US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA100

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000100 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, KPAO, CG 
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN BEMBA-OWNED RADIO AND 
TELEVISION STATIONS 
 
REF: KINSHASA 63 (NOTAL) 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY:  Authorities in Kinshasa shut down two 
television stations and a radio station owned by Vice 
President Bemba.  These stations aired comments made by 
an ousted former minister, which were critical of 
President Kabila.  This action comes during a period of 
heightened tension between Bemba and Kabila over power- 
sharing in the transitional government and the recent 
suspension of a minister close to Bemba.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) The Congolese Minister of Press and Information 
(and Kabila ally), Henri Mova Sakanyi, announced on the 
evening of January 18 the suspension of broadcasting by 
Canal Kin Television (CKTV), Canal Congo Television 
(CCTV) and Radio Liberte Kinshasa.  All these stations 
are owned by Bemba.  Sakanyi denounced the "persistent 
excesses" of the Congolese media.  Specifically, these 
stations were closed for broadcasting an interview with 
former Minister of Transportation Joseph Olengankoy in 
which Olengankoy accused President Kabila of corruption 
and embezzlement.  He also accused Kabila's sister 
Janet of corruption.  The Minister characterized these 
accusations as "outrageous" and added: "the person of 
the Chief of State is sacred as it embodies the nation. 
Consequently, all attacks against the Chief of State 
through the media will be rigorously sanctioned in 
conformity with legislation in force in the DRC." 
 
3. (SBU) The closures also reflect ongoing tension 
between Kabila and Bemba.  In this regard, it is 
noteworthy that Marie-Ange Lukiana, Deputy Secretary- 
General of the PPRD (People's Party for Reconstruction 
and Development, closely associated with Kabila) on 
January 13 publicly characterized Bemba's stations as 
"hate media" and threatened to "have them silenced." 
This was provoked by Bemba's stations broadcasting 
pictures of police shooting at demonstrators during the 
January 10 protests (reftel).  Other high PPRD 
officials have accused these stations of being 
mouthpieces expressing the MLC's most virulent anti- 
Kabila sentiments. 
 
4. (SBU) COMMENT:  MONUC and MLC sources told us there 
was a tense standoff the evening of January 19 between 
the members of the Presidential Guard and GSSP and 
Bemba's forces at one or more of these stations.  There 
were also reports of a confrontation the same evening 
between Kabila's and Bemba's forces at the funeral of 
the mother-in-law of Congo/Brazzaville President Sassou 
which both Bemba and Kabila attended.  Though a result 
of current tensions between Kabila and Bemba, the 
closure of the media outlets also reflects an 
apparently intensifying effort by the GDRC, and 
specifically the Kabila/PPRD faction, to exert greater 
control over the Congolese media.  END COMMENT. 
 
5. (U) Bujumbura minimize considered. 
MEECE