it's a story of survival. it's a story about how people lead to live in such a remote land. bridge to the way it should be to cheat and how that instinct help them recover from the financial crash continue as long as i can stand. this is a story about iceland. on al-jazeera. and . you. will. see. the landmark conviction of. crimes and crimes against humanity by the international criminal court in the hague has now been overturned and mr bevan that cannot feed

criminally responsible. for the crimes committed by. operation. the former rebel leader and vice president of the democratic republic of congo has spent nearly a decade behind bars. he was sentenced to eighteen years in prison up to sending his militia to the central african republic to help put down a coup attempt they conducted a reign of terror a rampage of looting and killing of civilians followed including the mass rape of hundreds of work. but a majority of the judges ruled on his appeal he could not be held responsible for the actions of his fighters his lawyers august successfully the fighters were no longer on the his after they crossed the international border his militia known as the movement for the liberation of congo has now. transformed into

a political party opposing the rule of president joseph kabila he has called an election which is due to take place in december i'm david chaytor in belgium the country that was the former colonial ruler of the democratic republic of congo ever since again his independence in one thousand nine hundred sixty there's never been a peaceful transfer of power in that country the senator is returning from belgium to his homeland to register as a candidate in the presidential election. john pierre bemba talks to al jazeera. should be about thank you very much for talking to al-jazeera thank you i'd like to start with perhaps the hardest question for you during those ten years inside you. you would didn't have criminal responsibility for the atrocities committed by your militia you were convinced always you were going to come out an innocent man but

during those ten years that you have any feelings about your moral responsibility for what happened i think that of course i have a lot of sympathy for all the people in the in the central africa in general but. the my brothers sisters and of course any victim. i'm supporting i mean or do to be in but as you say you have been acquitted by a professional judge experience judge on this judge. does what i can see that's all the disease has been said and when when you head back are you going to have a special message are you going to actually say. that you feel sorry for what happened that you have sympathy for the victims and you want to start on a clean slate of course have a lot of sympathy for victim or whatever victim it isn't meant to say that i'm going back to congo or going to central africa and as a congress as you know i'm

a senator in congo and the former vice president so as the chairman of my political party and the next candidate for my political party i'm going to take part of the. political before you were arrested you spoke to one of my colleagues in al jazeera and you were in portugal you feared for the safety of yourself and your family surely you must fear for that your own safety on your return what you feel about that no i think that i remember one of your colleague ten years ago he was in portugal and i talked to him and. he says that. i have nothing to to to to fear because my conscience was clean the true as been stated and of the deed to just as has been stated do you think that president james of. will hold the elections in december really i never heard. from him said that he will hold the election but i've never heard it so that it will not hurt the election i just heard

that he will respect the constitution so is the government of the constitution are we to hope that he will make respect the constitution looking at your time in prison. were you devastated by what continue to happen in the congo diversity. i'm very sad because it's a disaster human therea disaster it's an economic disaster the final disaster i mean. look at the problem or we had. these a massacre made in the can with concertos so. attack in the binnie. temple new massacre in it to remember in the two thousand and one in the marsh restored the peace and security in the tory so i know very well this problem we need to start to get in a few months ago the promise of the idea if we are to the a.d.f. in the two thousand and one when i was in the binnie saw really if you saw that all

these all the insecurities but now in congo the latest unicef report that i saw at beginning of this year certifiably like eight hundred thousand children who don't have homes anymore they don't have education about health what are you going to do to give them a future i think as you live we have it on the children we ever saw more than six million refugees or around the country surrendered to the sea so we should find the best way to bring them back. and that's what they see the problem is the security that's why one of my priority my program is to restore peace and security with peace and security they will not come back and i saw the same problem with the children to be have assistance in a different way to go in school and not to be in a refugee come or industry to so very very very concerned about of this project yes

how are you going to do that there's been so many promises to try and solve the situation in the democratic republic of congo but there's still a huge amount of interethnic violence. but it's one of the reason when i am a candidate for the second time remember that i was a community two thousand and six so after being a vice president in congo i know more than anybody that kind of problem that we are in the opposition i see kind of problem that we face in congo so all these crazy. humanitarian problem we have to face that when it is a problem of political will if we focus if a government tomorrow say we're going to take care and solve this problem and put the the means to solve the problem and to fix this problem we'll be able to do it but today i don't i never hear any action from the government today to try to find a solution just to bring the refugee back to congo i never heard about it just to

to to to face this problem of the children the unicef focus on it under the thousand children you know without family that is a problem of a political will so i have to put it on the table for government but that's what i say i'm fighting to for a new government to be helpful to morrow to have a new government through the election since. independence in one thousand sixty there has never be a peaceful transfer of power do you think it will be this time i hope so i still hope so even if i know that the two major problem that we have to serve is the electoral commission the problem of the machine of returning vote machine that that something is never been used anywhere in the word we don't understand why it should be test in congo even though the test the made to machine in the assembly national assembly and in the electoral commission was a disaster the settlement problem we have is this ten million elector we have

