(MISA/IFEX) – The Prime Minister of Namibia, Hage Geingob, has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is deliberately withholding information about Namibia’s involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo from all the media in the country, reports the “Namibian” newspaper. **Updates IFEX alert of 29 December 1998** Geingob made the acknowledgment in a letter to […]
(MISA/IFEX) – The Prime Minister of Namibia, Hage Geingob, has confirmed
that the
Ministry of Defence is deliberately withholding information about Namibia’s
involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo from all the media in the
country, reports the “Namibian” newspaper.
**Updates IFEX alert of 29 December 1998**
Geingob made the acknowledgment in a letter to the “Namibian” after the
newspaper had approached him to intervene after it was understood that the
ministry had imposed the news ban only on the “Namibian”. In his letter,
Geingob confirmed that the Minister of Defence, Erikki Nghimtina, “had
instructed his staff not to release any information to the media generally
because of a number of reasons.” The letter went on, “Rest assured,
information is not being held back only from the ‘Namibian’ but from all
newspapers.”
Background Information
The “Namibian” newspaper reported that minister Nghimtina on 14 December had
singled out the “Namibian” for a news blackout on the conflict in the DRC.
Journalists from the paper who had called the ministry for comment on a
report emanating from the DRC conflict were informed by the ministry’s
public relations officers that Nghimtina had left instructions that no
information should be given to the “Namibian” under any circumstances. The
apparent reason for the news blackout was what was termed the “distortions”
published by the “Namibian” with regard to events in the DRC. The ministry
also claimed that because the news published in the newspaper was also
published on the Internet, the information was being accessed by the
so-called rebels in the DRC.
Several hundred Namibian troops are currently stationed in the DRC and are
involved in the conflict in support of the government of President Laurent
Kabila. Several Namibian troops have also been killed.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the Defence Minister:
on
Namibia’s involvement in the DRC
expect
official comment from the ministry on information emanating from the DRC
since Namibian troops are involved in the conflict
from
the DRC are open to rumour and speculation which could ultimately lead to
gross instances of disinformation
official comment from the ministry with respect to information about and
from the DRC
Appeals To
The Honourable Erikki Nghimtina
Minister of Defence
Fax: +264 61 232 518
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
