Monthly Report: September 2010 Activities
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Programme de Bonne Gouvernance ENGAGE Task Order DFDI01080007100 Monthly Report: September 2010 Activities PBG Background DAI began mobilizing the Programme de Bonne Gouvernance (PBG) on October 1, 2009. With a ceiling price of $36,251,768 for a five‐year (three years with two option years) program, the program’s purpose is to improve management capacity and accountability of select legislatures and local governments. The program focuses on three categories of partners: 1) Parliamentary institutions at the central and provincial level; 2) Public institutions having a stake and role in decentralization; and 3) Civil society and community‐based organizations. PBG’s three Intermediate Results (IRs) are: IR 1 Citizens demand accountability IR 2 Selected parliaments are more democratic and effective IR 3 Laws, policies and procedures for decentralization established and implemented Overall Political Context Overview of the situation at the National Level National Assembly: In an address to the National Assembly, the Congolese President reiterated the need to review in priority drafts linked to judicial reform, elections, armed forces and national police. He also insisted on the establishment of the CENI Office. Senate: In a similar address to the Senate, the President seemed to question the proper management of provincial institutions. The President of the Senate similarly questioned their usefulness, even though members of the Senate are in fact appointed at the provincial level. Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI): The Office of the National Assembly extended the deadline for applications for various posts in the Office of the CENI, up to Monday, September 27, 2010. On the side of the government coalition, various names are circulating but none have yet been officially submitted for four seats. On the side of the opposition, hundreds of candidates have already submitted their candidacy for only three available seats. One seat is expected to go to MLC, the political party with the largest number of seats in the parliamentary opposition. The allocation of the two remaining seats will likely lead to intense negotiations between other parties in and outside of parliament. Growing tensions ahead of 2011 elections: On September 22, members of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) organized a sit‐in at the MONUSCO headquarters to denounce the arrest of four of their fellow militants (in the opposition to the ruling coalition), and ongoing harassment of Congolese security force. Recent political events overall show growing tension and focus on the 2011 election. And so, instead of focusing on setting an agenda for the adoption of a number of essential and pressing laws especially those related to the elections and the decentralization process. PBG may have to reevaluation its calendar of activities in light of current and growing pre‐electoral tensions and to also avoid serving certain political interests. Overview of the situation in Provincial Assemblies Katanga: Presentation of the 2011 budget to the Provincial Assembly: a $ 440 million budget representing a 41% increase compared to 2010. Violence broke out following a football match PBG September 2010 Monthly Report – Page 1 where the home team lost. Police fired live bullets into the crowd leading the death of one person. Maniema: Political climate seems calm but the province faces a recurrent shortage of funding, in part linked to delays or lack of fund allocation from Kinshasa. South Kivu: Political climate has generally subsided since the inauguration of new provincial government. The provincial assembly in turn looked at the budget issues and the Assembly exercised its supervisory role by questioning government official. Fighting between the FARDC and Maim. Cases of rape (50 women) were also reported. Bandundu: Presentation of the 2011 budget to the Provincial Assembly: The Office of the Provincial Assembly asked the Governor to expedite the presentation of the provincial government’s implementation plan for the 2010 before the budget can be reviewed. Motion of no‐confidence filled against the Governor in late September was later withdrawn since some of the Provincial Members of Parliament (PMPs) withdrew their support to the motion before it could threaten to impeach the Governor. Protests erupted in Bandundu ville denouncing PMP suspected of having accepted financial rewards for withdrawing their signature. In March this year, an earlier motion of no‐ confidence against the Governor had also been withdrawn under similar circumstances. These developments are not expected to negatively impact PBG activities at this stage. It could in fact be argued to that South Kivu’s current political stability since the appointment of new governor will likely ease PBG work with the Provincial Assembly. It should be noted, however, that in all provinces Provincial Members of Parliament have already begun preparation for their electoral campaigns with fund‐raising and other activities which might affect their availability for PBG workshops during the early 2011 parliamentary session. Recent events in Bandundu seems to point to the corruptibility of PMPs especially in a province where members of parliament are often not paid for months at the time and can therefore be more easily dissuaded to play their role vis‐a‐vis the Executive. Similar circumstances in Maniema may also impact PMPs’ ability or willingness to play their oversight role. In fact, until Congolese provincial assemblies are able to enjoy the level of autonomy and income that they are entitled to under the law, PBG as a program will unlikely be able to have a real impact against this level of institutional corruption. Ban on Mining Activities South Kivu and Maniema: Two of PBG’s four targeted provinces were affected in September by government declarations related to mining in conflict areas. On September 11th, the Minister of Mines, Martin Kabwelulu announced the DRC government’s decision to impose a ban on all mining activity in the three provinces most affected by resource related conflict – North Kivu, South Kivu and Maniema – to undertake an inquiry into the nature of the relationship between the on‐going conflict between rebel forces and government forces and the attendant atrocities committed by both groups against local populations. Only international organizations expressed any significant opinion on government actions that may have important implications for the future well‐being of citizens affected by this conflict. According to an analysis by London‐based Global Witness, the ban “could provide breathing space for fundamental reforms to resolve conflict and instability in the mineralrich area.” Notably absent from any news reporting was civil society either from the affected provinces or at the national level. PBG will explore the possibility of advocating work related to this issue in its good governance website project. Return of refugees to Katanga: In August, a landmark was reached in Katanga when the number of refugees returning to the province reached over 40,000 with the arrival of a further thousand into Moba. The UN agency responsible for these repatriations announced that it was closing one of the camps from which the Katanga refugees come. This represents a significant indication of stabilization in the area but which must be supported by civil society vigilance, i.e. to ensure that conflicts do not resurface between returning refugees and old enemies or new enemies who could resent their return. PBG September 2010 Monthly Report – Page 2 Key Activities and Actions by IR IR 1 – CITIZEN DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY Main IR1 accomplishments for this month: Continuation of Civic Education work (IR1.1.2‐3); Audiences Publique, newly established at local level with civil society partners taking the lead in organization (IR1.2.1‐1); Technical Assistance through consultant research for advocacy manual (IR1.1.5‐2); Second Good Governance Website Planning Workshop (IR1.1.3/5 & IR1.2.3); Search For Common Ground popular education work (Activity IR1.1.2‐2); The last workshop on public outreach for government officials held in South Kivu (IR1.2.6‐1); the final debriefing/evaluation workshop with civil society partners in all four provinces (IR1.3.6‐2) 1.1.23 Civic Education The civic education work initiated during the last period continued into this period with Animateurs Commaunitaires (ACs) engaged by PBG offices in each of the 4 provinces targeted by PBG to undertake a series of workshops focused on improving understanding of decentralization and encouraging greater citizen demand for the acceleration of that process. This first phase of civic education work is aimed at demonstrating for partner civil society organizations how they can use civic education systematically to build broader constituencies for their advocacy work. In future, PBG wishes to encourage its civil society partners to take on the civic education work as part of the constituency building aspect of its advocacy campaigns. It is unsustainable for ACs engaged by PBG to take on this work in the long term, but pursuant to the principle of experiential learning, PBG expects that civil society partners will only learn by doing. Anecdotal Feedback on the impact of the activity: In Bandundu ville, from September 14 – 16, 30 community leaders were oriented on the various key elements of decentralization and trained on how to further orient others on these elements. They also set an agenda for further orientation