Catherine Bond: Tense transition in Kinshasa

Bond

CNN Nairobi Bureau Chief Catherine Bond is in Kinshasa covering the Congo in the wake of the assassination of President Laurent Kabila.

QUESTION: What's the situation in Kinshasa now?

BOND: Following last week's assassination of President Laurent Kabila, members of Congo's Parliament arrived to ratify the appointment of his son Joseph as the country's new leader.

Congo's current state of war was why they were willing to accept this choice made for them. Most political parties are banned here; the parliamentarians were hand-picked by the former president.

The resolution appointing the new president passed without debate, by a show of hands. In less than an hour, Congo's Parliament had ratified him for an indefinite time in office.

VIDEO CNN's Catherine Bond is in the Congo Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Congo TV coverage of the funeral Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    GALLERY Congo mourns Laurent Kabila    MAPS Natural resources in the Congo Deployment of government and rebel forces in the Congo    RESOURCES Congo's cascading civil war: A primer    MESSAGE BOARD Strife in the Congo     ALSO Speculation rife over where new president will take Congo war

There's an extent of decay in the Congo that's very visible and large. In many ways, the Congo, which was colonized by the Belgians -- at first brutally and then, perhaps, with more infrastructure in the mid-20th century -- is falling apart, perhaps reverting to the state it was in perhaps 100 years ago. So what we're seeing is the decay of the infrastructure and the modern economy.

Q: Is there any news about the investigation of Kabila's assassination?

BOND: The justice minister promises an investigation into the assassination, but to be quite honest with you, at the same time they say the bodyguard who assassinated Laurent Kabila was shot dead immediately afterward. So I'm not sure, without his testimony, they're going to be able to follow any leads.

Q: Is there still a Belgian presence visible in Kinshasa? There have been reports of Congolese reacting to Westerners, blaming them for the assassination. Is this occurring?

BOND: There are probably more Belgian expatriates living here than any other expatriate community.

There has been some harassment of Westerners in the last few days. Most people interpret that as an exhibition of frustration that many Congolese feel in their daily lives, and also a demonstration of national pride. Although they might not have liked Laurent Kabila much here in Kinshasa, they, perhaps, resent foreigners telling them that he was a waste of time.

Some of the press corps had their car lifted off the ground a couple of days ago, and a couple of journalists were manhandled.

Q: Why was there no vice president waiting to step into power?

BOND: Leaders of rebel groups call themselves president even way ahead of being in a position to be elected. It gets to be a title, rather like companies in the U.S. offer the title president.

Kofi Annan takes wait-and-see approach to Congo
January 22, 2001
Kabila's body returned to Kinshasa, military allies meet to discuss crisis
January 21, 2001
Congo government asks for calm after assassination
January 18, 2001
Congolese president dead following apparent coup attempt, sources tell CNN
January 16, 2001
U.N. votes to expand Congo military observers
December 14, 2000

U.N. Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lusaka Ceasefire Document
Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of The Congo
Congolese Rally for Democracy-Liberation Movement
Jane's Information Group: Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)
Human Rights Watch 1999 report on the Democratic Republic of Congo
The International Rescue Committee
  • Congo Mortality Study
Congo Defense Fund (CDF)

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