10 July 2006
interview
Ambassador Kombe Olengha Marie- Louise is Democratic Republic of Congo's envoy to Nigeria. Her country is preparing for a landmark election the first since 1964 when Patrice Lumumba was elected. She is one of the many Congolese that have not voted before in their country and she bares her mind on the preparations and the intrigues of the build-up towards the July 30 elections. In an interview with Elkanah Chawai, she sheds light into Nigeria-DR Congo relationship and the plight of its joint commission, among other issues.
Excerpts:
Tell us about yourself?
I am a career diplomat. I have been working in the Congolese foreign affairs since 1980. Nigeria is my first posting as an ambassador. I must say that Nigeria is a very challenging country. I arrived at the moment my country was at war. It was a very difficult task because I had to explain to the host country the actual position of things in the DRC and to let the host country know what was actually happening contrary to what the foreign media have been reporting and knowing that President Obasanjo was the Chairman of AU at that time, could use his good office to explain the situation to other African leaders.
One of the ways to peace in the DR Congo is a credible election and the country is holding a landmark election on July 30; how prepared is your country for the elections?
This is one of the biggest election we have held because since 1964, there have never been any election. Election after eight years of war is not an easy programme in terms of the collaboration of all the factions in the country. Before this election, there was transitional government headed by a president and four vice-presidents, a contraption never experimented in the world before. This wasn't easy. But, thanks to the spirit of humility of President Kabila who accepted to give up most of his powers for the sake of peace, we can now talk of elections which will take place on July, 30, 2006. When he took over power in 2001, he had three assignments: to restore peace to DRC, to restore territorial integrity and then bring people to the elections so that for the first time, they can decide who should govern t hem. Over the years, leaders emerged without elections; they get together and choose who is going to be there but nobody really choose and this is going to be the very first time in my country where people will choose who should govern them.
It is difficult to hold an election with pockets of violence; how does your country intend to manage the elections with these pockets of violence?
I think we can go to the polls. There are still pockets of violence in the east but the MONUC and the international community are determined to eradicate these pockets of violence before the elections. The president was in some part of the country recently for his campaign; he has never been there before because it was considered as the stronghold of the militia groups, but he went there. There will be election. People are ready especially the people from the east because they want it.
Would election officials be able to enter rebel controlled areas?
The country is already unified. I just told you that the president just came back from a campaign there. I think elections will hold there.
The European Union has done a lot to make sure that this election is successful. To what extent is the EU helping the DR Congo especially on how much they have donated?
The European Union has done almost half of what should be done. The EU believes that without peace in DRC there can't be peace in Africa. About 400 to500 million euros were put at the disposal of the Independent Electoral Commission to ensure the successful conduct of the elections. My country is one of the richest in the world and if there is peace, African countries can benefit from its economic prosperity. I think the international community understand this and why the election should be held.
There are fears that the involvement of EU in the election would mean too much external interference in deciding who will take the reins of power. Can you allay these fears?
This question is difficult for me to answer. This should be a question for candidates vying for president. What I can say is that Africans know what they want. Past experience has shown us who wants to help us. It's up for the Congolese to know what we want and say what we want. Even if they come, we have to say what we want them to do for us. Even African countries come to us for their own interest and when they come, they are there for something.
There are also fears that President Kabila as the man in charge may use power to intimidate opponents, how true is this?
I don't think President Kabila will intimidate his opponents. As I said earlier, President Kabila accepted to surrender most of his powers and he was always ready to compromise each time there was a stalemate. As you must have heard that among 33 candidates, about 19 of them want the elections postponed because they afraid of their unpopularity. Some of these candidates are not even popular in their own constituency and for them to remain relevant in the power game is for them to press for negotiations that will again end the power sharing among them. We must go to the polls and no more negotiations. This is the opinion of the international community and the majority of the Congolese people.
After the elections and after leaders have been selected, what is your country going to do about the humanitarian situation in the country?
The process has already started. I know that the government has tasked upon itself to return displaced people back to their homes and they will continue till everybody returns to their homes and regions we have the Red Cross and UN refugee commission that takes care of humanitarian issues.
But what we see on the internet is that people are still suffering
What do you expect from a country that has just come out of war?
