(JED/IFEX) – The following is a 6 September 2005 JED press release: Kinshasa, 6 September 2005 Radio station suspended indefinitely in Congo-Brazzaville On 2 September 2005, Radio Moka, a community radio station based in Impfondo, a town in the department of Likouala (northern Republic of Congo), was suspended for an indefinite period by Gilbert Djombo […]
(JED/IFEX) – The following is a 6 September 2005 JED press release:
Kinshasa, 6 September 2005
Radio station suspended indefinitely in Congo-Brazzaville
On 2 September 2005, Radio Moka, a community radio station based in Impfondo, a town in the department of Likouala (northern Republic of Congo), was suspended for an indefinite period by Gilbert Djombo Bomodjo, the prefect of Likouala.
In a 2 September letter, the prefect accused the radio station of “a lack of impartiality in the treatment of news, failing to respect the professional ethics of journalism and not complying with administrative obligations regarding the creation of a media enterprise.”
Alain Moka, promoter and president of Radio Moka’s management committee, told JED by telephone on 6 September that the suspension was an act of “revenge” by the ruling Congolese Labour Party (Parti Congolais du travail, PCT), which he says “was not happy with the fact that our radio station did not cover its meeting in Brazzaville on Thursday, 1 September 2005.”
JED notes that the grievances against Radio Moka include a mix of issues linked to the treatment of news and others of a purely administrative nature. JED believes this mix is not accidental as it allows for the punishment of a radio station for hidden motives.
In fact, the High Council of Information and Communication (Conseil Supérieur de l’information et de la communication, CSIC) is responsible for administrative questions and the Media Observatory (Observatoire des médias) for investigating matters of professional practice. This being the case, the prefect has committed an abuse of power by suspending Radio Moka.
JED therefore urges:
– the Congolese government to order the resumption of Radio Moka programmes and to call to order the over-zealous authority who ordered this suspension.
– the CSIC to defer action against Radio Moka to allow it to resolve its administrative problems, if such problems exist.
