After issuing a statement on Monday May 22 condemning the violent repression of the peaceful march of the opposition two days earlier in Kinshasa, the United States, through the voice of its Secretary of State Antony Blinken, sent 48 hours later barely, this Wednesday, a message of firmness this time directly targeting the Congolese president, suspected of wanting to retain power by all means.
After issuing a press release on Monday May 22 condemning the violent repression of the opposition demonstration two days earlier in Kinshasa (read our article), the United States did it again 48 hours later.
This time, it is the American Secretary of State in person, Antony Blinken, who specifically warns, by quoting him directly, the Congolese DR President Felix Tshisekedi.
« I called President Tshisekedi to express my deep concern for those killed, injured, displaced or made vulnerable by the ongoing violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. I reiterated that all parties must respect the Luanda and Nairobi processes,” he said on the social network Twitter.
In reality, the exchange was not only about the conflict in the east. “There was also talk of the general political climate which is deteriorating and for which we are very worried”, comments an authorized American diplomatic source.
This call is a form of warning. “It’s about showing that the United States is vigilant. We will not tolerate again what happened a few years ago”in reference to the Kabila period.
Confessions in the form of a blunder by Peter Kazadi
This warning comes as the Tshisekedi regime is accused of authoritarian, even dictatorial drift. Qualifiers far from being overused with regard to the repression of the peaceful march of the opposition on May 20 in Kinshasa which, according to the most reliable sources, left 154 injured, including ten in serious condition. This was followed by the arrest of opposition activists and elected officials (such as the provincial deputy of Kinshasa Mike Mukebayi), the censorship of local media accused of reflecting the views of the opposition, threats and attempts to intimidation against opponents (some of whom emanated directly from the top of the Presidency) or even the ban on the opponent Moïse Katumbi from going to a province (Kongo Central) to carry out his political activities there.
Whether authoritarian or dictatorial, this drift, the Congolese power does not even hide it. Yesterday, Wednesday May 24, during a surreal press conference, the Minister of the Interior, Peter Kazadi, a Kasaïan like Mr. Tshisekedi, publicly assumed it. “Because we have an international community over our heads which will dictate to us each time the line to follow for the management of our internal affairs, this international community with this international press which distribute points, we are sometimes obliged to tolerate certain things which hurt us not to be transferred to the International Criminal Court, not to be financially sanctioned”he said (see video). A blunder on the part of someone who is obviously no better communicator than a minister, who says a lot about the distant relationship that the regime of Felix Tshisekedi maintains with democracy and the rule of law. But too late, the damage is done.
« Don’t fight America! »
The warning from the United States, which is not insignificant in the current context, also comes at a time when Felix Tshisekedi is visiting China, an authoritarian country with which the Congolese president is tempted to get closer on the eve of the elections. to – he hopes – loosen the diplomatic stranglehold that Western countries are beginning to put in place.
But Mr. Tshisekedi should remember this maxim, well known to diplomats and the military: «Don’t fight America!» For having forgotten it, many ex-leaders have paid a high price.
2023-05-25 10:30:57
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