 AK-47 assault rifles and diverse ammunition retrieved. FARDC announced that it had killed several FDLR elements during clashes. In this operation, MONUC played a supportive role with FARDC by setting up blocking positions and providing transport and logistics. During this past week, a mobile base was established in Mirangi in order to sensitise the local population. Yesterday, 18 April, a new base was set up at Tongo for the same purpose.

In South Kivu, the escalation of joint patrols involving Pakistani Bleu Helmets and Congolese security forces helped to restore calm to Bukavu. Further, the operation South Sustain was completed and the camps of Rwandan Hutu rebels were destroyed. FARDC are in control of Manga, Ekengi and Chibiroro. MONUC's logistic support to FARDC was steady. For example, on 15 April, 900 water and food rations were transported by helicopter and distributed in Ekingi. On the sideline of this operation, two Rwandan Hutu combatants, who surrendered this week to FARDC, were repatriated to Rwanda on 15 April by MONUC's DDRRR section. Information collected confirms that most of FDLR elements remain with the armed group against their will and that those attempting to escape face very severe repression. The same information establishes that FDLR commanders are finding it increasingly hard to bear MONUC and FARDC's military pressure on their rebel positions. This situation explains the aggressiveness shown by the FDLR in launching such attacks as those on Kaniola and Walungu. Both territories were attacked by armed men in the night of 18/19 April. These attacks provoked a response from FARDC, supported by MONUC's Blue Helmets, who forced the assailants to flee after a brief fire exchange.

Finally, in the Ituri district, MONUC forces based in Kagaba continue to control their area, and patrols have ensured freedom of movement along all major roads of the district. On 13 April, Blue Helmets and FARDC troops on patrol came under fire, but with no damage sustained, near Kahajana. Here also, militiamen fled before they could be handled, as the balance of forces was unfavourable for them. In the east of Djugu territory, on 18 April, Peter Karim and Mathieu's criminal groups launched attacks on FARDC positions at Bule and Nioka. The few FARDC logistics personnel who were stationed at Bule fled the locality, while the assailants were beaten out of Nioka. Later in the day, two platoons from the Nepalese battalion and some 40 FARDC troops recaptured Bule. MONUC troops remained at Bule during the 18/19 April night to secure this location.
In Bunia and its surrounding areas, the Moroccan battalion conducted routine patrols and held checkpoints in order to prevent common-law offences such as thefts.
Further, in order to prevent land disputes between two tribes from getting out of hand, the Nepalese battalion sent patrols on a regular basis to Ngapa locality, in the Mahagi territory, while meetings were also organised between leaders, under the Blue Helmets' aegis.
It is worth noting finally that on 14 April, the FARDC 811th brigade completed a week-long training session at Nyakunde, held by the Bangladeshi battalion. MONUC forces' training effort is focused especially on methods of gathering information with an eye to using this information for MONUC-FARDC joint operations.