[ALERT] – Journalist in danger (JED) deeply concerned about the situation in recent days of two journalists forced to live in hiding after receiving a series of death threats by Mai Mai militiamen in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

David Munyanga, director of Radio Ondese FM, a community station in Kiliba, South Kivu province; and Fiston Matsanda, a journalist with Bashu Community Radio in Beni territory, North Kivu province.

According to our sources, David Munyanga went into hiding since May 22, 2019. The day before, his home was attacked by a group of Mai Mai militia armed with firearms. After brutalizing him, one of his attackers wanted to shoot the journalist. David Munyanga was saved thanks to the intervention of his neighbors.

These militants reproached him for having disseminated information that would be the basis of the arrest of a Mai Mai element by the Armed Forces of DR Congo (FARDC).

While preparing to leave the locality of Kiliba, David Munyanga received a phone call from a militia leader who made threats to him: « We did not want to kill you that day by this that you were with your children. Your radio will be burned and yourself murdered if our element is not released. »

Contacted by JED, David Munyanga said it’s been more than a month since he saw threats from these militiamen.

« In April, I was ambushed by the Mai Mai militia in the Ondes-Kabulimbo section. These gunmen took me to the bush where I was detained for about five hours. I got my release thanks to the intervention of the local authorities who made phone calls to my captors. My laptop and my phone have been confiscated until today. Two days after my release, the same Mai Mai chief seriously threatened me on the phone for allowing my radio to broadcast information about my kidnapping. Faced with this series of death threats, I officially seized the head of the city to whom I asked for protection. »

For his part, Fiston Matsanda of Bashu Community Radio in Beni, fearing for his life, has been forced to live in hiding with his family since May 2, 2019. The Mai Mai militias reproach him, among other things, for to have been actively involved in the fight against Ebola through his reports.

According to our information, since the beginning of this disease in the east of the country, Fiston Matsanda has broadcast several reports in connection with the sensitization of the local population to eradicate this disease at the base of several deaths. His involvement in the campaign against this disease is at the root of a series of death threats he is currently suffering.

Journalist in Danger (JED) vigorously denounces these death threats against these journalists by individuals without faith or law.

JED urges the provincial authorities of South and North Kivu to do their utmost to ensure the physical safety of these two journalists and to put an end to the threats they face.

Journalist in Danger (JED)