DRC: Six journalists abducted by militiamen in Katanga province
On 24 April 2005, six Congolese journalists were abducted by a group of Mai Mai militiamen operating under the command of one "Chinja Chinja" ("Cut-Throat"). The journalists are being held in the port of Kilumbe, Upper Lomami district, some 400 km from Lubumbashi. They had gone to the area to cover the disarmament of armed militias in Katanga province, southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
IFEX- News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
27 April 2005
Six journalists abducted by militiamen in Katanga province
SOURCE: Journaliste en danger (JED), Kinshasa
(JED/IFEX) - On 24 April 2005, six Congolese journalists were abducted by a
group of Mai Mai militiamen operating under the command of one "Chinja
Chinja" ("Cut-Throat"). The journalists are being held in the port of
Kilumbe, Upper Lomami district, some 400 km from Lubumbashi. They had gone
to the area to cover the disarmament of armed militias in Katanga province,
southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
News of the hostage-taking came from one of the abductees, Adam Shemisi, a
journalist with the privately-owned station Tropicana, who managed to
escape. He identified the other detainees as Jean-Marie Mususa, of the
Congolese News Agency (Agence congolaise de presse, Kinshasa), Pierrot
Nsenga and Léon Kabasele, of RTNC/Lubumbashi, Freddy Mwanza, a cameraman
with Raga TV, and Scott Mayemba, of the Kinshasa-based newspaper "Uhuru".
The abducted journalists had accompanied a clergyman to the area. Minister
Ngoy Mulunda is one of the persons in charge of the militia disarmament
programme. No official reason was given for the hostage-taking, but it is
believed that it may have come in retaliation for the 8 April arrest of Mai
Mai militia commander "Chinja Chinja" in Kinshasa. The commander has been
charged with human rights abuses against local citizens in the Upper Lomami
district. His arrest was confirmed by the United Nations' Mission in the DRC
(MONUC) on 27 April.
According to JED sources, negotiations got underway between Minister Mulunda
and Mai Mai militiamen on 26 April, aimed at ensuring the journalists'
prompt release.
For further information, contact D. M'Baya Tshimanga, president, Journaliste
en danger (JED), B.P. 633 Kinshasa 1, Democratic Republic of Congo, tel.
+243 814 035821, +243 9898 0760, +243 99 96 353, fax: +243 88 01 625,
e-mail: [email protected], Internet: http://www.jed-afrique.org
The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of JED.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit JED.
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