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Conditions for the success of the transition period
Congo RDC is painfully and progressively emerging from a very troubled period of its history. Having lived under a dehumanizing dictatorship which decimated the population, the country has at last started a transitional period and undertaken to take on board democracy, peace and lasting development. But there are a number of conditions to ensure the transition period’s success.
Main aims
The transition’s main aims are: The nation’s reunification, reconstruction and restoration of its national borders; re-establishing a central authority throughout the country; national reconciliation; the formation of an integrated and restructured army. But democracy will only be achieved if, in two year’s time, there are free and transparent elections at every level.
Progress made in organising the elections will show more than anything, how the transition period is developing and progressing. The more the elections are free and transparent, the more the transition can be deemed a success. To ensure the elections are really free and transparent, everyone must make a «maximum effort» in preparing and organizing them within the given deadline.
Encouraging facts
In recent months, several facts give us confidence in the future, and we can at last believe that Congo RDC is on the way to establish a nation governed by the rule of law — a nation which is on the road to democracy — a nation which guarantees and respects citizens’ basic rights — a nation which firmly implants and safeguards peace — a nation which works for its own development. There’s the promulgation of the transition Constitution; the taking of the Oath of Office by the President; the promulgation of the amnesty law covering offenses against the State and holding subversive views. So, the transition period got off to a good start because of the setting up of a transition government and the organisation of various institutions for supporting the democratic process.
Congo RDC is now well on the way towards peace and development and there’s no turning back, in spite of the government‘s mammoth size with its 36 ministers and the two-chambered parliament and various back-up institutions supporting democracy being big spenders.
The back-up institutions established by the transition parliament are: An Independent Electoral Commission; a national human rights team of observers; a Truth and Reconciliation Commission; an Ethics Commission for Fighting Corruption.
The country’s reunification is becoming increasingly effective, notwithstanding sporadic tension in the east. The Congo River between Kinshasa and Kisangani is open for traffic and the air routes between Kinshasa and the east are now re-established. The programme for rebuilding the nation, supported by the international financial institutions, has been announced. Political parties which are in the transition government, are urged to join with other parties which don’t have representatives in the cabinet, in order to prepare the elections well. Some parties, like Kabila’s People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) have already quietly started campaigning.
It should be noted that changes in Congo’s political situation are largely because of outside pressure from the international community: United Nations, European Union and the African Union. Congolese politicians show a significant lack of willpower to end the people’s hardships. Congo’s civil society which could be used to mobilize the population, is unable to play an effective role, because it’s crushed, divided and weakened. The people are sunk in lethargy and opportunism and have adopted a «wait-and-see» attitude. They’re presently putting up with everything and accept events naively as they happen. They allow their leaders to do what they want, without asking themselves if it will have any bearing on the transition process. The way things are, it’s obvious the transition period could last a long time.
Worrying aspects
There are a number of disturbing factors which could make the transition a failure. To mention a few: Inadequate or even mistaken understanding of the overall Agreement and the transition’s Constitution; regular violation of the above-mentioned documents; a massive and inopportune return of former leaders from the dictator Mobutu’s regime; the presence in government of people who looted the nation’s economic and natural resources; the presence in the transition process of people whose true nationality is doubtful — a fact deplored by Congo’s citizens; a return in strength of tribalism, bribery and corruption; lavish expenditure for the installation of the 66 members of government i.e. about 10 million Euros.
The greatest concern, however, comes from the Congolese people’s passivity, most of whom are simply not interested in the nation’s well-being or what makes their country tick. Many are completely ignorant of their rights as citizens, of the elementary notions of democracy, of how a country and political parties function. Such an attitude is alarming when we are talking about people who say they want to live under the rule of law and to be responsible for their country’s development.
The risk of Congo RDC falling under a new dictatorship are clear for all to see. Here’s some facts to prove the point. People have been «bought»; officials are out to gain votes at all costs. For 300 Congolese francs (0.7 euros), the people of Kinshasa were paid to line Kinshasa’s streets to welcome Jean-Pierre Bemba when he arrived to take part in the government. It’s clear there an urgent need for civic education. Only then will attitudes change and the country be truly launched on the road to recovery.
Conditions for success
According to political analysts, the first condition for the transition’s success is that those responsible must be of good will — they must respect and implement the overall Agreement and the transition’s Constitution. Also, the various documents pertaining to the transition period must be made available to the people in a way they can understand, and the various institutions supporting democracy must really function independently.
Congo’s citizens must receive every effort and encouragement possible as they journey along the road to democracy in the time of transition. The Catholic Church has recently established a strategic programme to that effect.
- Louis Kalonji, Congo RDC, September 2003 — © Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment