Alice Backer · April, 2006

Latest posts by Alice Backer from April, 2006

DRC: UDPS Reiterates Political Muscle

  21 April 2006

In a post titled “UDPS is Congolese Political Gold”, UDPS Liege writes (FR) “we are the depositaries of democracy in our country. […] UDPS has not agreed to any alliances with the political parties that use our name. […] The real UDPS is preparing for a final assault on June...

DRC: UDPS Protest on Monday April 24, 2006

  21 April 2006

UDPS Liege announces (FR) a peaceful protest to take place Monday, April 24, 2006 in Kinshasa. The Belgium-based opposition party blog explains that UDPS is “determined to receive a favorable response to its memoranda to UN Secretary General Koffi Annan dated November 5, 2005 and March 22 of this year.”...

A Seamless Caribbean Network?

  20 April 2006

InternetRapide.com, a blog dedicated to telecommunications in the Caribbean says (FR) Digicel, a cell phone company owned by Irishman Denis O'Brien that covers 60% of the Jamaican market, celebrates its fifth anniversary this week. The company has expanded to 14 other Caribbean countries since its inception in 2001 and plans...

DRC: Upcoming UDPS Forum in Belgium

  19 April 2006

Opposition party UDPS will hold a forum entitled “Political Crisis in the DRC and UDPS’ Refusal to Participate in the Electoral Process” on May 1 in Liege-Outremeuse, Belgium, writes (FR) UDPS Liege. ( Time and address provided in the post.)

DRC: Civil Society Criticizes Electoral Process

  19 April 2006

Congolese civil society (about 2o organizations) issued an indictment of various national and international institutions involved with the electoral process on Monday, writes (FR) Tony Katombe at Le Blog du Congolais. The statement specifically asked the international community to resist imposing an electoral process that might benefit them but harm...

DRC: Building the Demosphere

  17 April 2006

Blogger Tony Katombe from Le Blog du Congolais invites (FR) readers to sign up for the Demosphere, ” a network of sites, blogs and emails of activists and militants involved with the struggle for democracy in countries under dictatorship.” Last week, Katombe and the Demosphere were the subject of a...

DRC: More UDPS Revelations

  17 April 2006

UDPS Spokesman Valentin Mubake was on Congolese TV again. Blogger Tony Katombe explains (FR) that Mubake unveiled attempts by electoral commission head Rev. Malu-Malu to act as a demographer by deflating population numbers in regions where UDPS is popular. In Katombe's words, Mubake also charged that international community officials in...

Africa: European Double Standards on Corruption

  16 April 2006

While the EU prepares to impose sanctions on Bielorussian authorities who allegedly committed election fraud, says (FR) Generation Consciente, “numerous African dictators [who commit election fraud…] consistently visit Europe without difficulty while freely managing their personal affairs[…].”

Chad: French Military Presence Worries Blogger

  15 April 2006

French troops killed 60 unarmed civilians in Ivory Coast 4 years ago alleging self-defense, writes (FR) Generation Consciente, Une Autre Afrique in a skeptical tone. In light of these events the blogger wonders what will come of the recent influx of french troops in Chad, 3 weeks to elections. “What...

Cameroon: Deputy Convicted of Murder

  14 April 2006

Doh Gawanyim III, deputy to the National Assembly, was convicted of murdering John Kohtem, a district-chairman of opposition party SDF, following a dispute between the two over whether Doh Gawanyim was blocking voter registration in their district, says (FR) Fojrega.

DRC: Legal Void after June 30

  13 April 2006

Transitional institutions stop being constitutional after June 30, 2006, writes (FR) blogger Mafelly-Makombo at Prince du Fleuve du Congo. He suggests that if elections should take place past that date, all of Congolese civil society including political parties and religious groups aided by the international community should be called on...

DRC: UDPS Says It Is Not Dead

  13 April 2006

Etienne Tshisekedi's political career is not dead and UDPS has not imploded, says (FR) UDPS Liege. “UDPS has become a spirit and conscience spread among the people. […] UDPS will never die” writes the blog which also reminds readers that the electoral commission stayed open until midnight on the last...

DRC: Is Tshisekedi an Extremist?

  12 April 2006

Over at Le Blog du Congolais, Ben-Clet analyzes (FR) the “180 degree turn” in the international image of UDPS leader Etienne Tshisekedi from sympathetic Mobutu opponent in the 90s to modern-day extremist. Among factors, Ben-Clet cites the fall of the Berlin wall, the fact that Congolese national interests often clash...

DRC: Kabila Resigns from Army

  12 April 2006

Renouveau Congolais deplores (FR) the fact that interim president Joseph Kabila signed the decree that accepts his resignation from the DRC's army … himself: “How can the one resigning sign his won resignation? Only a PPRD member can accept such a thing.”

DRC: Resolutions from Belgian UDPS’ Last Meeting

  11 April 2006

Under pressure from UDPS sympathizers, UDPS will organize a conference on May 1st to answer questions and make available documentation on several questioned actions of the party and its leader Etienne Tshisekedi in the 1990s, writes (FR) UDPS Liege. The blog also announced that the party's next priority is to...

DRC: UDPS to Take Part in Election After All?

  11 April 2006

UDPS spokesperson Jn-Baptiste Bomanza made several revelations on a Congolese talk show, reports (FR) Le Blog du Congolais. Bomanza's most surprising comment waa that “[t]here will be no election without UDPS” but he also accused the president of the Electoral Commission Rev. Malu-Malu of belonging to the same party as...