Gazing in the Congo (DRC): the dark heart of Africa (2006-2017)

[Stan]

Link to article in English with more videos.

Seems the 31st Para (maroon berets) are more the culprits than the police and civil guard (both showing up slightly later in the video). Great press coverage on all those donations (police water canons and new PPE (in English ).

Security forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo blocked incumbent President Joseph Kabila's main challenger on Saturday at the capital's international airport ahead of the country's presidential elections.

[Stan]

And to think we thought our election process was stymied

DR Congo votes amid delays and violence

In some areas, the ballot paper ran to several pages and resembles a newspaper because there are so many parliamentary candidates.

• More than 30 million voters
• More than 19,000 parliamentary candidates
• 500 parliamentary seats
• MPs paid $6,000 (£3,887) a month
• The Kinshasa ballot will be a 56-page booklet of more than 1,500
  candidates
• 11 presidential candidates
• 4,000 tonnes of ballot papers
• 61 helicopters and 20 planes are delivering the election material

This is likely to have caused some confusion in a country where one-third of adults cannot read or write.

[Dayuhan]

The counting process must be... interesting, for want of a better word. Or do they even bother going through the motions?

[M-A Lagrange]

Since SRSG Roger Meece said everything went fine while there were mass frauds and several people killed in the process... Why bother.

The counting process must be... interesting, for want of a better word. Or do they even bother going through the motions?

[davidbfpo]

Yesterday there was a short film clip on the TV news here, from a polling station where what appeared to be an official was accused of ballot rigging and was being chased by a group of voters. Nothing extra-ordinary? Except there was an EU Observer team watching, which probably explains how the TV clip got out. It was quite funny as the observers were completely at a loss.

Alas I cannot now locate the film clip on the TV news.

[Stan]

Polling Stations Attacked.

David, looks like what you described. Nothing funny nor unusual here depending on your point of view and time in country

The UN version from yesterday would appear a little optimistic however

[davidbfpo]

Stan,

Yes that is the clip. I thought the EU Observers looked embarrassed and unlikely to have seen such blatant, overt ballot rigging - well not in Western Europe. My sense of humour I guess saying it was funny. Observing is great, submitting a report and proclaiming from a safe distance "All is well" or not is no substitute for action at the time. To the local voter what value were the EU Observers for a fair and democratic ballot? Almost nil I'd wager.

[Stan]

David,
Going to this link may be slightly depressing considering the video content.

Election observation is the political complement to election assistance. Its main goals are the legitimisation of an electoral process, where appropriate, and the enhancement of public confidence in the electoral process, to deter fraud, to strengthen respect for human rights, and to contribute to the resolution of conflict. EU election observation involves the assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of an electoral process and the presentation of recommendations that will provide an important basis for deciding on further assistance after the elections.

BTW, as of today they were still looking for a Deputy Chief Observer and Statistician

UPDATE 26 SEPTEMBER 2011 - Request for candidatures for the following TWO positions in the Core Team for the EU Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) to observe the forthcoming presidential and legislative elections in Democratic Republic of Congo scheduled for 28 November 2011.

NEW deadline for application: 29 September 2011 (noon Brussels time).

[M-A Lagrange]

Situation in DRC is very confused at the momment.

There were incidents in Kananga, Mbuji Mayi, Mbandaka, Lubumbashi... Mainly all the biggest cities in the country.
Some were elections related, some not (As in Katanga).

The feeling in Kinshasa is extremely disturbing as all the population is against the actual president, Joseph Kabila. But don't forget that politic in DRC is no more done in Kinshasa only.

To add even more confusion, vottings have been extended yesterday (Tuesday) and today (Wenesday) in some part of the country.

Several candidates from opposition, Kamerhe (UNC), Mbusa (RCD Kml), Kengo (UFC), Bombole (independant/MLC), have called to cancel the elections.

[Stan]

DR Congo's Vital Kamerhe leads calls to annul vote

Four opposition candidates in the Democratic Republic of Congo's election say it should be cancelled because of fraud and violence.

They include Vital Kamerhe, who said the rigging was on a large scale and "deliberately planned" with pre-marked ballot papers.

"Police chased witnesses from polling stations before counting could start."

Mr Kamerhe's aides also accused the UN peacekeeping mission in DR Congo of showing bias towards Mr Kabila.

[M-A Lagrange]

Stan,

Finally Kamerhe decided to change mind and not call for cancellation.

Personnally I am desipointed by Carter Center. They had the courrage this morning to list a lot of irregularities but finally said that it was OK.
http://www.cartercenter.org/news/pr/...im-113011.html

SADC said everything is fine.

[KingJaja]

As an African trained in Britain and conversant with the long history and benefits of a democratic culture, it sad for me to say that Congo (and most of Africa) isn't really ready for democracy.

I've lived through twelve years of democracy in Nigeria, and it hasn't really done us a lot of good (except lower the barriers for Western investment - which is mostly limited to the Oil and Gas industry, anyway). It hasn't really resulted in economic development, it has exacerbated our differences, it hasn't resulted in infrastructural development and has resulted in 40,000 dead and counting.

Most African politicians are "big men" with private armies of thugs (usually drawn from the same ethnic group). No one votes for issues, people merely line up behind the candidate from their ethnic group, if they are reluctant to do so, they are encouraged to do so by a few dollars or the goons encourage them to do so.

Is it really appropriate to insist on Western-style democracy in a country that barely has motorable roads, with a gdp per capita of $189 and very low literacy rates. As usual the Carter center will be there to look on (they oversaw the charade called the 2007 elections in Nigeria).

