International Freedom Of Expression
Exchange (Toronto)
June 8, 1999
Toronto - The following
document was released by Reporters sans frontieres (RSF), Paris: RSF is
condemning threats against independent media by Information Minister Pedro
Hendrik Vaal Neto during a 1 June 1999 press conference.
He notably stated that his government was contemplating "resorting to
violence" against independent media which do not support the government in its
war against UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola), while
accusing certain media of being "the fifth column of Jonas Savimbi's rebel
movement." He added that he may ban certain publications.
These statements, which RSF considers to be of particular concern, follow a
series of attacks against Angolan and foreign journalists.
On 5 May, Joaquim Alves, a journalist with the weekly "Actual Fax", was
assaulted close to his residence in a Luanda suburb by three armed individuals,
including one who was wearing an Angolan army uniform. The journalist was
beaten. His attackers accused him of having written an article, published in
April, in which a businessman, Mr. Kamakongo, was referred to as a "Savimbist".
On 13 May, Lara Pawson, a correspondent with the Reuters press agency and
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Radio, was attacked by several men while
leaving a restaurant in Luanda. One of the men held her face and threatened her
with repercussions if her reports became more critical of the government,
reminding her that "Angola belongs to Eduardo Dos Santos."
On 14 May, two men who introduced themselves as members of the special
security forces searched the residence of Herculano Coroado Bumba, a
correspondent with Portuguese Radio TSF. The two men, who did not have a
warrant, explained that they were searching for arms. This incident occured at a
time when the journalist had been receiving regular telephone threats in
connection with his reports.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to the information minister: - protesting his threats against
independent media, which are simply exercising their right to inform - recalling
that Angola has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, which guarantees the right to inform and to be informed - urging him to
see to it that physical and verbal threats against journalists cease and that
those responsible for attacks against Coroado Bumba, Pawson and Alves be
identified and punished - recalling the case of William Tonet, editor-in-chief
of the independent newspaper "Folha 8", prosecuted for "slander, insulting the
army, libel, incitement to subversion and desertion", after publishing a series
of articles concerning the Angolan army's mobilisation order (see IFEX alert of
22 April 1999)
APPEALS TO:
Pedro Hendrik Vaal Neto Minister of Information Luanda, Angola
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
For further information, contact Jean-Francois Julliard or Vincent Brossel at
RSF, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1
45 23 11 51, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED], Internet: http://www.rsf.fr
The information contained in this action alert is the sole responsibility of
RSF. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.
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