VZCZCXRO7031
RR RUEHJO
DE RUEHKI #0425 1201053
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301053Z APR 09ZDF
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9543
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1249
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000425 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPAO PREL PHUM CG
SUBJECT:  MINISTER THREATENS TO CLOSE FRENCH RADIO SERVICE; SIMILAR 
THREATS IN PAST, HOWEVER, HAVE NOT BEEN ACTED ON 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Communications and Media Affairs Minister 
Norbert Mende Omalanga threatened last week to close Radio France 
International (RFI) for allegedly attempting to destabilize the 
Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (GDRC). 
According to a French embassy source, a number of similar threats 
have been made over the past two years as GDRC authorities have been 
increasingly critical of RFI's coverage of the government's policies 
and actions.  The minister, who is known for making ill-advised 
statements, does not appear to have spoken in this case on 
instructions from above.  GDRC threats against RFI are essentially 
hollow as Kinshasa listeners can easily pick up the service's FM 
broadcasts from across the river in Brazzaville, Republic of the 
Congo.  Freedom of the press in the DRC is fragile and we will 
continue to monitor all threats against the independent media. End 
summary. 
¶2.  (SBU) During an April 22 meeting of the Alliance for the 
Presidential Majority (AMP), a coalition of political parties that 
supports President Joseph Kabila, Mende warned that the government 
might shut down the French Government's international radio service, 
Radio France International (RFI).  The statement was made in the 
context of government accusations that RFI reporting on the DRC is 
biased.  According to Kelefa Kamano, the information officer of the 
French Embassy, government officials have made similar threats over 
the past 30 months without actually following through on them. 
There is an ongoing discussion between RFI and the GDRC, Kelefa 
said, the outcome of which is unpredictable. 
¶3.  (U) Note:  On July 3, 2006, RFI correspondent Ghislaine Dupont 
was expelled from the DRC.  The GDRC accused Dupont of working in 
the Congo without proper accreditation.  Observers have pointed out 
that in fact Dupont had filed stories alleging official 
discrimination against Congolese Tutsis.  Prior to her expulsion, 
Dupont worked in the DRC in 1996-97 covering the final days of the 
Mobuto regime and filing reports on Laurent Kabila's final assault 
on Kinshasa.  End note. 
¶4.  (U) Note:  RFI has transmission towers in Kinshasa and in 
Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, which is directly 
across the Congo River from Kinshasa.  Listeners can also access the 
radio station's online news and other programs.  In effect, Mende's 
threats are hollow as the GDRC does not have the ability to prevent 
Kinshasa listeners from tuning in to RFI's broadcasts on frequencies 
originating in Brazzaville.  End note. 
¶5.  (SBU) Comment:  Mende is well known for intemperate statements. 
Late last year he said publicly that Indians were not welcome in the 
DRC as part of MONUC, the United Nations peacekeeping operation, 
thereby contributing to an extended crisis that has been resolved 
with India's decision just last week, after apologies from the DRC, 
not to withdraw from MONUC.  We do not believe Mende was acting in 
this instance on orders from above, but the long-standing dispute 
between the DRC and RFI could escalate further, even if the GDRC is 
unable to prevent Kinshasa's citizens from listening to RFI's 
broadcasts from Brazzaville.  Also, it is unlikely that the GDRC 
will directly attack French interests, as it is well known that the 
French Government has been considering for some time moving all Air 
France operations to Brazzaville, which would severely hamper GDRC 
officials' ability to travel to and from Europe.  Although Mende and 
other high-ranking GDRC authorities have previously closed down 
newspapers, these actions were short-lived and the newspapers were 
re-opened, usually just days after they were closed.  Nonetheless, 
freedom of the press in the Democratic Republic of the Congo cannot 
be taken for granted.  We will continue to monitor this and all 
threats to press freedom in the DRC. End comment. 
GARVELINK