United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa)
Myriam Abedi
25 January 2008
At the weekly MONUC press conference of January 24 last, new MONUC head Alan Doss declared that "the United Nations will only play the role assigned by the act of engagement signed by the government of the DRC and the various belligerents in the Kivus on Wednesday 23 January 2008 in Goma."
He specified that "the practical details of demobilisation remain to be specified within the framework of the mixed technical commission of "Peace and security" under the co-presidency of the government, and the international facilitation of this engagement which will legally be instituted by the government, to finalise the questions in relation to the disengagement of the troops."
Mr. Doss, who signed this act of engagement on behalf of MONUC, stressed that on the level of disarmament as the document indicates, MONUC will deploy its observers to supervise the cease-fire in all the territories occupied by the armed groups.
In addition, he explained why the Goma office will be reinforced on the military as well as the civilian level, and for this purpose he announced that his civilian chief of staff will be deployed in Goma for three months, to ensure the follow-up of this act of engagement.
In relation to the law of amnesty that some regard as a blank cheque given to certain belligerents who committed war crimes in the DRC, Alan Doss said "it is not a question of a blank cheque."
"All this is well defined in the act of engagement. All that relates to war crimes and crimes against humanity remain likely to be followed by the national and international judicial organisations."
On the humanitarian plan for the Kivus, Alan Doss explained that the United Nations will work in collaboration with the humanitarian actors and agencies, within the framework of a commission which will be charged to supervise the return of internally displaced people to their places of origin.
But what does the new MONUC head envisage for better explaining to the Congolese the mandate of its mission, which is often badly understood?
On this subject Mr. Doss said: "There is perhaps a misunderstanding of what we do and one asks whether the public understands what we do. But we intend to reinforce our policy of communication."
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