SECTOR 1

Examples of intimidation and harassment are many and include the arrest of
teachers’ leaders during a demonstration over pay and poor working conditions
in early 2013.
A repressive mentality that existed during most of the country’s dictatorial and
one party rule has lingered on in spite of the introduction of political pluralism
and the adoption of a new constitution that guarantees numerous freedoms. In
other terms, “the ruling class has failed to evolve with legal reforms... They have
the same old mentality and help in dragging down the country with the loss of
democratic values in which the media are the fourth estate”.
The result is a widening gap between constitutional guarantees and the practice
of freedom of expression. Many Congolese know better than to openly discuss a
broad range of subjects still considered by the authorities as not belonging to the
public domain. These include, among others, the management and exploitation
of the country’s rich petroleum, mineral and timber resources, ill-gotten wealth,
corruption, fraud and the mismanagement of the country.
Being a post-conflict country, security issues are considered extremely sensitive.
But, even seemingly harmless subjects like the use of pesticides in relation to
environmental issues cannot be discussed without some kind of repercussion, if it
portrays some powerful interests in a negative way.
A major hurdle to free expression is the absence of the rule of law. Security forces,
especially the country’s notorious intelligence force, habitually arrest outspoken
individuals without due process. A powerful official who feels libelled in the media
can call in the police to arrested accused individuals, usually without a warrant.
Furthermore the country’s political atmosphere is tense. Many journalists claim
they routinely receive phone calls, both from known public/security officials and
anonymous people, following reporting judged unfriendly by certain quarters.
Critical journalists and civil society representatives are branded as opposition
forces, which makes them vulnerable to repression.
Under such conditions, journalists say they are forced to practice self-censorship
in order to stay out of trouble. Some claim that even private conversations
could land one in trouble and suspect that their phones and even e-mails are
being monitored. In post-conflict Congo, the freedoms granted by the law are
“controlled freedoms” and journalists have to “work with precaution”.

76

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO 2013

Select target paragraph3