06 09 13 Journaliste en danger – Congolese rebel leader makes death threats towards journalist online
September 2013, Vianney Kazarama published a menacing message on Facebook,
without stating the name of the targeted journalist. Here's an excerpt of the
original message in Swahili: "Kuko mupasha habari moya wa Goma amesahu kazi
yake anaanza pana habari za bongo. Asiwe na shaka mumasaha kidogo tutafanya
kakitendo kadogo kenye katamufurahisha sana. Wandugu wa penzi katamihumisha
rohoo, lakini sisi kama jeshi tunajuwa nini tunafanya…"
The message
translates into the following: "There's a journalist in Goma who has forgotten
how to do his job by spreading false information. But he shouldn't worry,
because very soon, we will do a little something that will make him very happy.
Dear beloved brothers, this will shock you, but as an army, we know what we're
doing…"
According to research carried out by JED, this message was
posted after Thomas Kubuya – a journalist for the private, Goma-based Virunga
Business Radio (VBR) – posted information on Facebook about safety issues in
eastern DRC.
Contacted by JED, Thomas Kubuya said "It was shortly after
I published my post, titled 'Kibumba: Who does the truce benefit?' on Facebook,
that Mr. Kazarama targeted me without explicitly naming me. Regardless of
whether it is about me or another journalist, it's not up to Colonel Kazarama to
shut us up; our profession requires us to publish information that is completely
true and objective."
JED vehemently condemns and denounces the threats
made against this media worker, who did nothing more than exercise his freedom
of expression in publishing an intellectual analysis on a social
network.
JED asks Mr. Vianney Kazarama of the M23 to take back his
remarks, and asks all of the armed groups operating in eastern DRC to
scrupulously respect freedom of the press and freedom of expression in all of
the areas under their control.
JED will hold the M23 and its leaders
responsible for any violent act that could put media professionals' lives in
danger in eastern DRC.
http://www.ifex.org/democratic_republic_of_congo/2013/09/05/death_threats/