USAID/OTI Democratic Republic of Congo Field Report
April 2003
Program Description
USAID/OTI's goal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is to enhance the informed participation of Congolese society in political and economic decision-making processes that contribute to a peaceful, unified, and democratic country.
To advance this goal OTI activities fall under three objectives:
- Increased country-wide availability of and access to balanced information;
- Increased public participation in informed dialogue on issues of national importance;
- Expanded outreach and increased capacity of a broad range of civil society groups to advocate for peace.
USAID/OTI is supporting the following activities to achieve this goal:
Radio Okapi: DRC National Radio Initiative - OTI supports Fondation Hirondelle in their collaborative effort with the United Nation's Mission in the Congo (MONUC) to enhance coverage of their established national radio initiative, Radio Okapi. This component of OTI's program expands Radio Okapi's broadcast capability to ten locations (adding Bunia and Bukavu) instead of the eight original broadcast sites, and adds four new relay stations (Lubumbashi, Mbuji Mayi, Butembo and Beni) to assure continuous, all day short wave and FM broadcasts. The station's local language (Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba, Kikongo) radio programs disseminate information about humanitarian assistance, the peace process, and disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, reintegration and resettlement (DDRRR). Within the context of Radio Okapi, OTI is supporting a trained radio producer, through Search for Common Ground, to develop programming to support the DDRRR phase of the peace process. The programs are in the KinyaRwandan language.
Congo en Action pour la Paix (CAP): Small Grants Initiative - Through OTI's implementing partner, CARE, CAP provides grants that encourage support for the Lusaka Peace Accords and agreements of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue. OTI-sponsored activities enhance civil society's outreach and participation in the peace process, develop skills needed for advocacy, and connect like-minded groups and organizations throughout the country and the Diaspora. By supporting the peace process, this initiative promotes stability and plays an important role in the reunification of the DRC.
Country Situation
Inter Congolese Dialogue - On April 7, President Joseph Kabila was sworn in as the Interim President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Kinshasa. Four vice-Presidents are in the process of being chosen to represent the interests of the main rebel groups, civilian opposition and the government. The Mouvement de Libération du Congo (MLC) was the first to announce its representative, Jean Pierre Bemba. The Kinshasa Government's representative will be Aboulaye Yerodia Ndombasi. Outstanding are the names for representatives of the political opposition and Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie (RCD-Goma).
On April 14, President Joseph Kabila convened the first meeting of the 14-member National Follow-up Committee of the Global and Inclusive Agreement. The Follow-Up Committee is responsible for resolving any remaining obstacles to the formation of the transitional, power-sharing government. It is divided into political and operational commissions. The political commission, headed by RCD-Goma's Ruberwa, is responsible for handling unresolved issues such as the question of a united national army. The operational commission, headed by MLC Secretary-General Olivier Kamitatu, is responsible for establishing the transitional government institutions. Unfortunately the RCD-Goma did not attend the inaugural meeting citing security concerns in Kinshasa. Leaders of the Rwandan-backed RCD-Goma rebel movement Azarias Ruberwa, Secretary General and Commander Jean-Pierre Ondekane, Defense Adviser, did participate in the second Committee meeting held on April 29 after MONUC guaranteed their security. RCD's participation in this Kinshasa-based event was historic, as they had not participated in any events held in Kinshasa since the start of the war on August 2, 1998.
Ituri Pacification - The Ituri Pacification Commission (IPC) began its work on April 4 and is chaired by Deputy Special Representative of the UN Security-General Behrooz Sadry. The 177-member IPC elected Emmanuel Leku Apuobo from Mambasa the chief coordinator to head this interim executive body.
On April 25 more than 1,500 of an estimated 7,000 Ugandan soldiers in Ituri withdrew from Bunia in the northeastern DRC. Peacekeepers from MONUC and security forces from Kinshasa arrived in Bunia on April 24 to maintain security as Ugandan troops began their scheduled departure. MONUC is to deploy approximately 2,500 of its peacekeepers to Ituri before June. A first contingent of 200 Uruguayans and approximately 70-armed Congolese policemen from Kinshasa arrived in the province. Based on an agreement with the Government, Uganda is to retain 2000 soldiers in the east, near the Ugandan border, on the western side of Ruwenzori Mountain. The agreement also states that 1,000 policemen from Kinshasa will remain in the region.
Security Matters - Numerous clashes between armed groups occurred in various areas in the east. On April 6, Bukavu experienced renewed fighting between RCD/G and Mundundu 40 (M40) (both backed by Rwanda) culminating in approximately 15 deaths. Additionally, Dro Dro massacres by the Lendu ethnic militia in Ituri is reported to be responsible for more than 300 deaths.
Economic Progress - DRC and the United States signed an agreement on rescheduling of DRC external debt. The DRC's outstanding debt to the U.S. is close to $2.8 billion dollars.
