Sunday, February 15, 2009

Taina Community Radio Burnt

(JED/IFEX) - On 11 February 2009, Taïna Community Radio was pillaged and burned down between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. (local time) during clashes between the Armed Forces of the DRC (Forces Armées de la RépubliqueDémocratique du Congo, FARDC) and sections of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). Other than the destruction of property, no casualties were reported as the radio station was empty during the conflict. Taïna Community Radio belongs to the Community Reserve of Taïna, a project supported by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Kasugho, located approximately 50 km from Lubero, in the Lubero territory, and approximately 100 km from Butembo, in North Kivu province.

Local sources informed JED that the pillage and destruction of the radio station specialising in environmental news and wildlife conservation focusing on monkeys, is the work of sections of the FDLR, which have been pursued by the FARDC and Rwandan Army coalition since mid-January 2009.

For further information, contact D. M'Baya Tshimanga, President, JED, 374,avenue colonel Mondjiba, 1er Etage, Complexe Utexafrica, Galerie SaintPierre, Kinshasa/Ngaliema, B.P. 633 Kinshasa I, Democratic Republic ofCongo, tel: +243 819 929 323, +243 813 637 037, +243 99 96 353, +243 819898 076, fax: +44 207 504 3544, e-mail: direction@jed- afcentre.org,Internet: http://www.jed-afrique.org

No comments: