Ricardo De Mello, Director of the privately-owned newsletter “Imparcial Fax”, has been gunned down by an unidentified assassin outside his home. De Mello, 38, was shot in the early hours of 18 January on the stairs leading to his apartment in the capital Luanda. His body was discovered at about 06:00 by a child who […]
Ricardo De Mello, Director of the privately-owned newsletter
“Imparcial Fax”, has been gunned down by an unidentified assassin
outside his home. De Mello, 38, was shot in the early hours of 18
January on the stairs leading to his apartment in the capital
Luanda. His body was discovered at about 06:00 by a child who
alerted the editor’s wife, Arminda Mateus, who also writes for
“Imparcial Fax”.
Mateus said money and identification papers were still in her
husband’s pockets when she found his corpse. “It’s clear it (De
Mello’s murder) was a political crime,” says Mateus. “We have
been persecuted all the time… even myself and our son have been
threatened. The military people warned us yesterday (Tuesday,
January 17) that my husband had to stop publishing stories
concerning them and the war. Those in Government circles have
considered us a threat because of our independent editorial
approach.”
De Mello launched “Imparcial Fax” — a news bulletin published
five times a week and distributed via fax to subscribers — in
February 1994, and the publication soon earned a reputation for
running stories which few others dared to published in the
all-pervading atmosphere of censorship and fear which has
increasingly enveloped the Angolan media during 20 years of civil
war.
Although De Mello was well-connected with the ruling MPLA,
“Imparcial Fax”‘s journalism made him unpopular with hard liners
within the party, and the police and military in particular. On
20 September 1994, “Imparcial Fax” reporter Mariano Costa was
arrested
at Luanda airport by government security agents and detained for
28 hours without charge, during which time the journalist was
interrogated about stories he had written about the UNITA rebel
movement. Pressure on De Mello and his staff increased the
following month after “Imparcial Fax” published details of secret
military documents outlining an army psychological warfare
campaign.
According to MISA’s representative in Angola, the 18 January
edition of “Imparcial Fax” said in a short, front-page editorial:
“The truth can’t die. The murder of Ricardo De Mello is a death
of the (Angola’s) new-born democracy”.
Recommended Action
Please write to the authorities in Angola:
his murder, the findings of which will be made public; with the
promise that the perpetrators will be prosecuted to the fullest
extent of the law; further expressing concern that Ricardo de
Melo appears to have been murdered in connection with his
journalistic activities and calling on the government to do all
in its power to guarantee the protection of journalists.
Appeals To
Sua Excelencia
Presidente Eduardo dos Santos
Presidente da Republica
Gabinete da Presidencia da Republica
Palacio do Povo
Luanda
Angola
Fax: + 244 2 396239 (via Minister of Foreign Affairs)
