AFRICA/CONGO DR - "The results of the vote held on November 28 are not conformed to truth or to justice," denounces Cardinal Monsengwo Pasinya

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - "The results of the vote held on November 28 are not conformed to truth or to justice", said Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, Archbishop of Kinshasa, in a statement made public yesterday, December 12th. On 9 December, outgoing President Joseph Kabila was declared the winner of presidential elections which were held on November 28. According to figures released by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Kabila obtained 8,830,994 votes, representing 48.95%, while his main opponent, Etienne Tshisekedi, obtained 5,864,775 votes, representing 32.33% . Tshisekedi has challenged the data stating that INEC, according to data in his possession, he is the legitimate Head of State. Other independent observers have reported serious irregularities and electoral fraud in several areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Cardinal Monsengwo Pasinya reported an example comparing the partial data previously published with the total released by INEC on December 9. "How can one explain that on December 6, Mr. Tshisekedi had 5,927,728 votes out of 17,329,137 votes cast, and then obtained 5,863,745 votes out of 18,144,154 votes? He consequently lost 64,000 votes while 34,000 seats were being added.... ".
The Cardinal, however, invites the opposition to pursue legal action and avoid resorting to violence. "Since the results are provisional and must be confirmed by the Supreme Court, we ask the protesters to appeal, to resort to law and not to let oneself go to violence. Eighteen deaths for an election are too many". During and after the elections there were tensions and violence in different parts of the country, with clashes that caused deaths and injuries.
"In this context, the Church is morally obliged to offer her help to justice, to establish the truth of the polls where our observers were. That the Supreme Court therefore feels so conscientiously requested by the entire Congolese people", concludes Cardinal Monsengwo Pasinya’s statement. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/12/2011)