HIGHLIGHTS
Fondation Hirondelle: Radio Okapi
Radio Okapi is seen more and more as an essential instrument for conflict prevention as well as a space to exercise freedom of expression. In Bukavu as RCD/G was about to reinforce its military presence against Mai Mai positions in the east, a delegation from MONUC, including Radio Okapi, and representatives of the U.S. and Great Britain Embassies, met with the General Padiri near Shabunda. This mediation activity, aimed at preventing renewed violence to the area, contributed to Mai Mai General Padiri's willingness to reopen communications with the RCD/Goma. Radio Okapi assisted Genreal Padiri's first step toward open communication through an interview conducted and aired on the national network. Radio Okapi played a key role in preventing further conflict in the area by providing space for the two belligerents to communicate with each other through aired Okapi programming.
On April 23rd Radio Okapi/Bukavu organized a debate to stem rising tension between RCD/Goma authorities and civil society. Tensions rose after the RCD-Goma and the Governor of the province made public demonstrations illegal. After active mediation by MONUC between the civil society representative and the RCD-Gomas authorities, an aired Okapi debate allowed parties to share points of view and exchange opinions in an open environment.
Radio Okapi maintains a web site. Interested parties can listen to radio programs by clicking on http://www.monuc.org/radio/.
Small Grant's Initiative: Congo en Action pour la Paix (CAP)
Highlights of partner activities funded by CAP included:
- Strengthening of independent and objective reporting during the final closure of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue (ICD), held in South Africa;
- Bringing together representatives of key political parties, who had been separated from constituents in other parts of the country due to years of war and isolation, to discuss issues of national importance.
- Strengthening ties between ethnic groups and communities through road improvement and conflict resolution activities in South Kivu;
- Promoting discussions on peace and reconciliation among youth through art with the launching of the CAP logo contests throughout the country.
CAP made tremendous strides in building up field staff this month. CAP placed a project liaison officer in the Ituri region of Oriental Province and began operations in this conflict-prone, strategic and geo-politically important area of the country. In the first two weeks on the ground, CAP was able to leverage interventions associated with the Ituri Peace Commission (IPC) meetings. CAP/Bunia identified 40 potential project opportunities. These civil society-based initiatives range from ethnically mixed soccer games to upgrading indigenous radio stations. In addition to opening up a presence in Bunia, CAP also identified a project liaison officer for Maniema Province. Over the past few years, Maniema has become known for the presence of Mai-Mai militia groups who exacerbate conditions of isolation, absence of communications, and insecurity in the province.
Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Reintegration and Resettlement (DDRRR)
Efforts for peace in the Great Lakes Region brought the DDRRR radio producer, Sam Howard, and his team to rural Zambia at the invitation of the Zambian Government. Thanks to "GUTAHUKA" (Going Home), the DDRRR radio program encouraging Rwandan ex-combatants to return home voluntarily, 17 ex-combatants were convinced to go home after listening to programs in the refugee camp of UKWIMI in Zambia early this month. The ex-combatants are now in the Mutobo demobilization camp in Rwanda for 45 days before reintegration into civilian life.
Also in April, one of the most notorious Front Démocratique de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR) leaders in the Beni region, in North Kivu, Jackson Zirimwabagabo, finally returned to Rwanda. Late last year, Jackson was part of a MONUC exploratory mission to Rwanda to gain a clearer picture of life in Rwanda before officially returning home. Unfortunately he and other ex-combatants refused to go home. However, recent recordings played on GUTAHUKA of greetings from friends, relatives, and family members in Kinigi, Rwanda persuaded Jackson to return on a special UN flight on April 18. Jackson told GUTAHUKA, "I have decided to return home due to the messages received from my mother and friends, and I hope all my soldiers in the Beni region will follow soon."
GUTAHUKA had the governor of North KIVU province, RCD/G's Eugene Serufuli Ngayabassetsa, as a guest for the first time. Ngayabassetsa commended GUTAHUKA, adding that it was the best available medium of communication and strategy of sensitization aimed at encouraging Rwandan armed groups to return home. His appearance on the program is symbolic of the confidence all sides have professed in GUTAHUKA.
IT Assessment - Kisangani
The city of Kisingani, with an estimated population of 800,000, is the capital of the Oriental Province and considered the third-largest city of the DRC. Despite its size and importance there are only two functioning public Internet centers for the entire city with no more than 20 connected computers. Kisingani residents from different social ranks - students, employees, local authorities, churches' members, as well as the unemployed - can be seen queuing at these facilities for hours in order to access and exchange information over the internet.
CAP conducted an assessment from April 18 - 25 to determine what needs to be done to meet the dire need for information access and exchange among the local population. The assessment recommended that CAP acquire V-Sats, which would offer a dedicated Internet connection via satellite. V-Sats are a reliable communication tool for the population and will allow CAP partners and the population to be more active participants in the advancement of peace in the Congo.
NEXT STEPS/IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
- Impact evaluation of information sector activities in Bunia (depending on security), Butembo, Bukavu and Beni.
- Preparation for participation in OTI Orientation and Worldwide Retreat.
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