MLC rejects venue for constitutional drafting meeting

A former anti-government group, the Mouvement de liberation du Congo (MLC), refused on Tuesday to take part in constitutional drafting sessions with the government in the port town of Matadi, citing cost and security concerns as reasons for its action.

A major continental broadcaster, Africa Number 1 radio, quoted Olivier Kamitatu, the MLC's spokesman, as saying that the writing of a draft transitional constitution for the troubled African nation should be done in the capital, Kinshasa. "We received the best security from the people in Kinshasa, we received it from authorities here in Kinshasa. Therefore, we prefer to remain here," he said.

A meeting in Matadi would, Kamitatu said, effectively isolate the delegations of the government and the MLC from people whom they might need to consult. Moreover, he said, "it is expensive to go to the hinterland and to pay for 60, 80 or 100 people for a forum whose end date is unknown".

He went on to day that the MLC wanted the Kisangani wing of the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie, representatives of civil society and opposition political parties to take part in the drafting of the document. Kamitatu also accused government of introducing into the proposed constitutional document elements the MLC had earlier rejected.

However, a government spokesman, Vital Kamerhe, told Africa Number 1 that MLC's objections to the government's draft proposal should have been tabled for discussion in Matadi. He also said that the Sun City agreement should not be identical to the constitution to be drafted. The differences in the various constitutional proposals from all DRC's various political movements were the very rationale for the Matadi meeting, he added.