Holy John
Acrobat
I thought I might share the reports from Reporters Sans Fronti?res (Reporters Without Borders), wich is an organization inform the general public on the journalism situation all over the world. It is based in France, but runned by International reporters and journalists. Any one can subscribe to their mailing list at www.rsf.org.
Reporters Sans Fronti?res - October 24 200I - Report no. 39 = RSF
=OFFICE OF AFRICA=
- Burundi : The director of the African Public Radio was arrested and conducted to the Special Research Office (SPO), during the evening of October I9th. His name is Alexis Sinduhije. He was free the day after, after paying 20 000 Burundi Francs, the equivalent of 27 Euros. During his detention, Mr. Sinduhije was brutalized and insulted. Officers says he might have contacts with the South-African Military in mission in Burundi in order to protect some Hutus political personalities returning from exile. The arrival of the military, during the previous evening, was made in great discretion without informing the national press, as well as the international press. Mr. Sinduhije, while speaking to a member of RWB said he will protest against the officers who ordered him to be brutalized. He said only one soldier objected. A letter of protestation was sent by Reporters Without Borders to the Government and Military of Burundi on october 22nd.
- Swaziland : A photograph was aggressed by the police on October I9th. Thulasizme Mkhabela, photograph reporter of the Time of Swaziland, was aggressed by the police on October I9th in Manzini (in the center of the country). The journalist was covering a press conference wich was forbidden by the authorities, by the Confederated Syndicate of Workers of Swaziland. He was brutalized while taking pictures of a policeman brutalizing members of the Syndicate Union. However, he left the place and called RWB and said he would protest. RSF sent a protest letter on October 22nd.
- Zimbabwe : A director of publication protests against the harassing of the authorities on October 19 2001, Trevor Ncube, director of publication of the private weekly magazine Zimbabwe Independent, descended in the street from Harare to sell by himself specimens of his newspaper. He intended to protest against the police harassing whose are victims the salesmen of the weekly magazine. " Each week, a score of our salesmen are stopped by the font ", affirmed the journalist, only from a few meters of the office of president Robert Mugabe. " That forms a part of the strategy to make fall our sales and limit the diffusion of information considered to be critical by the government ", he added. A spokesman of the font qualified this gesture of " advertising blow ". Letter of protest on October 19, by RWB.
- Niger : The director of "Free Duck" was condemned to six months of prison on October 19 2001, Abdoulaye Ti?mogo, director of publication of the weekly magazine the "Free Duck", was condemned to six months of prison for " slandering " by the court of first authority of Niamey. He must also pay a fine of 100 000 francs CFA (153 euros) and 5 million (7 600 euros) damageses to the Minister for Agriculture, Wassalk? Boukari. This last had carried a protest against Free Duck following the publication of an article affirming that the minister had diverted 200 million francs CFA (305 000 euros) of a gold bearing zone in the west of the country. Other newspapers spoke about this business thereafter. After returned judgement, Abdoulaye Ti?mogo, which appeared freely, was immediately led to the civil prison of Niamey. He can make call of the decision. Letter of protest on October 19. RSF asked for to the minister Justice of make so that the journalist is discharged in call.
- Gabon : Gri-Gri International is not diffused anymore in Gabon. RSF requires explanations of the authorities. On October 18 2001, Mr. Barre, the owner of Sogapress, required not to receive the satirical newspaper anymore, the Gri-Gri International. One week before, Sogapresse had however controlled additional specimens because of the success of the newspaper in Gabon. Mr. Barre was convened on October 11 by the head of the national police force Jean-Claude Labouba. This one summoned not to distribute Gri-Gri International more, by calling upon instructions of the ministry for the Interior. October 12, of the legal policemen not elected seized the last specimens in kiosk. Letter of protest on October 19 by RSF.
- Sierra Leone : RSF worries about the security of the journalists. On October 8 2001, two journalists were attacked in the streets of Freetown. Alhaji Jalloh, to defer twice-weekly private African Champion, was struck by police officers, in a police station of the capital, whereas he tried to check information on a road accident. The same day, Joseph Vandi, to defer private daily newspaper The Salone Times, was abused by agents of the Mission of the United Nations in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) which tried to control a group of ex-serviceman claiming of postponed of balance. The spokesman of the UNAMSIL affirmed that an investigation was in hand on this business. In addition, October 5, Pasco Temple, corresponding local of the news service BREADED and of Reporters without borders, was held during more than one hour in a cell of the prison of Pademba road. The journalist had come to meet a friend when a magistrate showed insult at the court and asked a police officer to imprison it. Lastly, RSF recalled that on September 14, seven journalists of the private press received a threatening letter of signed death of an unknown group called " Danger squad ". According to this mail, these journalists " write negative articles " and if they do not cease, " it will be put fine at their terrestrial existence ". David Tam Baryoh, of the Center of the medias, Jonathan Leigh, director Independent To observe it, Pious Foray, director of publication of the daily newspaper The Democrat, Richard Olu Gordon, director of Peep, Paul Kamara, director of For di People, Chernor Ojuku Sesay, of the Pool, and Philip Neville, director of the Times Standard, received this letter. Throughout the year 1998, journalists had already received similar threats. In January 1999, at least eight professionals of the press had been assassinated by the rebels of the plain revolutionary Face (RUF). Letter of protest on October 18 by RSF.
