- Title: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 30 MILLION VOTERS BEGIN REGISTERING
- Date: 18th June 2005
- Summary: (BN17) KINSHASA, DRC (JUNE 20, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. WIDE OF BANNER IN STREET OF KINSHASA READING" REGISTRATION FOR ELECTIONS IS STARTING FROM 20 JUNE 05" 0.03 2. VARIOUS OF ELECTORAL AWARENESS POSTERS ON SCHOOL(REGISTRATION CENTER) FENCE 0.07 4. CLOSE OF POSTER 0.09 5. VARIOUS OF MAN BEING REGISTERED/ HAVING PHOTO AND FINGERPRINTS TAKEN 0.18 6. CLOSE OF VOTERS DETAILS ON COMPUTER 0.20 7. VARIOUS MAN BEING HANDED VOTER REGISTRATION DOCUMENT 0.32 8. SLV MEN STANDING OUTSIDE VOTER REGISTRATIN CENTRE 0.34 9. CLOSE OF MAN HOLDING IDENTITY CARD 0.36 10. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (French) BABI LUSAKWENO SAYING: "As a nationalist and patriot,it is very important that we register to be ready for the elections.I did not have ID card before and we've been told that this card will be our ID card." 0.49 11. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEING IN SCHOOL COURTYARD TO BE REGISTERED 0.57 12. WIDE OF CROWD OUTSIDE SCHOOL 1.00 (BN17) KINSHASA, DRC (JUNE 20, 2005) (REUTERS) 13. VARIOUS OF ELECTORAL CARAVAN /VEHICLE IN STREET OF KINSHASA 1.07 14. SLV WOMEN TAKING LEAFLETS FROM ELECTION VEHICLE 1.12 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 3rd July 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
- City:
- Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of
- Reuters ID: LVABGGM2M5Q4LCM6EZ7VYUAPVD3V
- Story Text: Democratic Republic of Congo begins registering 30
million voters
Residents of the chaotic, rundown capital Kinshasa
lined up patiently outside schools that had been turned
into makeshift registration centres to have their
photographs taken and their fingerprints scanned before
being getting voting cards.
The first of around 30 million Congolese registered to
vote on Monday (June 20), as officials began the mammoth
task of drawing up lists for the first democratic polls in
40 years in a crippled country the size of Western Europe.
The elections are a key part of peace deals to end a
five-year war that was declared over in 2003 but already
delays have crept in, raising fears of unrest among people
weary of war and suspicious of their leaders.
One of the biggest challenges will be extending
registration into Democratic Republic of Congo's lawless
mineral-rich east, where brutal armed gangs still terrorise
local people, looting and killing despite the presence of
U.N. peacekeepers.
Congo also has virtually no infrastructure after the
war.
Presidential and parliamentary polls were originally
due to be held this month but logistical delays, fighting
in the east and political wrangling mean they will not now
take place before March. A referendum on the constitution
is due in November,but on Monday, some of the city's
residents dared to hope.
"As a nationalist and patriot,it is very important that
we register to be ready for the elections.I did not have ID
card before and we've been told that this card will be our
ID card" said Babi Lusakweno, a mechanic.
Opposition politicians say the election delay shows the
current government lacks credibility and have called for
peaceful demonstrations to force change. Some fear these
could flare into violence especially in Kinshasa.
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