DATE=5/17/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43422
TITLE=CONGO ANNIVERSARY
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=KINSHASA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO HAS CELEBRATED THE
SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA'S RISE TO POWER
(MONDAY). IN THE CAPITAL, KINSHASA, THOUSANDS OF MR. KABILA'S
SUPPORTERS HELD A PARADE. BUT AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT JOHN PITMAN
REPORTS FROM KINSHASA, THE ANNIVERSARY ALSO WAS A TIME FOR THE
COUNTRY TO TAKE STOCK OF A HOST OF SEVERE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC
CHALLENGES.
TEXT: ON MAY 17TH, 1997, LAURENT KABILA AND HIS VICTORIOUS REBEL
ARMY WERE WELCOMED TO KINSHASA AS LIBERATORS. THE REBELS'
ARRIVAL IN THE CAPITAL MARKED THE END OF MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF
DICTATORSHIP, ECONOMIC MISMANAGEMENT, AND CORRUPTION UNDER THE
LATE PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE SEKO.
MR. KABILA WAS NEARLY UNIVERSALLY PRAISED, AND THE COUNTRY WAS
INFUSED WITH A SENSE OF OPTIMISM. DURING HIS FIRST MONTH IN
OFFICE, MR. KABILA PROMISED TO HOLD ELECTIONS WITHIN TWO YEARS,
REWRITE THE CONSTITUTION, AND START REBUILDING THE COUNTRY'S
INFRASTRUCTURE.
ALTHOUGH HE ALSO INITIALLY BANNED POLITICAL ACTIVITY, MEMBERS OF
THE OPPOSITION SAY THEY WERE READY TO GIVE MR. KABILA'S
ADMINISTRATION THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT DURING THE PROPOSED
TWO-YEAR TRANSITION.
HOWEVER, THE PAST 24 MONTHS HAVE NOT BEEN KIND TO MR. KABILA.
THIS ANNIVERSARY WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN MARKED BY ELECTIONS OR AN
ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN, INSTEAD FINDS CONGO CUT NEARLY IN HALF BY AN
ARMED REBELLION, THE ECONOMY IN SHAMBLES, AND MR. KABILA
INCREASINGLY ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF THE COUNTRY'S POLITICAL
CLASS.
MR. KABILA HAS DEFENDED HIS GOVERNMENT AND ITS ACTIONS BY ARGUING
THAT IT HAS BEEN BESIEGED BY HOSTILE FOREIGN FORCES ALMOST SINCE
THE DAY IT TOOK POWER. THE GOVERNMENT POINTS TO THE ARMED
REBELLION WHICH BROKE OUT IN AUGUST AND WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY
UGANDA AND RWANDA AS PROOF OF DIRECT FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IN
CONGO'S DOMESTIC AFFAIRS.
ON MONDAY, NEAR THE GRANDSTAND WHERE MR. KABILA WATCHED THE
PARADE, SOME OF HIS SUPPORTERS ECHOED THE GOVERNMENT'S ANGER.
/// KABILA SUPPORTER ACT - IN FRENCH - FADE UNDER ///
THIS MAN, A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE, SAYS THE CONGOLESE PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN VICTIMIZED BY FOREIGNERS, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, AND
ARE VERY UNHAPPY ABOUT IT. YOU HAVE EXPLOITED US, HE SAYS, AND
HAVE TAKEN EVERYTHING. BUT THIS TIME, HE ADDS, WE ARE SAYING
'NO' TO YOU. THE CONGOLESE PEOPLE ARE BEHIND PRESIDENT KABILA.
STILL, DESPITE MONDAY'S SHOW OF SOLIDARITY WITH MR. KABILA,
RECENT PUBLIC OPINION POLLS SHOW A GRADUAL DECLINE IN SUPPORT FOR
THE PRESIDENT AND HIS GOVERNMENT. THE MOST RECENT POLL TAKEN BY
THE BERCI POLLING AGENCY HERE IN KINSHASA IN APRIL, SHOWS MR.
KABILA'S PERSONAL POPULARITY RATING AT JUST OVER 60 PERCENT.
THAT IS A RATING THAT MOST WESTERN POLITICIANS WOULD LOVE TO
HAVE, BUT IT DOES REFLECT A LOSS OF MORE THAN 20 PERCENTAGE
POINTS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR LAST AUGUST.
ANALYSTS SAY THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WILL BE CRITICAL TO SEE IF MR.
KABILA'S POPULARITY STABILIZES AT THIS LEVEL OR FALL FARTHER.
FOR MR. KABILA'S OPPONENTS, MONDAY'S ANNIVERSARY MARKED THE END
OF A KIND OF GRACE PERIOD. THEY SAY THE WAR AND THE POOR STATE
OF CONGO'S ECONOMY DEMONSTRATE WHAT THEY SEE AS THE GOVERNMENT'S
FAILURE TO KEEP ITS PROMISES.
A FORMER REGIONAL GOVERNOR WHO HAS BEEN ARRESTED A NUMBER OF
TIMES FOR CRITICIZING MR. KABILA'S GOVERNMENT, OMARI LEA SISI,
SAYS THIS SECOND ANNIVERSARY FINDS CONGO AMID ITS WORSE
CATASTROPHE SINCE INDEPENDENCE IN 1960.
/// SISI ACT - IN FRENCH - FADE UNDER ///
MR. SISI SAYS THAT AFTER TWO YEARS IN POWER, MR. KABILA HAS
GUIDED THE COUNTRY FROM A STATE OF IMPLOSION UNDER PRESIDENT
MOBUTU TO A STATE OF EXPLOSION, WITH THE WAR IN THE EAST.
//OPT// HE AND OTHERS IN THE OPPOSITION SAY THE GOVERNMENT HAS
BEEN POORLY MANAGED. WE HAVE SOME SEMBLANCE OF GOVERNMENT HERE
IN KINSHASA, MR. SISI SAYS, BUT ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY
CONFUSION AND ANARCHY REIGN. HE SAYS YOU CAN ALMOST SAY THE
COUNTRY NO LONGER EXISTS. //END OPT//
MOST CONGOLESE HAVE PUT THEIR HOPES IN A NATIONAL DEBATE PLANNED
FOR NEXT MONTH. ANALYSTS SAY THE DEBATE MUST LEAD TO A
NEGOTIATED END TO THE WAR, A LIBERALIZING OF THE COUNTRY'S
POLITICAL SYSTEM, AND AN OPEN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO
RESOLVE CONGO'S ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CRISES. (SIGNED)
NEB/JP/JWH/WFR
17-May-99 3:18 PM EDT (1918 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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