International Freedom of Expression Exchange: The global network for free expression
11 March 2003
RADIO STATIONS BARRED FROM AIRING REBEL STATEMENTS
In Burundi, where radio is the country's main source of news, President Pierre Buyoya has ordered all private radio stations to stop airing statements or interviews with two rebel groups still at war with the government, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).
At a 4 March meeting with the editors of Radio publique africaine (RPA), Radio Bonesha and Radio Isanganiro, Buyoyo warned them not to broadcast interviews with or paraphrase statements made by the National Liberation Force (FNL) and the Forces for the Defense of Democracy (FDD) while the groups remain at war with the government. According to a Burundi Internet news service, Buyoyo said it was "unacceptable for rebels who continue to kill to have access to the airwaves," CPJ notes.
FNL is the only ethnic Hutu rebel group that has yet to sign a cease-fire agreement with Buyoyo's transitional government. FDD signed a peace accord in December 2002 but fighting between the group and army forces has since resumed, CPJ says. Buyoyo did not say whether there would be penalties should the radio stations ignore his order.
RSF has urged the president to lift the ban, saying it is unacceptable that Burundi citizens should be denied access to certain news stories.
This is not the first time Burundi authorities have barred the media from broadcasting statements by rebel groups. In May 2002, then Minister of Defence Cyrille Ndayirukiye stated that "broadcasting interviews with rebels assists them in their war effort," notes RSF.
Amnesty International says the statement came after a radio station aired an interview with the leader of an armed political group who survived an assassination attempt believed to have been ordered by senior government officials and members of the Front pour la Démocratie au Burundi (FRODEBU) political party.
Visit these links:
- Committee to Protect Journalists: www.cpj.org">http://www.cpj.org/news/2003/Burundi07march03na.html">www.cpj.org
- Reporters sans frontières 2002 Report on Burundi:www.rsf.org">http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=1724">www.rsf.org
- Human Rights Watch: www.hrw.org">http://www.hrw.org/africa/burundi.php">www.hrw.org
- Amnesty International: http://web.amnesty.org">http://web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/Index/AFR160042003?OpenDocument%26amp;of=THEMES\FREEDOM+OF+EXPRESSION">http://web.amnesty.org
- Free Expression in Africa's Great Lakes Region: www.irinnews.org">http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=30101">www.irinnews.org
- IRIN News Coverage of Burundi: www.irinnews.org
RSS