seen with. no fingerprint so. this problem have to be silva because you go to the election otherwise what is the sense of an election where the day after divorce will be contest for what i think need the stability sion and stability to restart always a peaceful electoral process do you think that president kabila will be worried that you will focus the opposition forces and change the corruption change everything about the d r c do you think he really poses and determined to make sure that you don't succeed. not very survey i mean in the politic i think that the most important for me is what the people of congo want and if i'm doing politic is to forbes solve a problem for the people of congo that is what i'm the most interesting so of

course i'm understanding. some people maybe worry about but this shouldn't mean just someone trying to find solution for his country and for the people of the country were my brother and sister but you're going to register as a candidate by the deadline and already the government is saying that you're not. you're not going to be able to be registered that it's illegitimate you to be registered counted that's surely the first problem you've got to me but are you surprised that the government in place say that i'm not able to be surprise i think that. those people in the. measure lity of the government of the right people are able to talk about it after ten years in a criminal limbo as it were. did you feel that you made

a mistake that you should have been there during those ten years what did you feel about those ten years where they wasted years or did you like nelson mandela concentrate your thoughts on what you were going to do when you got out or tell you frankly that this ten years help me and so to sing deeply about not just myself but then so my country. of course you're not the same person after ten years you can go exchange to africa and change of the world this chain so you have to adapt yourself and sinker for differently of course ten years more make you be another man or so but it's true that a user or that opportunity time and to think about congo and how to solve a lot of problem congo i wrote a program for a vision for congo that will very soon give it to the public. so yes ten years can make you be another man give me some idea of what that vision

is what sort of measures i think that. the court edition we have in common that it's a very wealthy country very wealthy country that we have but look at the poverty of the people so it is a big contradiction so why do we have all these wells in the ground and the people living in this country are so paul the main target is to say look let's make this where else that we have be use for the good of the people. to improve the life of the people to give hope to the people to make them smile again is there any way the international community can help of course. you were in the section in the in the congo it is huge and help a lot of people in security but to the money to the u.n. when the dail. probably the national army would have certain program to stop this

question of. and all these militias more than eighty militia exist in congo so i think the international community to help in congo and i hope that they will continue helping congo why is it but it is to us so that congo a no one day o'connell is government must be able to solve this problem and so why is it that country is so often the case that has bountiful natural resources they turn out to be a curse you can see that a lot of the production is there but the result of the revenue is not coming back to the the treasury of the country and that is where is the problem where is it going forward. and one of the action to put is to take back all this revenue back to the treasury of the country and you see it from this treasury that we can develop the country and by restoring the security people will be able investor from foreign investor national investor will be able to come back to congo

in a given problem and invest get their profit and then i think how can we be developed tomorrow joining your ten years inside the political scene has changed so dramatically apps most of all with president trump. what's what's your opinion of the president of the united states of america i think that is the decision the made by the primary can people. i cannot give my view to do well and it's ok what would like to see because i've not yet see it what is the view of present truth for the r.c. how far and how fast will you start reforming the systems within the country are you going to just rely on your own party or are you going to reach across and try to get a unified government this country so huge it is meeting people we have more than four hundred political party i don't see that order four on that are really the

main but we're never less than ten the main political party and i think that we have to work to everybody and my target is to work for united government do you intend to be the main opposition candidate or will you step aside for somebody else bose solution i represent my program my plan with the others and if i'm not the best one i will back someone else and i'm sure i will make him win what message would you have for president kabila just to respect the constitution make sure that we keep the stability of the country the peace in the country and make everything be possible to have a smooth transition in this the r.c. for the next election when you reform the security forces how are you going to pull it together what is your plan for that how do we stop the terror that so many children and so many people in your country are feeling right now most of the the

people are pointed to because of tribal tribal reason. i think is wrong for a country i think i would have pointed people because of their professionalism. and the capacity and it will be another mentality. completely change in the vision of what should be an army of police i tested during five years during the rebellion i told all the soldiers you must be a friend of the people you are and to secure them you most fear the people not the people to feel you so what would you say to the children in the east of the congo. who haven't got a good health and good education what's your message to them right now that they should have still. all that something may change before the end of this year and the new governments in u.k. should be free for me from the primary school and to the secondary school and the

government must be able to give and to provide to the children free education absolutely that is one of the purity to put more than ten percent of the. the budget in the education is not a luxury what are going to do about the judiciary and do you think that there should be any charges brought against your predecessors just to should be independent and the term of independence is very important because it is an institution and it can it cannot be lead by the government it should be complete in a body completely independent must have the means to see the law independently that is really for me what is the most important why because you cannot even invest so common in congo or investor inside congo if you don't provide a trust but i just this just is for everybody. there's another case today.

