AFRICA - House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats

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Government security forces sometimes seized individual issues of various newspapers
or printing equipment. During the year, security forces continued occasionally
to seize newspapers from street vendors to prevent circulation of articles
deemed damaging to the Government.
On November 30, the ANR warned independent newspapers in Kinshasa not to
publish stories about the army or the security services.
Due to limited literacy and the higher costs of newspapers and television, radio
remained the most important medium of public information. At year’s end, six radio
stations operated in Kinshasa. During the year, the Government nationalized one
radio and television station, RTKM, which was owned by Ngongo Ngongo Lowowo,
a former Information Minister under Mobutu. In 1997 the Government lifted the
Mobutu regime’s ban on news programming on private radio; however, two radio
stations continued to be state-owned and government-controlled. Opposition parties
were unable to gain access to state-owned radio, and private radio was markedly
less critical of the Government than private newspapers. During the year, the Government
closed down private radio stations because they broadcast news unfavorable
to the Government or commentary critical of the Government.
Eight television stations broadcast in the Kinshasa area, two of which are statecontrolled
and two of which are religious. The status of these stations remains unclear
after the Ministry of Communication announced in September that it would
nationalize three broadcast corporations, including RTKM and two television stations
owned by Jean-Pierre Bemba: ‘‘Antenne A’’ and ‘‘Canal Kin.’’ The Ministry also
ordered seven privately owned radio stations and three privately owned television
stations to cease broadcasts. Communication Minister Dominique Sakombi invoked
a 1996 broadcast law to legitimize the closings. Credible sources claim that the
move also had financial motivations, as Sakombi ordered each of the stations that
were shut down to pay the Communication Ministry a tax equivalent to 18 percent
of each station’s advertising revenue; the Ministry of Finance normally collects such
taxes. However, by October most broadcast stations that the Government closed had
resumed broadcasting. The Government motive for the shutdowns and reopenings
remained unclear. Opposition parties remained unable to gain access to state-controlled
television. Other methods of silencing the broadcast media have included
burning down radio stations and expelling journalists from their homes; however,
no such incidents occurred during the year.
The Government continued to restrict severely foreign broadcasts during the year.
In 1999 then Information Minister Didier Mumengi ordered privately owned radio
and television stations to cease transmitting foreign broadcasts. The order was
aimed at Elikya, a Catholic radio station that transmits Radio Vatican, and Raga
FM, which broadcasts the Voice of America (VOA), the British Broadcasting Corporation
(BBC) world service, and Deutsche Welle. However, Kinshasa still receives
Radio France Internationale, which is transmitted from nearby Brazzaville.
At year’s end, there were two domestic Internet service providers. Because of technical
difficulties and high costs, the Internet is not used widely.
Some antigovernment forces, including the RCD/Goma, reportedly restricted freedom
of speech and of the press; at year’s end, there reportedly were no independent
media in areas controlled by the RCD/Goma.
Antigovernment forces reportedly arrested journalists. For example on October 29,
RCD forces allegedly arrested Jean-Paul Ramazani Kulimushi, director of the
RTNC, in Goma. Ramazani Kulimushi reportedly broadcast a commentary critical
of the conduct of certain RCD soldiers. He was detained in solitary confinement in
the ‘‘Mean Dog’’ cellblock at year’s end.
In 1999 RCD/Goma security forces in Bukavu in South Kivu Province seized the
radio transmitter and other equipment from the private radio station Radio
Maendeleo, effectively taking it off the air. Despite wide appeals, RCD authorities
refused to return the confiscated equipment.
Academic freedom continued to be endangered as professors exercised self-censorship
or modified their lectures to suit the views of their patrons in the Government.
Faculty members complained that members of the Government took a strong interest
in activities at their universities. The regime monitored university classrooms
through student and teacher members of the CPP’s (see Section 2.b.). During the
year, the CPP’s remained active on university campuses in Kinshasa and
Lubumbashi, employing a cadre of both students and faculty. Several students were
arrested after CPP members reported them for questioning the Government. Some
students went into hiding after security forces suspected that they were in contact
with foreigners. Security officials arrested several students for organizing strikes at
Kinshasa University (see Sections 1.d. and 2.b.). In July 1999, security forces in
Lubumbashi arrested Professor Kambaj wa Kambaji because of the professor’s critical
analysis of the use of ethnic hate radio in Congolese politics. Professor Kambaji
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