(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the 12 October 2006 destruction by unidentified gunmen of a transmitter in the southeastern province of Katanga which relayed the satellite broadcasts of Canal Congo Télévision (CCTV), a station owned by presidential candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba. “This kind of action is highly regrettable, as it just aggravates a climate already poisoned […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the 12 October 2006 destruction by unidentified gunmen of a transmitter in the southeastern province of Katanga which relayed the satellite broadcasts of Canal Congo Télévision (CCTV), a station owned by presidential candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba.
“This kind of action is highly regrettable, as it just aggravates a climate already poisoned by hate and violence,” the organisation said. “For this reason, the Congolese police must do everything possible to shed light on this targeted act of sabotage. Failing that, rumour and suspicion will feed the antagonism that has already caused the population too much suffering and inflicted so many wrongs on the media.”
In the 12 October raid, a group of gunmen forced their way into the relay station 15 km south of Lubumbashi, beat and tied up three police officers who were present, and then poured acid on the CCTV transmitter.
Bemba, the station’s owner, is taking part in a second-round election runoff on 29 October.
The relay station was previously the target of an attack in March in which a technician was killed. The police investigation into that attack yielded no results.
