(MISA/IFEX) – According to reports, on 15 January 1998, Malawian soldiers stormed the offices of the “Daily Times” demanding copies of a story alleging that the rate of HIV was higher in the army than in society in general. The article, published 5 January, quoted Kaunland Nkosi, a journalist and self-confessed AIDS carrier. The story […]
(MISA/IFEX) – According to reports, on 15 January 1998, Malawian soldiers
stormed the offices of the “Daily Times” demanding copies of a story
alleging that the rate of HIV was higher in the army than in society in
general. The article, published 5 January, quoted Kaunland Nkosi, a
journalist and self-confessed AIDS carrier. The story is based largely on
Nkosi’s own research on the AIDS virus. On 16 January sources at the “Daily
Times” reported that about 10 soldiers driving an official Malawi army truck
stormed the offices wearing military fatigues and face masks. They damaged
a computer and demanded to be given the original transcript of Nkosi’s
article. A mounted security camera was also damaged during the incident.
Fearing that they had been photographed by a “Daily Times” reporter, the
soldiers allegedly grabbed the reporter’s electronic camera and smashed it
with their guns in the presence of newspaper staff. The soldiers are then
said to have threatened to kill the journalists if they played games with
the army. According to one journalist, “one of them even opened the magazine
of his rifle to show us it was loaded with live bullets.”
The Malawian Army has formally denied any involvement in the raid, saying
that the soldiers, “if they are Malawi army soldiers,” acted arbitrarily.
The army has promised to investigate the incident. The “Daily Times” claims
that it finds the soldiers reaction absurd since they did not originate
Nkosi’s story, which was published in two other local newspapers before it
appeared in the “Daily Times”.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
use of military force to threaten the lives of journalists
and undermines the Windhoek Declaration endorsed by the Malawian government
Appeals To
His Excellence President Bakili Muluzi
Office of the President
Sanjika Palace
Private Bag 300
Blantyre
MalawiHis Excellence President Bakili Muluzi
Office of the President
State House
P.O. Box 40
Zomba
Malawi
Tel: +265 621 855 / 634 320 / 634 566
Fax: +265 635 644 / 634 681Rt. Hon. Minister Sam Mpasu
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
P.O. Box 494
Blantyre
Tel: +265 620 266 / 620 170 / 651 275
Fax: +265 620 807 / 620 039
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
