(MISA/IFEX) – On 28 April 1999, journalist Josefa Lamberga, a correspondent for Voice of America, was assaulted by a corporal in the Angolan army after she failed to get permission to enter a recruitment centre in Luanda. **Updates IFEX alert of 30 April 1999; for background on other cases involving journalists reporting on military service […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 28 April 1999, journalist Josefa Lamberga, a correspondent
for Voice of America, was assaulted by a corporal in the Angolan army after
she failed to get permission to enter a recruitment centre in Luanda.
**Updates IFEX alert of 30 April 1999; for background on other cases
involving journalists reporting on military service see IFEX alert of 19
April 1999**
The journalist told MISA-Angola that the assault took place in front of the
“Batalhao de Transmissoes” barracks after she was denied access to the
assembly place where she wanted to meet and interview young army recruits.
The corporal and two other soldiers chased her car from the check point
inside the compound and asked her to stop just outside the main gate. The
aggressor then pulled her by the ear, hit her face twice and shouted: “See?
Now go back and say again that there are no mulattos in here.”
Lamberga described the attack as a retaliation for an interview aired on 15
April featuring a young recruit saying that it looked like only poor and
black youngsters were joining the army while the “mulattos” were busy
leaving the country.
“The knew it was me who did that interview and since then, never allowed me
to enter the ‘Batalhao de Comunicacoes’. The order was clearly placed by the
commander in order to keep the independent media away from the recruits.
Only the state-owned Radio Nacional, TPA (television), ANGOP (news agency)
and ‘Jornal de Angola’ (daily newspaper) were listed to enter the place,”
she said.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
journalists and recalling that Angola is signatory to the International
Covenant on Civil and Political rights, which guarantees press freedom
punishment
Appeals To
Hon Jose Eduardo dos Santos
President of the People’s Republic of Angola
Fax: +244 2 392 733 / 391 476 / 331 898Minister of Information
Mr Hendrick Val Neto
Fax: +244 2 343 495Minister of Defence
Mr Kundi Paiama
Fax: +244 2 392 635 / 333 223Chief of Staff
Joao De Matos
Fax: +244 2 393 983 / 393 990
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
