mobilization" against "Rwandan aggression" are discovering that they
could be treading a thin line between patriotic calls and xenophobic
incitements.
And the Congolese government is cracking down on those crossing that fine line.
Two weeks ago, the Kinshasa tabloid "La Presse" was suspended for
printing an op-ed that called for the Congolese to hunt down Rwandans.
DRC Media Minister warned that while the Rwandan government actions
might be objectionable, those actions had nothing to do with Rwandan
citizens or Congolese Rwandophones.
On Wednesday, July 11, Mende suspended the CEO of the state-owned
radio and TV channel RTNC, Christophe Kolomoni Jibu, for having
allowed the live broadcast of a rally held in Kinshasa by the youth
wing of the PPRD at which "xenophobic statements" were made.
Mende said those statements bordered on violations of the 1966 law
against "incitements to ethnic and tribal hatred."
The youth wing of the PPRD were claiming they were poised to storm
residences of "M23 collaborators in Kinshasa."
Those statements were so worrisome that a delegation of the Kinshasa
Rwandophone community, led by former DRC Vice-President Azarias
Ruberwa (photo above), went to meet on the same Wednesday with
Interior Minister Richard Muyej to voice their concerns. Kinshasa
Governor André Kimbuta also attended the meeting.
Interior Minister Muyej assured Ruberwa that the government will
protect his community and warned those attempting to endanger the
"ethnic mosaic" of the DRC that they will feel the full brunt of the
law.
***
PHOTO: From left to right, on the foreground: Gov André Kimbuta,
Interior Minister Muyej & Azarias Ruberwa
PHOTO CREDITS: digitalcongo.net
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