A Ghanaian intellectual once described Africa as having a colonial and a post-colonial problem. The colonial problem is inferiority complex, but the post-colonial problem is worse: hopelessness. Hopelessness stems from our experience since 1960 - i.e. the realisation that having been through so much since independence, we aren't really getting anywhere, and that our worst problems are our leaders and ourselves.

[Stan]

Stan,

Finally Kamerhe decided to change mind and not call for cancellation.

Personnally I am desipointed by Carter Center. They had the courrage this morning to list a lot of irregularities but finally said that it was OK.
http://www.cartercenter.org/news/pr/...im-113011.html

SADC said everything is fine.

Salut !
Looking at their website I can't believe someone would even post this nonsense.

The official campaign period was largely peaceful and competitive, though marred by deaths and arrests when police responded to demonstrations.

[davidbfpo]

I earlier posted this question aimed mainly at Stan, to which he responded and now the latest posts, post-election make it more appropriate IMHO. I've changed EU for all external observers:

To the local voter what value were the external Observers for a fair and democratic ballot?

What grand company all these observers keep - with each other - EU, SADC and the Carter Institute? All I'm sure "rubbing shoulders" in safe overnight shelter and comfortably paid.

[Stan]

I earlier posted this question aimed mainly at Stan, to which he responded and now the latest posts, post-election make it more appropriate IMHO. I've changed EU for all external observers:

What grand company all these observers keep - with each other - EU, SADC and the Carter Institute? All I'm sure "rubbing shoulders" in safe overnight shelter and comfortably paid.

David,
Where to begin ? I have never seen fair and free elections in the 11 countries I worked in. I'm not even sure what all those institutions are doing there and who is paying the tab.

To the local voter what value were the external Observers for a fair and democratic ballot?

M-A probably has his own version, but mine is: The perception (to the Western world) is that foreigners are ensuring a fair and democratic election. The Congolese (the vast majority) are convinced that nothing good will come out of this. They have good reason to believe that. They also have puppets (candidates) that play on the populations' fears and hopes using these observers to back that Bravo Sierra. There is no hope and it's ridiculous to think that something free and fair would ever come.

Even in the 90s when some of "us" were sent to these so-called polling stations the scene was just as vile and pathetic. Yet, the lines went on forever. Me standing there in pea-green fatigues was just stupid (as if I had some control over the situation).

[davidbfpo]

Stan,

You ask, rhetorically I suspect:

who is paying the tab

You and I are. Without checking I expect the Carter Institute relies on federal funds for such work, unless there is a 'Whitewater' dividend still.

As for the EU's motives, another time.

[Stan]

David,
As an NGO there must be millions of donors.

What I also found equally assuring was their work with the mining sector in DRC.

The funding sources are indeed in the millions

[davidbfpo]

According to their owned Annual Report 2009-2010, including audited accounts, the Carter Institute has a variety of income sources, taking the top three categories in %:

Corporations 66.7; Individuals 12.6 & Governmental 10.3

Regarding elections it said:

Our election observation work in Sudan was made possible this year with support from Norway, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), Nordem, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Nations Development Program. Election monitoring in Guinea was supported by the United States and Irish Aid.

Link:http://cartercenter.org/resources/pd...-report-10.pdf

I'm no accountant, but they do have large assets / investments too. The report does not make it clear, but I expect the election work is all government-funded, albeit not just Stan's USD taxes, but my UK pounds.

[M-A Lagrange]

DR Congo: Rein in Security Forces
http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/12/02/d...ecurity-forces

Over 18 deads according to HRW. Main perpetrators: presidential guards.

But internal security minister said they were not deployed...

[M-A Lagrange]

Kabila camp threatens to smash DRC rival's 'insurrection'

Two days after elections marred by deadly violence and reports of fraud began, Presidential Majority secretary-general Aubin Minaku accused opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi's UDPS party of "insurrectionist schemes".
"We're in the last phase of the insurrectionist schemes of the UDPS," Minaku said.

"The state will exercise its prerogatives in a firm manner" if there is any unrest, he added.

"Whoever commits an infraction, even if it's Etienne Tshisekedi, will have to face the force of the law, that's what we will see in the coming days."
Monday's polls were marred by allegations of fraud, chaos at many voting centres and apparent separatist attacks that killed at least 10 people. Four opposition presidential candidates have called for the elections to be annulled, alleging pro-Kabila fraud -- though Tshisekedi has not joined the call.
Minaku levelled his own accusations against the UDPS Wednesday.
"We have proof that [electoral officials] have been assaulted" by UDPS supporters during the elections, he claimed.
https://www.osac.gov/pages/News.aspx?featured=Yes

An unpopular and barrely credible government is preparing to size power.

From US embassy site:

There have also been numerous reports of irregularities from voter list discrepancies to ballot shortages. We recognize that no election is conducted perfectly – the United States struggles, as do all nations, with a task of this complexity – but irregularities undermine the transparency of the process.
http://kinshasa.usembassy.gov/speech..._12012011.html

The congolese translation from Digital Congo, a news web site property of Kabila familly:
« Nous savons que nulle élection n’est parfaite en soi comme tous les pays, les Etats-Unis n’ont toujours pas résorbé une tâche d’une telle complexité – toutefois, les irrégularités ne minent pas la transparence de ce processus », a-t-il ajouté.

We recognize that no election is conducted perfectly – the United States struggles, as do all nations, with a task of this complexity – but irregularities DO NOT undermine the transparency of the process.
http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/80022

Know your ennemy!