Post-Election Tensions Grip Congo

Incumbent candidate Joseph Kabila was declared the winner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Presidential election today, despite allegations of electoral fraud from his main political opponent Etienne Tshisekedi, who has already said he would not recognize the results. 

With the United Nations presence winding down in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after over a decade long peacekeeping mission, observers fear growing tensions over the contested elections could lead to renewed violence and political instability.

The international community has invested billions of dollars trying to strengthen government institutions and improve the security situation in a country where 4 over million people died from war between 1997-2004. A state security force crackdown against the civilian population or violent uprising against the government would be a serious blow to UN efforts in the region. 

The country’s electoral commission said Kabila had secured 49% of the popular vote,while Tshisekedi received 32% support.

The Commission had planned to release the final results days ago, but logistical problems delayed the official announcement and instead it released results as they became available.

Preliminary numbers giving Kabila a comfortable lead were rejected as fraudulent by Tshisekedi supporters and other opposition groups earlier this week.

In a television interview with French news network France 24 shortly after Kabila was declared the winner today, Tshisekedi again categorically rejected the results.  

“I consider myself, from this point forward today, the President elect of the Democratic Republic of the Congo” he said over the phone from Kinshasa.

Tshisekedi called on the international to community to intervene and urged his supporters to remain calm and vigilant while waiting for the next developments. 

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon today released a statement urging that:” any differences regarding the provisional results of the polls to be resolved peacefully through available legal and mediation mechanisms.”

Tshisekedi told France 24 today that Congolese institutions were controlled by Kabila and couldn’t be trusted to resolve the situation. 

The UN has so far refused to comment on allegations of voter fraud or election rigging, instead reiterating calls for the country’s political leadership, security forces and civilians to maintain calm and exercise restraint. 

Reports in Congolese media earlier this week indicate officials for the UN’s Mission in the Congo and various diplomats have met with both Kabila and Tshisekedi.

On Tuesday, International Criminal Court Chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo said his office was following the post-election situation in the Congo closely and warned the country’s political leaders against inciting attacks. He said he had already received some reports of  politically motivated attacks and said the court wouldn’t hesitate to prosecute any Congolese politician responsible for post electoral violence, regardless of their political affiliation or position in government. 

Kabila assumed the Presidency of the Congolese provisional government in 2001 after his father President Laurent Desire Kabila, an eastern rebel leader who overthrew the Mobutu regime in 1997 with the help of Uganda and Rwanda, was assassinated in a failed coup attempt. Joseph Kabila won the country’s first ever election in 2006.

Tshisekedi is a long time political opposition figure in the Congo. He refused to run in the 2006 election because he said it failed to meet democratic standards and was rigged in favor of Kabila.

Rape with impunity a part of every day life in the Congo

On his visit to Goma, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reiterated the UN's commitment to ending sexual violence throughout the country. At Heal Africa, a holistic center set up to provide psychological and medical healing to rape victims --some as young as two years of age, he spoke about the every day ills women in the country suffer.

Many women and young girls have suffered at the hands of Ugandan LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) and FDLR (Revolutionary Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) rebels who have fought over ownership of land thick with natural resources like gold and minerals. MONUC (The United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo) is dealing with these cases on a day by day basis as the increase of incidents citing brutal rape and other forms of sexual violence continue. TRNS sat down with Virginie Mumbre, a counselor at the Heal Africa center to find out the latest on these sex crimes.

United Nations News 30.1.08

Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will address the African Union Summit tomorrow. The Secretary General's agenda includes:
- Encouraging increased dialog between all parties in the Sudan, including tribal groups
- Increased discussion between North and South Sudan
- Talks with the government of Chad on potential assistance of the Sudanese humanitarian crisis
- Beginning a comprehensive peace agreement between all parties in Sudan
- The deterioration of the Kenyan government
- Continued deployment of the African Union

The government of Columbia ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, bringing the number of nations involved to 144. The United States ratified the treaty in 1996.

B. Lynn Pascoe, United Nations Under-Secretary for Political Affairs, issued a statement supporting Egypts attempts to work towards a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Gaza, as well as it's efforts to provide humanitarian aide to Palestinians. As of Tuesday, border crossings with Israel remained closed. The UN reports that over 77 rockets and mortar have been fired into Israel by Gaza insurgents.

The Security Council will vote on Wednesday to extend the United Nations' mission in to Ethiopia.

United Nations Special Envoy to Nepal, Ian Martin, condemned bomb attacks in Nepal. He stated that violence and intimidation has no place in a country making a democratic transition.

- Dan Patterson

United Nations News 28.1.08

Authorities in Kenya continue to wrestle with violence sparked by disputed election returns. One of Africa's more stable government, Kenya continues to deal with violence that erupted more than five days ago. More than 100 people have been killed, and riots persist in Kisumu. Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has been attempting to negotiate with various tribal factions.

Sunday, January 27 marked the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. This week the United Nations begins a series of events commemorating the holocaust and honoring it's survivors. Events include a memorial ceremony and concert. US Congressman and Holocaust survivor Tom Lantos will deliver a key-note speech on Monday, January 28th. The United Nations has also issued a commemorative stamp. The United States version will be available for 41 cents.

The Conference for Peace, Security, and Development in North and South Kivo concluded late last week. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement congratulating the people and government of the Democratic Republic of Congo for a successful conference. The SG believes that peaceful reconciliation between armed factions in the Congo can be reached through further negotiations. The Secretary General also encouraged regional players to support continued talks.

The Secretary General also issued a statement addressing the friends and families of civilians and UN aid workers killed in the recent bombing in Algiers. The SG affirmed the United Nations' continued peacekeeping missions, but stated "the truth is, we can never really do justice to those we have lost. We can only iss them and mourn them. We can only unite in grieving for what is too hard to endure alone." The SG went on to stress the lessons learned from the Algiers bombing. These lessons included more clearly articulating to the public and press - particularly in areas of UN presence - what the UN stands for and how it works to achieve it's goals.

- Dan Patterson

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