Armed intruders threaten journalist in Nord-Kivu home

Reporters Without Borders wrote yesterday to the governor of the eastern province of Nord-Kivu, Julien Paluku Kahongya, voicing deep concern about an armed attack on Radiotélévision Nationale Congolaise journalist Tuver Wundi Muhindo on 12 April in Goma, the provincial capital. “We urge you to ensure that Wundi and his family are protected and that this attack is properly investigated so that both the perpetrators and instigators are indentified,” Reporters Without Borders said in its letter. “By demonstrating that press freedom is one of your priorities, you will discourage others who might be tempted to act in a similar fashion and you will show that no crime goes unpunished in your province.” The attack was carried out by four Swahili-speaking gunmen, who burst into Wundi's home at around 8 p.m., tied up his family and then went to the room where Wundi was and held him at gunpoint, threatening to rape his wife in front of him and threatening to kill him because he had become “Goma's richest journalist.” They finally left after about 30 minutes, taking money, objects of value and some of his journalistic equipment, said Wundi, who is also the correspondent of Journalist in Danger (JED), the Reporters Without Borders partner organisation in the DRC. The still-traumatised Wundi told JED and Reporters Without Borders: “It was a miracle I survived.” He reported the intrusion to Goma's judicial and military authorities the next morning. The police arrested two suspects but it is not yet known if they participated in the attack.