arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

STATEMENT BY THE CONGOLESE OPPOSITION ON THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS OF MARCH 10 BY BERNARD KOLELAS, MCDDI PRESIDENT, ERDUNN PRESIDENT, FORMER PRIME MINISTER, FORMER MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND ELECTED MAYOR OF BRAZZAVILLE

We would like, first of all, to point out that these elections are following the logical sequence of an escape from reality by candidate Denis Sassou-NGuesso, who has, repeatedly, refused the true national dialogue. This dialogue would have assembled around the same table the major protagonists of the Congolese conflict for the purpose of national unity, the restoration of a pluralist democracy in Congo-Brazzaville.

Candidate Denis Sassou-NGuesso's non-declared goal was mainly to prepare and organize these elections all alone. We are, henceforth, not really concerned by these very elections because they are being staged on grounds, which are irregular, false, and illegal. These include unilateral electoral census, unilateral establishment of electoral lists replete with massive frauds, registration of thousands of foreigners who are refugees in Congo, leonine legal documents which go as far as violating the non retroactivity of the law, keeping away opponents who are feared to the point of preventing them from returning back home.

These serious failures were denounced by different voices from different quarters, especially the Congolese Opposition, Human Rights Human Development NGOs, the EU, the International Federation of Human Rights, IFES, and also by the candidates to these same elections, who have declared them as being illegal through their memorandum addressed to the Head of State.

Finally, we would like to make reference, at this point, to the report by the UNDP published on February 7, 2002, on sustainable human development in Congo-Brazzaville. This report, which came out at the right time, underscored the need for a new more consensual transition, a new Fundamental Act, a new constitution and democratic elections for Congo-Brazzaville to come out of its current situation. Those are proposals which we have always made and which Sassou-NGuesso's side has never wanted to hear.

Thus, we are waiting that the UN, which has presented us with this solution to the political crisis in Congo-Brazzaville, makes serious efforts to incite the Brazzaville regime to accept it. As for the Opposition, it is adhering to it through my voice. It is high time that the Congo comes out of a regime, which is very attuned to the methods of a police state and which is very militarized. It is rightly so that Washington has just condemned the Congo for lack of respect for human rights.

Done on March 7, 2002

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Mr. MILONGO Calls For A Boycott Of The Presidential Elections in Congo-Brazzaville

Brazzaville, March 8 (AFP): Friday March 8, 2002 – 20h15- The major Congolese opposition candidate to the Presidential elections, Mr. André Milongo, called upon his partisans on Friday evening in Brazzaville to boycott the vote of Sunday during a meeting, which marked the end of the electoral campaign, the AFP noted.

" I am asking you not to go to the polls on Sunday because the transparency conditions have not been met" Mr. Milongo indicated to his partisans during a meeting at the Sports Center of Makelekele, a neighborhood of Brazzaville. As he was later politely asked by the journalists to precisely state if this call meant the withdrawal of his candidacy, Mr. Milongo simply replied:" It does not serve any purpose to go and vote if the transparency conditions are not met." Also, he demanded the suspension of the electoral process.

Mr. Milongo reminded that the opposition did not get any satisfaction to a series of demands, which it had submitted to the National Commission charged with staging the elections (CONEL).

It was question of a re-start of the electoral census, of establishment of a single bulletin, of the representation of the opposition inside the sub-committee charged with the electoral operations and inside the voting booths as observers. "We did not get what we asked. The conditions designed to guarantee the transparency of the elections were not met," Mr. Milongo asserted.

Mr. Milongo is the major opposition candidate facing the incumbent President, Denis Sassou-NGuesso. Eight (8) candidates in all will be present during the first round of the voting.

On Tuesday, two (2) other candidates of the opposition had withdrawn from the race in order to denounce the illegality, according to them, of the electoral process. Among these candidates still in the running are the incumbent President, General Denis Sassou-NGuesso. The six (6) other candidates are said to be members of the opposition. It is question of the President of the Liberal Republican Convention, Mr. Bonaventure Mizidy, of a former Minister delegate for Financial Management, Mr. Luc Daniel Mateta, of a former Minister of Public Works, Mr. Jean Demba Ntelo, of Ms. Angèle Bandou, President of the Party of the Poor, of a former Minister of Culture, Mr. Côme Manckassa and of a former leader of the UPADS (Pan-African Union for Social Democracy, former President Pascal Lissouba's party), Mr. Joseph Kignoumbi. The latter was excluded from the party for having made himself candidate in the name of UPADS without having been designated by its top management structure.

Earlier on Friday, Mr. Mizidy had confirmed to the AFP that he would not withdraw from the race despite the imperfections observed in the organization of the elections. On Friday afternoon, General Denis Sassou-NGuesso asserted that he would win on the first round because, according to him, of the support given to him by the population.