GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN BEMBA-OWNED RADIO AND

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000100

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPAO CG
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN BEMBA-OWNED RADIO AND
TELEVISION STATIONS

REF: KINSHASA 63 (NOTAL)


1. (U) SUMMARY: Authorities in Kinshasa shut down two
television stations and a radio station owned by Vice
President Bemba. These stations aired comments made by
an ousted former minister, which were critical of
President Kabila. This action comes during a period of
heightened tension between Bemba and Kabila over power-
sharing in the transitional government and the recent
suspension of a minister close to Bemba. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) The Congolese Minister of Press and Information
(and Kabila ally),Henri Mova Sakanyi, announced on the
evening of January 18 the suspension of broadcasting by
Canal Kin Television (CKTV),Canal Congo Television
(CCTV) and Radio Liberte Kinshasa. All these stations
are owned by Bemba. Sakanyi denounced the "persistent
excesses" of the Congolese media. Specifically, these
stations were closed for broadcasting an interview with
former Minister of Transportation Joseph Olengankoy in
which Olengankoy accused President Kabila of corruption
and embezzlement. He also accused Kabila's sister
Janet of corruption. The Minister characterized these
accusations as "outrageous" and added: "the person of
the Chief of State is sacred as it embodies the nation.
Consequently, all attacks against the Chief of State
through the media will be rigorously sanctioned in
conformity with legislation in force in the DRC."


3. (SBU) The closures also reflect ongoing tension
between Kabila and Bemba. In this regard, it is
noteworthy that Marie-Ange Lukiana, Deputy Secretary-
General of the PPRD (People's Party for Reconstruction
and Development, closely associated with Kabila) on
January 13 publicly characterized Bemba's stations as
"hate media" and threatened to "have them silenced."
This was provoked by Bemba's stations broadcasting
pictures of police shooting at demonstrators during the
January 10 protests (reftel). Other high PPRD
officials have accused these stations of being
mouthpieces expressing the MLC's most virulent anti-
Kabila sentiments.


4. (SBU) COMMENT: MONUC and MLC sources told us there
was a tense standoff the evening of January 19 between
the members of the Presidential Guard and GSSP and
Bemba's forces at one or more of these stations. There
were also reports of a confrontation the same evening
between Kabila's and Bemba's forces at the funeral of
the mother-in-law of Congo/Brazzaville President Sassou
which both Bemba and Kabila attended. Though a result
of current tensions between Kabila and Bemba, the
closure of the media outlets also reflects an
apparently intensifying effort by the GDRC, and
specifically the Kabila/PPRD faction, to exert greater
control over the Congolese media. END COMMENT.


5. (U) Bujumbura minimize considered.
MEECE