burundi: Radio station suspended after giving air time to rebels
Reporters sans frontières (RSF) has called on the Burundian government to immediately end its suspension of Isanganiro radio station for giving air time to anti-government rebels. "This decision deprives people of news and is especially damaging at a time when the country is starting new talks to re-establish peace," said the organisation in its letter to Communications Minister Albert Mbonerane.
IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT - BURUNDI
16 September 2003
Radio station suspended after giving air time to rebels
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris
(RSF/IFEX) - RSF has called on the Burundian government to immediately end
its suspension of Isanganiro radio station for giving air time to
anti-government rebels.
"This decision deprives people of news and is especially damaging at a time
when the country is starting new talks to re-establish peace," said the
organisation in its letter to Communications Minister Albert Mbonerane.
"Burundians want to form their opinions freely. It is not for the
authorities to say what material should be broadcast," RSF added.
The privately-owned Isanganiro went off the air on 13 September 2003 after
the communications minister ordered it to close for a week, accusing it of
broadcasting "defamatory statements about the government at a time when it
is trying to achieve an overall and permanent cease-fire." The station had
allowed Pasteur Habimana, a spokesperson for the National Liberation Forces
(Forces nationales de libération, FNL), a Hutu rebel group. The government
has repeatedly asked radio stations not to broadcast interviews or
statements by rebel leaders.
On 14 September, in reaction to Isanganiro's suspension, the other
privately-owned stations in Burundi announced their decision to cease
covering the activities of the government and of President Domitien
Ndayizeye until the radio station is allowed back on the air.
For further information, contact Jean-François Julliard 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.org
The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of RSF.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.
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