US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1691

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINSHASA 001691 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINS, PREL, CG 
SUBJECT: COVERAGE OF NATIONALITY LAW SHOWS WEAKNESS OF 
CONGOLESE MEDIA 
 
1. (U) Summary. The Congolese media's coverage of draft 
nationality and amnesty laws has shown the limits of entities 
that lack independence, resources, and professionalism. The 
directors of Tropicana Television, and the more reputable 
daily newspapers La Referance Plus and Le Potentiel, 
acknowledge the weaknesses of the Congolese media and 
indicate that poverty, lack of professional training of 
journalists, fear of controversy, manipulation by extremists, 
and interference by media owners, political patrons and the 
government, account for the absence of a real debate on the 
issues of nationality and amnesty. Meanwhile, anti-Tutsi 
rhetoric continues to surface sporadically on television talk 
shows, newspapers, and workshops on nationality organized by 
NGOs.   End Summary. 
 
 
Lack of Resources and Independence Limits Media Coverage 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
2. (SBU) On August 16, Poloff met with Kibambe Tshintwa, the 
Director of Tropicana Television, and owner of Numerica, a 
privately owned television station and daily newspaper, 
respectively, to discuss media coverage of a draft 
nationality law currently being considered by Parliament. 
Tshintwa acknowledged the serious shortcomings of the 
 
SIPDIS 
Congolese media and said that it was difficult to provide 
good coverage of important issues such as the nationality 
law. In his view, the main problem is poverty. Congolese 
journalists are not always paid and when they are paid, their 
salaries are very low. When a journalist is sent to cover a 
story, he will give preference to whomever pays. 
Additionally, journalists are easily intimidated to either 
cover or refrain from covering stories. 
 
3. (SBU) Tshimwa said that there are too many television 
stations and daily newspapers in Kinshasa and not enough 
advertising to make ends meet. Some media outlets are owned 
by individuals who have direct ties to political figures with 
particular agendas and others make themselves available to 
those who can pay for access. Very few have the necessary 
resources to remain independent and to strive for objective 
coverage of events and issues. Lack of resources also affects 
professional training of journalists as many people simply 
start working for media outlets without any prior academic 
background. 
 
4. (SBU) According to Tshimwa, in the politically charged and 
polarized environment of the Congo, it is difficult to be 
seen as neutral. He said that ever since the 
Mobutu-Tshisekedi media split of 1990, when each leader 
supported different media entities, most people have come to 
distrust the media and to assume that each outlet represents 
a particular interest. Thsimwa indicated that when he 
interviews Vice-President Ruberwa, supporters of President 
Kabila accuse him of having been "bought" by Ruberwa. 
 
5. (SBU) Thsimwa noted that people are afraid to discuss 
sensitive issues like nationality or amnesty in an honest or 
open manner that could be seen as pro-Banyamulenge. Although 
Tshimwa claims that his television station tries to maintain 
 
SIPDIS 
a balanced approach on the nationality law, he could not 
point to any examples of guests on his programs who have 
advocated a generous and "modern" approach to nationality. At 
a personal level, he said that he agreed with new laws that 
would bring peace and organization to the DRC, including a 
nationality law that would be inclusive. Thsimwa said that 
there is no official censorship of the media, but that people 
practice "self-censorship" according to perceived interests. 
The National Congolese Radio and Television (RTNC) is an 
example of a television station where programs such as "The 
Media Forum" invite guests who share the same pro-government 
views to debate issues like nationality, thus avoiding any 
controversy. 
 
Editor of La Reference Plus: Not Enough Debate 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
6. (SBU) Poloff met August 17 with Ipakala Mobiko, the 
director of the Kinshasa daily newspaper La Reference Plus, 
to discuss newspaper coverage of draft nationality and 
amnesty laws. Mobiko said the media reflects the disorganized 
state of society in the Congo. He noted that instead of a 
real debate within society or the media the voices that are 
often heard are those of extremists. 
 
7. (SBU) Mobiko claimed he has tried to publish balanced 
articles on nationality that call for reflection, maturity 
and inclusion. As an example, he referred to an article 
published by his newspaper on August 9th, in which the 
government was criticized for its approach to nationality. 
(Note: The article in question does in fact call for a more 
realistic approach to dual nationality, for the integration 
of immigrants and for the education of the Congolese public 
to address xenophobic attitudes. End Note.) However, he 
acknowledged that there are very few credible newspapers in 
the country and that most lack the independence needed to 
truly inform the public and generate healthy debates on key 
issues like nationality. 
 
