During a meeting held on Friday in Kinshasa, members of the political opposition and human rights NGOs vowed to join forces to fight what they called the erosion of democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The two sides stressed the need to fight together to head off the clamp down on freedom of expression and freedom of the press they are facing these days under the current authorities.
They were responding to a communique of the Ministry of Communication and Media prohibiting the dissemination of propaganda messages before the official start of the period of campaigning for the elections set to take place in 2011.
A radio and television stations belonging to Jean-Pierre Bemba's Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC), the main opposition party in Parliament, were closed down on Tuesday, apparently for broadcasting what authorities consider election propaganda.
For the opposition, it's rather the current authorities who are already campaigning and not the opposition.
Clément Kanku, the coordinator for the opposition platform Union for the Nation, said:
"The only real campaign that has began is the one that does a cult of personality for the head of state. It is the one that glorifies the policy of this government, and those who want to lead us towards only one way of thinking."
But the secretary general of the NGO Journalist in Danger (JED) , Tshivis Tshivuadi, it's the absence of the law on the Higher Council for the Media and Communication (HAM) which poses problem:
"We think it is important that we quickly enact the law on the High Council for the Media and Communication, which is an important law that will control an important institution, because it is the only institution which can try to contain any possible misuse."
The meeting was organized in conjunction with JED and the African Association for the Defense of Human Rights (ASADHO).
Such meetings will continue with other organizations for the defenses of human rights, organizers said.
On the web: Congo News Agency | From Radio Okapi article
Related articles
- • DR Congo Citizens Head to Polls to Elect President, Members of Parliament (December 20, 2023)
- • Constitutional Court Declares Tshisekedi Winner of Presidential Election (January 19, 2019)
- • Martin Fayulu Challenges Presidential Election Results in Court (January 12, 2019)
- • Felix Tshisekedi Vows to Be the President of All Congolese (January 10, 2019)
- • Martin Fayulu Rejects Presidential Election Results (January 10, 2019)
- • Felix Tshisekedi Elected DR Congo President (January 10, 2019)
- • DR Congo Delays Results of December Election (January 6, 2019)
- • Bemba, Katumbi renew their support for joint opposition presidential candidate Fayulu (November 16, 2018)
- • Vital Kamerhe also withdraws support for joint opposition presidential bid (November 12, 2018)
- • Felix Tshisekedi withdraws support for joint opposition presidential bid (November 12, 2018)
- • Oppositioin leaders pick Martin Fayulu as joint presidential candidate (November 11, 2018)
- • Jean-Pierre Bemba banned from running for president (August 25, 2018)
- • Vital Kamerhe named UNC presidential candidate (August 4, 2018)
- • Bemba says Katumbi should be allowed to run for president (August 4, 2018)
- • Moise Katumbi blocked from entering DR Congo (August 3, 2018)
- • Jean-Pierre Bemba Returns to DR Congo (August 1, 2018)
- • Jean-Pierre Bemba named MLC presidential candidate (July 13, 2018)
- • Botswana Urges Joseph Kabila to Step Down (February 26, 2018)
- • No elections in DR Congo in December without electronic voting machines: INEC (February 13, 2018)
- • US Warns DR Congo Against Electronic Voting for Delayed Election (February 12, 2018)
- • Presidential election scheduled for December 23, 2018 (November 5, 2017)
- • Felix Tshisekedi accuses INEC of illegally prolonging Kabila's mandate (October 24, 2017)
- • DRC Seeks Arrest of Presidential Candidate Moise Katumbi (May 19, 2016)
- • Peacekeepers, Congo Army to Resume Joint Fight Against Rwandan Rebels (January 28, 2016)
- • Political tensions 'running high' in DR Congo ahead of 2016 elections (October 7, 2015)
- • UN Report Blames Ugandan Islamists for 237 Killings in DR Congo (May 14, 2015)
- • Rights Groups: DR Congo Must Free Pro-democracy Activists (April 13, 2015)
- • Electoral commission sets DR Congo presidential election date (February 12, 2015)
- • Police Open Fire on Crowd Protesting Election Law Change (January 19, 2015)
- • ICC Case Against Bemba Wrapping Up as Another Opens (November 12, 2014)
Tags: |