for the princess we see that the. immunity is a. former president and it is pretty he's protected by the constitution but you're a successful businessman yourself do you think you can get the inward investment into the country that's needed with such an unstable security situation that's what i've been telling you that one of my first target is to restore security and peace in congo because nowhere in any country not you seriously investor will come if there are no peace and security in the country what do you love most about your country what have you missed most about the country i was in a contact with the people the fact that i was in like an i.c.c. couldn't a lot me to go and meet and be with the people so in that case when you get back are you going to go on a tour of the whole country not just moment we're not yet in the electoral process

but of course keep contact with the people be wisdome been touch with them has been contact with them talk with them face to face what's your first priority then when you land. you know that i lost my father many years ago i couldn't bury him so my first duty is to see his grave the second thing is to go to the electoral commission and they give my my paper to be able to be counted it for the electoral process what actually would you take if they refused to accept your candidacy i mean all my best just never happen because it will be arbitrary and it will be another arbitrary decision what can we do if they reject your application there's a danger of violence once again isn't there i hope not i hope not because it will be arbitrary and the people we see the arbitrary so i don't know the react and the reaction of the people i don't know and if you do make it through as a president do you think that you can withstand the pressures that every other

president has had in the congo it's such a powerful position there's so much to do do you think you will be overwhelmed how do you think that you'll be able to cope with the pressures of that position i know that we not be easy but the experience that i have really. tried to pull through. dialogue and i hope. determination will make us succeed i hope so how much will you draw on other african leaders to help you in that task if you do make it through the elections africa is a one body. one body in this says that we share a border reserve different country you know in the central africa and i think that is very important that we keep a good relationship with all these border first of all all our neighbor because. we have the same kind of problem we cannot leave my house and. i think the future of

congo is to be open to first the neighbor above the neighbor. to the nodes and so the south when the center of africa i'm looking looking over of the european union as you must have read during your time in prison there are a lot of pressures on the european union but you think the european union can help you as well help the democratic with the help they help or the republic of congo they continue helping i know it is difficult for them today because of the government we're stopping them to help but i think they're really willing to help and they will not stop helping or to go but to get to england and america and so really big support they're giving big support in different. humanitarian and so on through the energy you i know there are a lot about this one and probably they can do more he for more openness or to the european union and to or the organization what about the united nations they have

a huge peacekeeping contingent in when you cheer. when they finally because you have solved the situation surely it's a mark of dishonor to have so many members of peacekeeping caller yeah there are so many why there's so many because i think that the governor are not taking seriously . the consideration of the problems that we're facing and the people of color that's why they are there they are there to help the congo and of course if the. are doing a lot of job and work and duty that should be made by the the committees government and. we have to work with them closely and see now how does a government new government i hope tomorrow we have a two under order situation during your time as vice president what do you think the most important political lessons were. that congo as

a big potential. and really we. a strong government. on the way that we should help the people i'm a program to help the people discovery in the five years can be another picture completely another picture infortunately. the government. are the one responsible of insecurity and the violence could really make things much easier for everybody the security system security system is it is the may just to to oppress the people and that is wrong and it immediately the people so yes that is really wrong. and finally looking back looking back. on the in satchel criminal court in the hague do you have any sense of bitterness about what happened really. i.c.c. is a good idea of that no impunity i mean in the world and therefore the most crime.

and so probably since can be improved in turmoil for the management but i wouldn't like to enter at the moment at the moment on this aspect preferred to keep it like this jumpy about but thank you very much for talking to al-jazeera thank. you. young rich and famous in china one of the news goes behind the great chinese fire

wall to meet the cyber celebs of a booming multibillion dollar business. on al-jazeera. cape town's water running out city or storage he said people should use no more than fifty liters of top water per person per day. about a third of the city's residents live in informal settlements like this one and you can see in about four percent of the water for generations they've already been collecting it and communal taps all thor's he say the city will reach day zero on the ninth of july that's when they'll turn off the water in the homes to have it be the communal council stay on. the city's taps of fed by reservoirs this is one of the largest. because als gala where four years ago they would have been on the twenty five meters of water since then the province has suffered the worst drought on record and. water saving measures have already postponed

a zero by stream oms everyone here is hoping the winter will soon bring enough rainfall to make sure the desiderata never become. a controversial approach i am not an idealogue let me be absolutely clear to democracy and international development the old road doesn't cut inequality in fact the increase i was from a bestselling author and distinguished global economist you don't understand for greed i should do i should do many times just fine having read my model just how many women might know maybe i'll get us maybe his sand goes head to head we've done be some. i've been accused of being crazy i'm not in fact crazy on al-jazeera. al-jazeera. swear every.

allow i maryanne demasi in on that here's a quick look at the top stories now police in bangladesh a five ten gas at thousands of angry students rallying for an eighth straight day in dhaka demanding safe a streets after two teenagers were killed by speeding buses last week. as male. student protesters have blocked streets and boggle desh for the past week they're demanding government action to improve road safety traffic accidents kill at least seven thousand bangladeshis every year to young students were knocked down and killed by a bus last week and even though the.