As
Congo
Campaigning
Outlawed, Plea
to UN Answered
by Stale
Statement
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 27 --
With even
campaign
rallies
outlawed in
the
Democratic
Republic of
the Congo
before the
elections
slated for
November 28,
on November 25
the UN sent
out a
statement by
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon.
The
statement did
not call for
an end to
restrictions
on
campaigning,
and said that
it
was under
embargo and
couldn't be
published
until Sunday,
November 27
(without
saying if
this referred
to New York or
Kinshasa
time).
If the UN was
trying to
use its bully
pulpit to
improve the
anti-democratic
mood in the
eve
of the
election, it
seemed strange
to speak so
far in
advance, and
under embargo.
In
fact after
Ban's
statement in
advance, which
some called a
"mind-reading"
statement, was
circulated a
crisis
occurred at
the Kinshasa
airport.
The main
rival to
Joseph Kabila
Etienne
Tshisekedi was
blocked at the
airport
from going to
campaign. Some
of his
supporters
assembled; it
was
reported that
an entreaty
was made to
the UN to
intervene in
favor of
democracy, in
this case,
campaigning.
Another
Kabila
rival Vital
Kamerhe,
blamed the
violence on
pro-Kabila
security
forces. "The
republican
guard are in
Kinshasa’s
streets,"
he said.
"That’s like
how things
started in
Cote d’Ivoire,
with the armed
forces of the
elite."
Whatever
one thinks of
the erratic Tshisekedi,
with whom Ban
met in June, one
might have
expected the
UN to at least
verbally side
with democracy
and
campaigning.
But on the
ground, while
Ban's
statement
remained under
embargo, all
the UN did was
offer to
escort
Tshisekedi
home, not to
campaign.
(c) UN Photo
Ban & Tshisekedi,
response to
plea to
campaign not
shown, except
under embargo
Back
on November
23, Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
associate
spokesman
Farhan Haq
about
the election
and Mr.
Tshisekedi:
Inner
City
Press: I
wanted to ask
you about the
Democratic
Republic of
the
Congo
elections. Now
a candidate
has been
killed, Marius
Gangale,
and a lot of
people are
saying that
foreign
missions in
Kinshasa are
saying that
there may be a
delay past the
28th. I know
that Mr.
[Roger] Meese
briefed the
Council, but I
am not sure
what he said.
Does the UN
believe,
should there
be a delay to
get the
logistics in
place, and
what can they
say about this
killing of one
of the
candidates?
Associate
Spokesperson:
Well, as you
know, we have
supported a
number of
consecutive
elections in
the DRC
[Democratic
Republic of
the Congo]
and are
hopeful that
this one will
go ahead on
schedule. Mr.
Meese
did in fact
brief the
Security
Council about
the
arrangements,
and we
continue to
provide the
support we
can,
including, of
course, the
security
presence in
the country.
At the same
time, of
course, we
are concerned
about any
violence
against any
side or by any
side. And we
are
encouraging
all sides to
remain calm
and pave the
way for
peaceful and
smooth
elections.
Inner
City
Press: Is he
speaking with
this
opposition
figure, Mr.
[Etienne]
Tshisekedi,
because I went
back and
looked at the
video where he
had
met with Ban
Ki-moon,
Tshisekedi...
Is there some
attempt by the
UN
to get Mr.
Tshisekedi to
sign on to
these
principles for
the
election, and
do you think
he will sign
by the 28th?
Associate
Spokesperson:
It is hard to
predict what
any particular
individual
will do. We
have been
encouraging
all sides to
maintain calm
and
maintain a
peaceful
atmosphere
that would be
conducive to
holding
credible and
free
elections.
Nothing
more was
heard from Ban
Ki-moon's
Office in
response to
this until
November 25: a
statement that
said it
couldn't be
reported until
November 27.
And when the
last
possible
moment of the
embargo
arrived, at
12:01 midnight
New York
time, Ban's
superseded,
almost
ludicrous
statement
could be and
was
released:
From:
UN
Spokesperson -
Do Not Reply
@un.org
Date:
2011/11/25
Subject:
UNDER EMBARGO
UNTIL SUNDAY,
27 NOVEMBER
2011 - UN
Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon on
DRC elections
TEXT
FOR
RELEASE UNDER
EMBARGO UNTIL
SUNDAY, 27
NOVEMBER 2011
Statement
of
the
Secretary-General
on the
Presidential
and National
Assembly
elections in
the Democratic
Republic of
the Congo
New
York
– 27 November
2011
As
the people of
the Democratic
Republic of
the Congo are
preparing to
vote, I would
like to
reiterate the
support of the
United Nations
to
this
historical
process. These
elections are
crucial for
the
country’s
progress
towards
stabilization
and
development.
I
call on all
political
leaders and
the people of
the Democratic
Republic of
the Congo to
exercise
restraint
throughout the
process to
ensure that
the elections
are held in a
peaceful and
secure
environment. I
appeal to them
to conform to
the relevant
provisions
of the
Constitution
and the
electoral law;
to promote
democratic
debate; to
respect the
results of the
ballots; and
to address any
disputes that
may arise,
through the
established
mediation and
legal
channels.
I
hope that many
Congolese and
international
observers, as
well as
witnesses of
political
parties will
be present at
all levels of
the
electoral
process, in
particular at
the polling
stations and
centres.
The
Independent
National
Electoral
Commission,
supported by
the Governmnt
of the
Democratic
Republic of
the Congo and
international
partners,
has done
notable work
to organize
the elections
in a timely
manner. I
am grateful to
my Special
Representative
and the staff
from MONUSCO
and UNDP for
their support
in assisting
Congolese
authorities
throughout the
electoral
process.
I
stress the
primary
responsibility
of the
Government of
the Democratic
Republic of
the Congo for
maintaining a
secure
environment
for the
elections.
Watch
this site.
, 
