(JED/IFEX) – Justin Mpoyi, the National Intelligence Agency’s (Agence nationale des renseignements, ANR) assistant provincial director, has issued a verbal order to the management of Radio Fraternité Buena Muntu (RFBM), Radio Télévision Débout Kasaï (RTDK) and Radio Télé Inter Viens et Vois (RTIV). He warned the stations to cease broadcasting news about Etienne Tshisekedi, national […]
(JED/IFEX) – Justin Mpoyi, the National Intelligence Agency’s (Agence nationale des renseignements, ANR) assistant provincial director, has issued a verbal order to the management of Radio Fraternité Buena Muntu (RFBM), Radio Télévision Débout Kasaï (RTDK) and Radio Télé Inter Viens et Vois (RTIV). He warned the stations to cease broadcasting news about Etienne Tshisekedi, national president of the Union pour la démocratie et le progrès social (UDPS), the Democratic Republic of Congo’s principal opposition party, and president of the Alliance pour la sauvegarde du Dialogue intercongolais (ASD). The ASD is a structure comprising the various groups that did not sign the Sun City Agreement, which was signed by President Joseph Kabila and Jean-Pierre Bemba, leader of the rebel Mouvement pour la libération du Congo (MLC), on 19 April 2002.
On 24 July, at 10:40 a.m. (local time), Ghislain Banza, Didier Kabuya and Katende, interim director-general of RFBM, marketing director of RDTK and programming director of RTIV, respectively, were summoned for a “discussion” at the ANR assistant provincial director’s offices in Mbuji-Mayi. During the interview, the ANR’s provincial offical, citing his superiors, stated that it was henceforth forbidden to “quote the name of, refer to or broadcast pictures of Mr. Etienne Tshisekedi in any programmes.” He added that “offenders will be punished with the utmost rigour of the law.”
On 25 July, in the early afternoon, Banza told JED, “there are no grounds to justify this decision and I have no intention of following such an order.”
Contacted by JED on the evening of 24 July, an official from the ANR’s head office in Kinshasa said he was “unaware of such instructions” and speculated that it was probably a product of “excessive zeal” on the part of the Mbuji-Mayi department.
