US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA295

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000295 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KPAO, KDEM, PHUM, SOCI, CG 
SUBJECT: INFORMATION MINISTER BACKTRACKS ON MEDIA BAN 
 
REF: KINSHASA 234 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: The DRC's information minister on 
February 16 rescinded an order he issued in January 
which banned community radio stations from broadcasting 
political news.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Information Minister Backtracks 
------------------------------- 
2. (U) Minister of Press and Information Henri Mova 
Sakanyi announced February 16 that community radio 
stations will again be allowed to broadcast political 
news, and that his ministry will soon issue new 
charters for these stations.  Mova made the 
announcement during a meeting with Freddy Mulongo, 
president of the Association of Congolese Community 
Radio Stations (ARCO). In addition to rescinding his 
ban, Mova also promised to ask provincial governors to 
cease harassing stations in their provinces. 
 
3. (U) ARCO member stations suspended operations on 
February 8 to protest Mova's January 18 order 
prohibiting community and religious stations from 
broadcasting both political news and call-in shows 
(reftel).  The stations threatened another such protest 
on February 23, but in light of Mova's decision to 
rescind his order Mulongo indicated that ARCO will 
probably cancel its planned "Day of Silence" on 
February 23. 
 
Media Authority at Odds with Minister 
------------------------------------- 
4. (U) Tensions between Mova and Modeste Mutinga, 
president of the High Media Authority (HAM, a public 
body independent of the Ministry of Press and 
Information), continue.  The February 18 edition of "Le 
Potentiel" prominently featured an account of a meeting 
between the HAM and President of the National Assembly 
Oliver Kamitatu.  (Note:  Mutinga was the longtime 
editor of "Le Potentiel," one of the more respected 
newspapers in Kinshasa.)  According to the article, 
Kamitatu characterized the dispute between Mova and the 
HAM as one between one lone individual (Mova) and an 
institution of the transitional government (HAM), and 
said "it's very discouraging to see an intellectual 
oppose an institution."  Kamitatu indicated that in the 
case of a conflict between an individual and an 
institution, the Senate would have to intervene. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
5. (SBU) Mova appears to be beating a hasty retreat in 
the face of strong and sustained reaction against his 
decree of January 18.  Mutinga appears to be pressing 
the attack, so we can expect to see more critical 
comments in the coming weeks. End comment. 
 
6. (U) Bujumbura minimize considered. 
MEECE