Reporters Sans Fronti?res - October 24 200I - Report no. 39 = RSF
=OFFICE OF AFRICA=
- Burundi : The director of the African Public Radio was arrested and conducted to the Special Research Office (SPO), during the evening of October I9th. His name is Alexis Sinduhije. He was free the day after, after paying 20 000 Burundi Francs, the equivalent of 27 Euros. During his detention, Mr. Sinduhije was brutalized and insulted. Officers says he might have contacts with the South-African Military in mission in Burundi in order to protect some Hutus political personalities returning from exile. The arrival of the military, during the previous evening, was made in great discretion without informing the national press, as well as the international press. Mr. Sinduhije, while speaking to a member of RWB said he will protest against the officers who ordered him to be brutalized. He said only one soldier objected. A letter of protestation was sent by Reporters Without Borders to the Government and Military of Burundi on october 22nd.
- Swaziland : A photograph was aggressed by the police on October I9th. Thulasizme Mkhabela, photograph reporter of the Time of Swaziland, was aggressed by the police on October I9th in Manzini (in the center of the country). The journalist was covering a press conference wich was forbidden by the authorities, by the Confederated Syndicate of Workers of Swaziland. He was brutalized while taking pictures of a policeman brutalizing members of the Syndicate Union. However, he left the place and called RWB and said he would protest. RSF sent a protest letter on October 22nd.
- Zimbabwe : A director of publication protests against the harassing of the authorities on October 19 2001, Trevor Ncube, director of publication of the private weekly magazine Zimbabwe Independent, descended in the street from Harare to sell by himself specimens of his newspaper. He intended to protest against the police harassing whose are victims the salesmen of the weekly magazine. " Each week, a score of our salesmen are stopped by the font ", affirmed the journalist, only from a few meters of the office of president Robert Mugabe. " That forms a part of the strategy to make fall our sales and limit the diffusion of information considered to be critical by the government ", he added. A spokesman of the font qualified this gesture of " advertising blow ". Letter of protest on October 19, by RWB.
- Niger : The director of "Free Duck" was condemned to six months of prison on October 19 2001, Abdoulaye Ti?mogo, director of publication of the weekly magazine the "Free Duck", was condemned to six months of prison for " slandering " by the court of first authority of Niamey. He must also pay a fine of 100 000 francs CFA (153 euros) and 5 million (7 600 euros) damageses to the Minister for Agriculture, Wassalk? Boukari. This last had carried a protest against Free Duck following the publication of an article affirming that the minister had diverted 200 million francs CFA (305 000 euros) of a gold bearing zone in the west of the country. Other newspapers spoke about this business thereafter. After returned judgement, Abdoulaye Ti?mogo, which appeared freely, was immediately led to the civil prison of Niamey. He can make call of the decision. Letter of protest on October 19. RSF asked for to the minister Justice of make so that the journalist is discharged in call.
- Gabon : Gri-Gri International is not diffused anymore in Gabon. RSF requires explanations of the authorities. On October 18 2001, Mr. Barre, the owner of Sogapress, required not to receive the satirical newspaper anymore, the Gri-Gri International. One week before, Sogapresse had however controlled additional specimens because of the success of the newspaper in Gabon. Mr. Barre was convened on October 11 by the head of the national police force Jean-Claude Labouba. This one summoned not to distribute Gri-Gri International more, by calling upon instructions of the ministry for the Interior. October 12, of the legal policemen not elected seized the last specimens in kiosk. Letter of protest on October 19 by RSF.
- Sierra Leone : RSF worries about the security of the journalists. On October 8 2001, two journalists were attacked in the streets of Freetown. Alhaji Jalloh, to defer twice-weekly private African Champion, was struck by police officers, in a police station of the capital, whereas he tried to check information on a road accident. The same day, Joseph Vandi, to defer private daily newspaper The Salone Times, was abused by agents of the Mission of the United Nations in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) which tried to control a group of ex-serviceman claiming of postponed of balance. The spokesman of the UNAMSIL affirmed that an investigation was in hand on this business. In addition, October 5, Pasco Temple, corresponding local of the news service BREADED and of Reporters without borders, was held during more than one hour in a cell of the prison of Pademba road. The journalist had come to meet a friend when a magistrate showed insult at the court and asked a police officer to imprison it. Lastly, RSF recalled that on September 14, seven journalists of the private press received a threatening letter of signed death of an unknown group called " Danger squad ". According to this mail, these journalists " write negative articles " and if they do not cease, " it will be put fine at their terrestrial existence ". David Tam Baryoh, of the Center of the medias, Jonathan Leigh, director Independent To observe it, Pious Foray, director of publication of the daily newspaper The Democrat, Richard Olu Gordon, director of Peep, Paul Kamara, director of For di People, Chernor Ojuku Sesay, of the Pool, and Philip Neville, director of the Times Standard, received this letter. Throughout the year 1998, journalists had already received similar threats. In January 1999, at least eight professionals of the press had been assassinated by the rebels of the plain revolutionary Face (RUF). Letter of protest on October 18 by RSF.