8. (SBU) According to Mobiko, newspapers are a better medium 
to address issues in greater depth than either television or 
radio. However, he acknowledged that they are beyond the 
financial means of most Congolese. (Note: La Reference Plus 
costs USD 0.70 in Kinshasa and USD 0.85 in the provinces. End 
Note.) Mobiko noted that his newspaper circulates in major 
cities throughout the Congo, but delivery is contingent on 
flights, which are not always reliable. One creative way in 
which Congolese do access newspapers is by reading them while 
displayed in street corners or by making photocopies of 
interesting articles and circulating these copies. 
Editor of Le Potentiel: Journalists are Manipulated 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
9. (SBU) On August 26, Poloff met with Modest Mutinga, 
director of the daily newspaper Le Potentiel, and President 
of the High Media Authority (Note: This is a civilian entity 
created under the peace accords to serve as "referee" on 
media independence, particularly with respect to the 
electoral process. End Note.) Le Potentiel, and La Reference 
Plus are perhaps the most reputable newspapers in Kinshasa. 
However, there are over twenty other daily newspapers that 
are distributed around the city and most are unreliable and 
lack serious content. 
 
10. (SBU) According to Mutinga, the public media in the Congo 
has always existed to serve the power structure. Although in 
theory the media have now been liberalized, in reality little 
has changed. In his view, the Ministry of Information still 
does not understand that it should not interfere with the 
editorial line of public media. The private and commercial 
media's editorial lines are usually imposed by businessmen 
with political interests or by politicians. Thus in most 
cases, independence is severely compromised by financial and 
political dependence. 
 
11. (SBU) Mutinga said that the Congolese media was ill 
prepared to educate and sensitize the public about issues 
such as nationality and amnesty. In his view, the nationality 
question had already been addressed by the Lusaka Accords and 
the overall objective was peace and reconciliation. However, 
this view is not shared by others, especially people from 
eastern cities such as Bukavu, whose passionate views have 
been prominently featured in the media. (Note: Civil society 
members from Bukavu and Kisangani who discuss nationality 
issues have expressed strong distrust of Congolese Tutsis 
whom they typically referred to as "Rwandans". End Note.) In 
terms of the amnesty law, Mutinga noted the media was 
reluctant to deal with this very controversial issue, because 
it involves people sentenced in the assassination of the 
current president's father. 
 
Hard-liners Dominate Debate 
-------------------------- 
 
12. (U) During the month of August, Poloff participated in 
two workshops that addressed the nationality issue. One was 
organized by Journalists in Danger (JED) and the other by the 
National Democratic Institute (NDI) and Global Rights. During 
both fora, journalists and civil society representatives who 
expressed xenophobic attitudes towards Tutsis spoke freely 
and openly and comprised the majority of those who made 
public statements. The few individuals who called for a more 
tolerant and inclusive approach were immediately interrupted 
and criticized. A woman at the NDI workshop who openly 
challenged the notion that under Rwandan law, Congolese 
Tutsis could not acquire Congolese citizenship, was booed and 
later told poloff she had been threatened by one of the 
participants. Jackie Bisimwa, a member of parliament from the 
political opposition sitting behind poloff, kept interrupting 
the woman loudly saying "We are not in Rwanda; let them go 
back". (Note: In private conversations Bisimwa presents a 
more moderate perspective. End Note.) 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
13. (U) At a private level, the directors of some of the most 
reputable media outlets in Kinshasa acknowledged candidly the 
serious shortcomings of the Congolese media and the lack of a 
real debate on the proposed draft nationality and amnesty 
laws. In an increasingly intolerant climate, in which a 
recent article in The Economist estimated 80% of Congolese 
think that Tutsis are not Congolese, it is very unlikely that 
most media entities would publish or broadcast the views of 
those calling for nationality and amnesty laws that are 
"modern", moderate, and generous. Instead, under the cover of 
"patriotism", the Congolese public has been presented with a 
vast array of television guests and newspaper articles 
referring to the danger posed by Rwanda, questioning the 
loyalty of Congolese Tutsis, and asserting that Banyamulenges 
constitute a threat. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MEECE