VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKI #0196/01 0481435
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY AD24BE07 TOQ6154-695)
R 171434Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0173
INFO RWANDA COLLECTIVE
SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RHEFBIM/DIA IMADS WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDHP/DIA DHP-1 WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0010
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 0001
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000196 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC KPAO OPRC SCUL SOCI PREL PGOV PINS CG
SUBJECT: Can Radio Okapi survive after MONUC leaves the Congo? 
 
REF: A) 09 KINSHASA 1097; B) KINSHASA 128; C) 09 KINSHASA 1044 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  As the United Nations Mission to the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo, or MONUC, begins internal discussions on its 
ultimate withdrawal from the Congo, its radio station, Radio Okapi 
-- which has helped to improve the country's media environment and 
supported efforts for democratic development -- faces an uncertain 
future.  While UN management is developing plans to continue Okapi 
broadcasting and newsgathering services at the highest possible 
level when MONUC pulls out, the radio station will still need 
significant international donor support to stay on the air. 
Embassy Kinshasa would welcome a USG discussion of this issue and, 
at a later stage, a dialogue between the USG and other donors.  End 
summary. 
 
Radio of Peace 
 
-------------- 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Founded in 2002, Radio Okapi, whose motto is "the Radio 
of Peace," now employs some 200 local journalists, overseen by 3 UN 
staffers.  It has the widest signal penetration, the largest 
audience, and the highest level of journalistic professionalism of 
any radio station in the DRC.  Okapi's website 
http://www.radiookapi.net offers live broadcasts, podcasts, and 
news articles, which serve as a national wire service.  A review of 
all Kinshasa newspapers during the month of September 2009 by PAS 
staff determined that 75 percent of reports on conflict in the 
Eastern DRC originated from Okapi wire articles.  Okapi's 
programming includes call-in and talk shows encouraging lively 
debate.  The station played a significant role in supporting the 
2006 elections with independent news coverage and voter 
participation drives.  Okapi also provides a wide range of public 
service broadcasting, particularly in conflict zones, with its 
"Gutahuka" and other demilitarization programs, support of Rewards 
for Justice and promotion of other USG activities, and a host of 
community-based efforts to bring peace to the DRC. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On January 19, PAS Kinshasa met with outgoing MONUC 
Public Information Chief Kevin Kennedy and Okapi Program Director 
Jean-Jacques Simon, to discuss possible scenarios for the station's 
future.  (NOTE: Kennedy is leaving the DRC in late February to 
serve as principal officer of the Africa II division (Great Lakes 
Region) at the UN.  End note.) 
 
 
 
Okapi needs UN, international support 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Kennedy and Simon said Okapi's total operating budget is 
difficult to document, since so much of its support comes from 
services provided by MONUC.  However, they estimate that Okapi has 
a total annual budget of $14-16 million, $10-12 million of which 
comes from the UN, while $4 million is provided by the Swiss NGO 
"Fondation Hirondelle."  Both pointed out that MONUC service 
support includes management, personnel, administration, 
communications, logistics, security, and transport.  "MONUC is so 
thoroughly integrated into the support structure of Okapi that it 
will be very difficult for it to continue as MONUC draws down," 
Kennedy said.  Most Okapi operations are situated on MONUC bases, 
and Okapi personnel travel in MONUC aircraft and UN vehicles. 
Broadcast stations, news bureaus and transmitters in the provinces 
require logistic support, including fuel delivery and equipment 
maintenance.  When MONUC leaves, Okapi risks losing not only this 
support, but also its material resources, as generally when a UN 
peacekeeping force withdraws, it takes everything, including 
broadcasting equipment, with it.  (Note:  It is expected that 
Congolese President Kabila will call for MONUC to begin plans to 
withdraw from the DRC during national independence festivities on 
June 30, the 50th anniversary of the DRC's birth as a nation. 
There are no specific plans at present, however, regarding MONUC's 
departure.  End note.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Kennedy and Simon noted that security for Okapi personnel 
and physical assets is essential.  Two Okapi journalists in Bukavu 
have been murdered and others have received death threats (ref a). 
Kennedy described the press freedom atmosphere in the DRC as 
"absolutely toxic," and he expects that MONUC's diminished security 
capacity will expose journalists to increased threats and 
intimidation.  "Long before journalists' lives are endangered," 
said Kennedy, "their reporting will be negatively affected by 
political pressure."  These pressures are particularly acute in the 
Eastern DRC, but the security of journalists at Okapi's Kinshasa 
headquarters would also be further compromised if MONUC leaves the 
capital. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Kennedy also pointed out that Okapi now broadcasts under 
the aegis of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between MONUC 
and the DRC.  Any subsequent SOFA to extend beyond MONUC's 
departure must include a provision for Okapi to broadcast, or else 
the station will be subject to GDRC regulation, sanctioning and/or 
censorship, and possibly excessive licensing fees.  The GDRC has 
already expressed to the UN its desire to renegotiate the SOFA, 
which Kennedy suspects might be the first step toward government 
regulation of Okapi. 
 
