(JED/IFEX) – In a 15 February 2000 letter to the state minister responsible for interior affairs, Gaëtan Kakudji, and copied to Minister of Human Rights Léonard She Okitundu and Minister of Tourism Didier Mumengi, JED protested the arrest of Lumbana Kapasa, programming director of the private station RTKM (Radiotélévision Kin Malebo), by the Congolese National […]
(JED/IFEX) – In a 15 February 2000 letter to the state minister responsible for interior affairs, Gaëtan Kakudji, and copied to Minister of Human Rights Léonard She Okitundu and Minister of Tourism Didier Mumengi, JED protested the arrest of Lumbana Kapasa, programming director of the private station RTKM (Radiotélévision Kin Malebo), by the Congolese National Police (PNC).
JED told the ministers that through its Ministry of Justice, the Democratic Republic of Congo has a “national commission which handles censorship of songs and shows, whose mission is to give a favourable or negative opinion of a song or show before it goes to market. Considering that the music video by Congolese artist Koffi Olomide is sold in Kinshasa’s square, it is not the private media’s role to play censor to satisfy anyone’s puritanism”. JED asked the state minister, under whose ministry the PNC operates, “to put an end to the law enforcement and security agencies’ excessive zeal in their interventions with regard to the broadcast of television stations’ programmes, especially private stations”. JED further added that “Any security services agent can telephone or turn up at a radio or television station to stop a programme from broadcasting”.
Shortly before noon (local time) on Friday 11 February, Kapasa, programming director of the private station RTKM (Radiotélévision Kin Malebo), which broadcasts from Kinshasa, was arrested by members of the Rapid Intervention Police (Police d’intervention rapide, PIR). He was first taken to the PIR’s headquarters in Kinshasa/Kasa-Vubu and then to Kin-Mazière (the special police services’ headquarters) in Kinshasa/Gombe. RTKM was accused of broadcasting a music video by Congolese recording artist Olomide which “violated mores”, because the dancers in the video were wearing the customary “small stage shorts -and in broad daylight”. This complaint was brought forward by the PNC’s inspector general, General Célestin Kifwa. The journalist was released in the early evening.
Moreover, in recent days, the PNC has been arresting all girls wearing mini-skirts or tight-fitting trousers in public. A press release was even broadcast on public television to announce this police operation.
