MESSAGE
FOR THE NEW YEAR FROM THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF UDPS
TO
THE CONGOLESE NATION
Men
and Women of
Congo
,
Dear
compatriots,
We have arrived, by the grace of God, on the threshold of a new year,
the year 2006.
I take this opportunity fulfill the duty that I have to present to you
my best wishes of hope for the future of our country, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, a country bequeathed to us by our ancestors.
The year just ended was marked, internally, by an increased awakening
of the Congolese people in our struggle for the introduction of the
Rule of Law in
Congo
, where the law is above all and where everyone is subject to the law.
In particular, we note the spontaneous and popular demonstrations of
January 2005 to protest the violation of the Constitution by the
prolongation of the transitional period, which culminated on June 30,
2005. These demonstrations
were repressed in bloodshed.
We take this occasion to honor the memory of all of these compatriots
fallen under the bullets of a decadent regime; we urge the judicial
authority of our country handling this matter to accelerate the
judicial process, for -- we must never forget -- the human person is
sacred; the State has the obligation to respect it and to protect it.
Dear
compatriots,
This
awakening was also observed across broad movements of social
discontent relating to various vital sectors of the national life.
The
aggravated deterioration of the living conditions of Congolese, even
during this post-conflict period is unacceptable.
The
unrestrained pursuit of personal enrichment to which the current
office holders have surrendered themselves has become, regrettably,
the only reason they have for immersing the country in fire and blood;
they desperately seek to confiscate the sovereignty of the Congolese
People, through an electoral process conceived for their own
legitimation.
Dear
compatriots,
This
blessed gift of God, the Democratic Republic of Congo, is sick, very
sick. It is in need of a
curative therapy to assure its health and prosperity.
This is the occasion for us, to express our gratitude to the
United Nations (UN) for all of the efforts that it constantly provides
for the benefit of the Congolese Nation and for its People.
Guided and financed with its active support, the political and
electoral process in progress, aims to put
Congo
on the path of peace, stability and reconstruction.
However,
the UDPS asserts that building peace must begin with working to
improve the political environment, as a precondition to the holding of
elections in a peaceful climate of mutual respect and equity.
We
expressed this concern on November 5, 2005 to a delegation of the UN
Security Council that came to evaluate the evolution of the political
and electoral process in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
We reiterated it to delegates of CIAT during the exploratory
discussions at the beginning of December 2005.
For the record, it has been nearly 25 years that the UDPS has
called for elections in our country; but truly credible elections.
Dear
compatriots,
You
who are demanding change in our country are numerous.
You have just expressed this on December 18, 2005 during the
constitutional referendum by responding massively to our appeal to you
issued December 14, 2005. This
appeal was nothing other than the expression of the deep respect which
the UDPS holds for the Congolese People which cannot come to a
conclusion about a constitutional text when unaware of its contents
and not having mastered the sources which inspired it.
To act otherwise would have been to show contempt for this
People whose responsible choice could not be made without the full
knowledge necessary.
Thus,
even by answering differently to the referendum question, the
Congolese expressed a single and united will, namely to sanction the
authors of chaos and humiliation with which
Congo
is unfortunately identified. We,
therefore, congratulate you for this sign of political maturity
accomplished by this undeniable victory.
It
is out of respect for this clearly expressed will that the UDPS,
facing its responsibility before God and before history, intends to
lead the Congolese People, intent on peace and change, to the final
victory during the next elections.
However, to prevent the coming polls from becoming a repetition
of what was seen in the referendum, namely a formality for
legitimation of the current regime, the UDPS demands that the current
electoral process accord to it the necessary assurances of its
credibility and its fairness by giving effective control to UDPS, as
it has to its competitors, of all the legal instruments due to its
organization.
Dear
compatriots,
The
social peace remains precarious and fragile.
It will be further threatened if Congolese continue to be
deprived of liberty on account of political opinion.
Those who accompany us during this transitional period must
likewise respect these fundamental principles of freedom of expression
and movement. The
recurring violation of these two principles constitutes a clear
symptom of a severe and well-known disease -- dictatorship.
Dear
compatriots,
We
cannot conclude this message without making reference to two major
actions taken recently by the International Community in favor of our
country; on one hand, the judgment delivered at the HAGUE on December
19, 2005 by the International Court of Justice concerning armed
activities on the territory of Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo vs.
Uganda); and, on the other, Resolution 1649 (2005) of the UN Security
Council, relating to the activities of armed Congolese groups and
foreigners operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
These
two actions address offences classified in the category of organized
crimes whose perpetrators must be pursued by the whole humanity.
These crimes are perpetrated on the soil of the Democratic
Republic of Congo with a disconcerting indifference to Congolese
justice.
In
addition, these two actions reveal, once again, the primary
responsibility that certain Congolese political actors bear for the
direction our country has taken. This
culpability should not remain unpunished because Congolese have the
obligation to show proof of good governance, particularly in the
judicial domain, with regard to crimes of bloodshed and economic
crimes which have almost become accepted as normal in our country.
It is only after this is accomplished that they can be regarded
as serious and responsible interlocutors on the international scene.
The
laudable efforts of the International Court of Justice and those of
the
International Penal Court
, whose competencies are limited in time and space, can not satisfy
our requirements in this regard. These
efforts should be continued by the institution of an International
Penal Tribunal for the Democratic Republic of Congo, as was
judiciously decided by Congolese at the InterCongolese Dialogue in a
pertinent resolution, the realization of which is intentionally
ignored by the current regime.
Dear
compatriots,
The
Democratic Republic of Congo will be what its daughters and sons want
it to be. Therefor,
together, in this year 2006, let us change
Congo
for the happiness of all.
Long
live the Congolese People.
May
God bless and protect the Democratic Republic of Congo
Kinshasa
, 01/01/2006
TSHISEKEDI WA
MULUMBA
NATIONAL
PRESIDENT