 
 
"We've seen the zenith of Okapi" 
 
------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) "We have seen the zenith of Radio Okapi,"  Kennedy said, 
acknowledging that without MONUC, Okapi's level of service 
provision will necessarily decline.  Kennedy and Simon described 
several possibilities for Okapi's post-MONUC future.  Soliciting 
additional donor funding through Hirondelle would require at least 
$10 million annually to maintain current service levels, and still 
be unable to provide security and logistical support, as well as 
legal and political protection offered by the MONUC mandate. 
Allowing Okapi to go private is not financially viable.  Turning 
Okapi over to the GDRC for integration into its RTNC broadcasting 
network would destroy its independence and credibility.  Shutting 
Okapi down entirely would have potentially disastrous consequences. 
Maintaining the highest level of political and material support 
possible while developing a plan for sustainability is, according 
to Kennedy and Simon, the only viable option. 
 
 
 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) As they see the power of Okapi residing in brand 
credibility and the reach of its network, Kennedy and Simon believe 
that the best way to maintain optimal service is to enhance Okapi's 
internet capacity.  The Okapi website is being made more 
interactive and will offer enhanced information services.  Kennedy 
and Simon envision an internet server, either the existing server 
in Lausanne financed by Hirondelle, or another also outside of the 
DRC, as the future headquarters of Okapi.  According to Kennedy and 
Simon, while not ideal, a virtual Okapi would be much easier to 
maintain logistically, and require fewer resources.  The 
headquarters staff would continue to receive reports from 
journalists in the field, through internet, telephone calls and SMS 
messaging.  The quality and even quantity of reports would 
certainly suffer, as would the station's audience reach.  But at 
least it would remain on the air, Kennedy and Simon pointed out. 
Furthermore, to ensure that Okapi services under this model were 
actually effective, Kennedy asserted the donor community would need 
to obtain political assurances from the GDRC that Okapi structures 
would be preserved.  (Note:  Tensions, however, between UN 
management and local Okapi staff -- ref b-- make these already 
difficult changes even more challenging). 
 
"A great loss" 
 
------------- 
 
 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  How important is Radio Okapi to the promotion of 
democracy in the DRC?  On February 3, senior press assistant spoke 
to several local journalists on the subject.  Dovin Ntelolo of 
L'Observateur said that if Okapi were to go off the air, the 
Congolese, particularly in the provinces, would no longer have 
access to credible information.  A journalist with Agence 
Congolaise de Presse, the national wire service, said that only 
Okapi is capable of conducting voter participation drives and other 
public service campaigns.  Mamie Tambu of Antenne A said Okapi has 
been the only source of reliable information in the DRC since the 
shutdown of Radio France International (ref c).  Eyenga Sana of Le 
Potentiel said that it would be "a great loss" if Okapi were 
silenced, given its political neutrality and support of democratic 
debate.  Edouard Mputu of The Post said that Okapi's call-in 
program "Parole Aux Auditeurs" (Listeners' Turn to Speak) and 
debate show "Dialogue Entre Congolais" (Dialogue between Congolese) 
offer the only platforms for free and open discussion of serious 
issues currently available. 
 
 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Comment:  Radio Okapi plays a highly positive role in 
support of democratic institutions by promoting freedom of speech, 
responsible journalism, peace, tolerance and national unity.  Its 
departure from the local media scene would diminish the public's 
access to credible and non-partisan information and have negative 
effects on other news media that depend on Okapi for content. 
Plans for MONUC mandate renewal beyond May 2011 should provide for 
Radio Okapi's continued broadcasting, and Okapi's future should be 
a consideration in discussions concerning an eventual MONUC 
drawdown or withdrawal.  Post would welcome discussions among 
policymakers in Washington and, at a subsequent stage, between the 
USG and representatives of other interested countries, including 
Canada, EU members, Switzerland and Japan, to identify alternative 
sources of funding for Radio Okapi, whose continued presence in the 
DRC can only serve to strengthen Congolese democracy.  End comment. 
GARVELINK