Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-09-04-Speech-1-163"
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"en.20060904.21.1-163"2
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".
Mr President, as head of the European Union election observation mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I have stayed in that country on many occasions, Commissioner, since the Commission entrusted me with the responsibility for the mission in October.
An entire book could be written on the exceptional adventure embarked upon by the people of Congo in order to provide themselves with democratic institutions with the help of the international community and of the European Union, in particular.
I shall confine my speech this evening to some comments about the new stage that was reached on this road on Sunday 30 July, during the first round of the presidential elections, which coincided with the legislative elections. Just after that first round, I had the satisfaction, on 1 August, of signing, together with my counterparts from throughout the world, from the African Union, from the French-speaking community and from the Carter Foundation, a joint declaration that was basically designed to point out how impressed we were – and I quote – with the strong turnout of Congolese male and female voters and with the participation of the political party witnesses and the national observers in the election of 30 July.
In congratulating the people of Congo for the calm and dignified atmosphere in which these elections took place, we were urging the candidates – and I quote again – to respect the choices of the Congolese people and to use legal means of redress in the event of a dispute. Finally, we were calling on them to develop the peace process observed and to make a lasting contribution on the road to national reconciliation and to the rebuilding of the country.
This appeal was sadly not heard by the most diehard supporters of the two candidates who were well ahead in the first round and, shortly before the provisional results were announced, on Sunday 20 August, they began to confront each other in the very heart of the capital, before reaching the stage, late in the afternoon on the Monday, of fighting with heavy weapons around the residence of the senior vice-president, in which the members of the international transitional aid committee, chaired by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Bill Swing, were gathered.
It was only thanks to the assistance of a security operation put in place by the general commanding the MONUC forces, with the support of the European-led forces of EUFOR, that the hostages were able to be set free and the madmen forced to return to their camp. I was therefore pleased to have championed in this Chamber the setting-up of that force and I felt proud – you are right, Commissioner – to be European, because it was the remarkably effective intervention of the European Union that enabled a swift return to calm.
We should also once again congratulate the people of Kinshasa, who refused to let themselves be led into murdering and looting again, as they were being called on to do by the staunchest of those who remained opposed to any democratic revolution. The calm that has prevailed since then throughout the country may offer hope that those people will no longer cause any harm. It is up to us to demonstrate the greatest vigilance and to continue to use all of our political and, if need be, military, weight to put pressure on the two candidates that are still in contention until the second round of the presidential elections, scheduled for 29 October.
Then, and in accordance with the Constitution, the power, Commissioner, will return to the people, by means of its elected parliament. That is what the people of Congo aspire to. That is what we must continue to help them achieve."@en1
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