DATE=1/24/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42426
TITLE=ANGOLA/PRESS CURBS
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=LUANDA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: WITH FIGHTING BETWEEN GOVERNMENT TROOPS AND REBELS OF THE
UNITA MOVEMENT SPREADING AROUND ANGOLA, AUTHORITIES APPEAR TO BE
TIGHTENING THEIR CONTROL OVER THE NEWS MEDIA. V-O-A'S SOUTHERN
AFRICA CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA REPORTS FROM THE CAPITAL,
LUANDA, ON THE CHALLENGES OF COVERING THE CONFLICT IN ANGOLA.
TEXT: ANGOLAN AUTHORITIES HAVE WARNED JOURNALISTS WORKING FOR
THE COUNTRY'S FEW PRIVATE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS NOT TO PUBLISH OR
BROADCAST MATERIAL THAT OFFICIALS FEEL WILL INCITE THE PUBLIC
AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
ANGOLAN NEWS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY WARNED NOT TO
INCITE YOUNG MEN TO OPPOSE THE COUNTRY'S RECENTLY-ORDERED
COMPULSORY MILITARY DRAFT REGISTRATION.
A LETTER CONTAINING THE WARNING FROM THE MINISTER OF SOCIAL
COMMUNICATIONS AND SENT TO VARIOUS PRIVATE PUBLICATIONS AND
BROADCASTERS SAYS NEWS ORGANIZATIONS VIOLATING THE COUNTRY'S LAWS
COULD BE SHUT DOWN.
THE TIGHTENING CLIMATE HAS ALSO AFFECTED FOREIGN JOURNALISTS
TRYING TO REPORT ON THE LATEST CONFLICT IN ANGOLA.
OFFICIALS HAVE ALREADY ORDERED THE EXPULSION OF A PORTUGUESE
REPORTER BECAUSE OF AN ARTICLE CLAIMING CUBAN MILITARY ADVISORS
WERE IN ANGOLA. BOTH THE ANGOLAN AND CUBAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE
DENIED THE REPORT.
OTHER FOREIGN JOURNALISTS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES IN
TRYING TO WORK. A SOUTH AFRICAN PHOTOGRAPHER WHO WANTED TO TAKE
A PICTURE OF WHAT MIGHT ARGUABLY BE LUANDA'S MOST ATTRACTIVE
BUILDING -- THE RENOVATED OCEANSIDE NATIONAL BANK BUILDING -- WAS
CHASED OFF BY TWO SUBMACHINE-GUN TOTING GUARDS. A MAN CLAIMING
TO BE A BANK SECURITY OFFICER THEN THREATENED TO CONFISCATE THE
PHOTOGRAPHER'S CAMERAS.
OUTSIDE LUANDA, JOURNALISTS -- BOTH FOREIGN AND ANGOLAN -- ARE
ALSO REPORTING PROBLEMS.
SOME ANGOLAN REPORTERS BASED IN THE PROVINCES CLAIM THEY HAVE
BEEN THREATENED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES UPSET BY STORIES THEY HAVE
FILED. FOREIGN JOURNALISTS HAVE FOUND PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS
UNWILLING TO BE INTERVIEWED OR TO ALLOW PICTURES TO BE TAKEN IN
THEIR CITIES -- NOT ONLY ABOUT SUCH POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE
SUBJECTS AS TROOPS OR POLICE OR SECURITY, BUT ALSO ABOUT SUBJECTS
RELATED TO HUMANITARIAN NEEDS AND THE SUFFERING OF WAR VICTIMS.
THE PORTUGUESE PUBLICATION, WHOSE REPORTER WAS EXPELLED FROM
ANGOLA, HAS COMPLAINED SUCH MEASURES REVEAL WHAT THE PUBLICATION
CHARGES IS THE LUANDA GOVERNMENT'S AUTHORITARIAN NATURE.
OFFICIALS RESPOND BY SAYING THEY HAVE LEGITIMATE SECURITY
CONCERNS AT A TIME WHEN THE COUNTRY IS AGAIN AT WAR.
BUT ANALYSTS SAY ANGOLA'S AUTHORITIES ARE NOT ABOVE USING
DISINFORMATION TO ADVANCE THEIR CAUSE.
A GOVERNMENT GENERAL WAS, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS WIDELY QUOTED RECENTLY
AS SAYING 14 PEOPLE ABOARD A U-N CHARTERED AIRCRAFT -- THAT WAS
APPARENTLY SHOT DOWN OVER THE EMBATTLED CENTRAL HIGHLANDS AREA --
WERE ALIVE AND IN THE HANDS OF THE UNITA REBELS. HOWEVER U-N
INVESTIGATORS DISCOVERED WHEN THEY FINALLY REACHED THE CRASH SITE
DAYS LATER THAT ALL ABOARD HAD BEEN KILLED. UNITA ACCUSED THE
GOVERNMENT OF SEEKING POLITICAL ADVANTAGE WITH ITS ORIGINAL
CLAIM.
AS A RESULT, ALL GOVERNMENT REPORTS ABOUT THE LATEST FIGHTING ARE
BEING TREATED WITH CAUTION BY JOURNALISTS.
FOR ITS PART, UNITA'S ONLY REAL CONTACTS WITH REPORTERS ARE BY
SATELLITE TELEPHONE. NOT ONLY ARE JOURNALISTS UNABLE TO
DETERMINE THE ACCURACY OF THE REBELS' WAR STATEMENTS, UNLESS THEY
RECOGNIZE A VOICE, THEY CAN NEVER BE SURE WHO THEY ARE ACTUALLY
TALKING TO. THEY ALSO REMAIN UNCERTAIN ABOUT EXACTLY WHERE THAT
PERSON IS LOCATED -- NO MATTER WHAT THE UNITA REPRESENTATIVE
CLAIMS.
UNFORTUNATELY, INDEPENDENT REPORTS ON THE WAR ARE DIFFICULT TO
COME BY BECAUSE ACCESS TO BATTLE ZONES ON EITHER SIDE IS
GENERALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
MOST FOREIGN REPORTERS RELY ON UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AGENCIES OR
OTHER HUMANITARIAN GROUPS FOR FLIGHTS OR GROUND TRANSPORTATION TO
AREAS WHERE FIGHTING IS TAKING PLACE. BUT AID ORGANIZATIONS
ROUTINELY STOP TRAVELLING TO DESTINATIONS WHERE COMBAT IS A RISK.
(SIGNED)
NEB/BEL/DW/JO
24-Jan-99 10:11 AM EST (1511 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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