AFRICA/DR CONGO - Over 25 million electors register for June vote

Kinshasa (Fides Service) - Over 25 million eligible voters have registered for June elections in Democratic Congo. This was announced by the Independent Electoral Commission which monitored the registration of voters started 20 June 2005 and completed 10 February 2006. The registration of voters was suspended in December during the constitutional referendum when 84% of the voters approved Congo’s new Constitution (see Fides 15 and 21 December 2005).
The European Union has sent a delegation of experts to DR Congo to examine the possibility of sending a European military contingent to flank local security forces during the June elections. The consistence of the European peacekeeping force has yet to be decided, ranging from a minimum of 250 to a maximum of 1,250 men, according to the mission assigned. Tasks which may be given to the European peacekeepers could be security in the capital Kinshasa, flanking Congolese armed forces, security at airports and possible evacuation of civilians in the case of violence.
So far the European experts and local authorities have identified three areas of intervention: a small force of 250 elements to command and control information services; an additional 200 men to guarantee air support; a supplementary contingent of 800 men including a rapid action group in the case of a sudden crisis.
A UN peacekeeping mission in Congo MONUC, one of the most important UN engagements, has been deployed in the country since 1999. MONUC has the task to monitor the cease fire agreement reached at the end of a civil war 1998-2003 in which at least 3 million people were killed. The agreement included a transition period, a national unity government and a national assembly to draft a new constitution approved by the people in a referendum last December. General elections in June will mark the end of the transition period and the return of democracy. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 15/2/2006 righe 33 parole 424)