(JED/IFEX) – On 1 February 2008, a group of individuals including five demobilised soldiers of the Burundian army raided Radio publique africaine (RPA), a privately-owned radio station based in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi. Witnesses told JED that “the demobilised soldiers belonged to the faction of the Conseil National pour la Défense de la Démocratie-Force […]
(JED/IFEX) – On 1 February 2008, a group of individuals including five demobilised soldiers of the Burundian army raided Radio publique africaine (RPA), a privately-owned radio station based in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi. Witnesses told JED that “the demobilised soldiers belonged to the faction of the Conseil National pour la Défense de la Démocratie-Force pour la défense de la démocratie (CNDD-FDD)”, the ruling party.
According to information received by JED, the individuals came from the city of Kanyosha to protest against news reports broadcast on the radio station that has allegedly put their lives in danger.”
Emmanuel Nsabimana, the radio station’s manager, told JED that “what happened at the radio station was a staged intimidation campaign directed against RPA’s journalists.” He added that “this group was trying to prevent the radio station from revealing the truth about corruption, human rights violations and lack of safety.”