The pictures you can get are that of sufferings. It will take some time before these people can live a decent life. That is why we are appealing to the international community to come and help us reconstruct our country after the elections so that people will regain their dignity.
After the election, the task of bringing the factions together is a tedious task; how does your country intend to this?
That will be the task of the new president. He should be a man of peace, a man who can respond to everybody and a man that doesn't revenge. All these you can find in the character of President Kabila. If it wasn't for him, we won't have peace. If it were his father, we'd still be fighting. But this man, because he is young, sees the future. He wants a world were all the Congolese can have peace and enjoy the wealth that God has given us. I think that if he wins, he will be able to involve everybody.
What if Kabila doesn't win?
Somebody else would win
What if he doesn't accept it?
No, I think he said it himself that if he loses, he will go into his business farming.
Nigeria and DR Congo have good relations and they even have a joint commission; how deep is this relations?
It is true that we signed a joint commission agreement with Nigeria on economy, commerce, tourism, culture and education to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two country, but, what I have realised is that the Nigerian are not so anxious about African countries that are not members of ECOWAS and it makes things very difficult and I may say that my only regret when I leave this country is my inability to bring real and concrete relations between the DRC and Nigeria in accordance to the agreement of the Joint Commission. Just signing an agreement and leaving it there is of no use. Even in this coming Congo election, I'm a bit sad too because I don't see Nigeria in action. Considering the way President Obasanjo worked hard for peace in the DRC, I would have sincerely hoped that Nigeria should be more financial, material and morally involved in the electoral process and ensure that the which President Obasanjo cherish is totally restored in DRC.
Eleven Nigerian policemen taking part in the peacekeeping mission were deported last year over sexual assault charges. Did this affect the relations of the two countries in any way?
No, it showed the world and my country how President Obasanjo wants to have a police that is disciplined. You cannot send the police or military for peacekeeping and start doing what is contrary to your assignment. And for that, he deserves commendation and if every leader could act the same way, I think their will be a change in the army and the police. The people that bring peace must be disciplined.
Did your country complain formally or protest?
No, we didn't complain.
You mentioned that DR Congo is very rich, what is the country rich in?
Our country is potentially very rich, we have all sort of raw materials like uranium, copper, diamond, cotton, wood, water resources, energy resources, just name it and these resources are the envy of the superpowers- the reason why DRC will never be left alone. But what we are saying is that DRC can collaborate with other countries; we have enough wealth to go round. Just check the statistic; we are one of the potentially richest in Africa and maybe in the world. We are ready to cooperate with everybody provided that those who want to come are not doing it in their own interest only but to help us reconstruct and develop out country.
DR Congo's neighbours have been known to be fuelling the conflicts in your country; what would relations be like after the elections?
It is a pity that some of our neighbours are trying to carry over their internal political problems arising from lack of democracy by making a lot of trouble for the country. The Congolese people are peace-loving people who have always lived in harmony with their neighbours; but unfortunately with Rwanda, because of their ethnic problems between Hutus and Tutsis, the DRC has always been a hotbed of tension in the east. In my opinion, in order to settle this once and for all-the perpetual conflict between the Tutsis and Hutus-there is a need to enshrine in their constitution a system of governance by rotation between the two tribes; else the situation will still repeat itself. For instances, the DRC has over 450 tribes which are all considered as minority but are coexisting in harmony. That is why we are appealing to the international community to put more effort to reconcile the two tribes instead of backing one to protect the minority. As far as DRC is concerned, Rwanda will remain our neighbour no matter what happens and it's more beneficiary if the two countries develop within the framework of CEPEGEL (Economic Community of the Countries of the Great Lake Region), mutual economic and cultural cooperation for the wellbeing of the populations in the two countries.
How frequent do Nigerians visit DR Congo telling from the visas issued?
It depends on the period. Sometimes, we have 20 to 30 people a week. Usually, they go for trade. I would like Nigerians to come and make business I would like Nigerians to be quick about this because South Africa is taking over all the sectors and they didn't wait until when there is peace. They started when the war was there. They see far because they know the potentials of DRC. They are taking over everything and are socially responsible building schools and hospitals. Even in these elections, they have given us so much in terms of money and materials just for the elections to be held which no country in Africa has done, not even Nigeria as far as I know.
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