Radio reporter is target of death threats, grenade attack

Reporters Without Borders condemns a grenade attack last night on Voice of America correspondent Diane Nininahazwe, the latest target of the threats and attacks that are forcing more and more journalists to flee to neighbouring countries, especially Rwanda. Nininahazwe had just arrived at her parents’ home when the grenade was thrown and exploded in their plot of land, shattering windows but causing no injuries. “These attacks on media personnel, which are designed to silence the few journalists still courageously working in Burundi, are absolutely intolerable,” said Cléa Kahn-Sriber, the head of the Reporters Without Borders Africa desk. “How can the government claim that all is back to normal when such attacks happen every day? The deafening silence from the authorities in response to these attacks is tantamount to an endorsement. How can this situation be regarded as favourable for holding elections?” Nininahazwe was the target of threats in the days prior to yesterday’s attack, when she went to the northwestern province of Bubanza to cover reports of kidnappings, looting and livestock theft in the Gihanga area. After interviewing members of the public, she was prevented from seeing the municipal administrator. Police said she needed accreditation from the provincial governor before doing any reporting. After doing a live report by phone, she received threatening messages on her return. “Others may have escaped death but you will not,” one of the messages said. Many journalists have being getting such threats and around 50 have fled to neighbouring countries including Rwanda. Journalists organizing in exile A handful of the journalists in Rwanda recorded a broadcast yesterday for the Burundian population that was the first of its kind. It was recorded at the studios of the Isanganiro Star, a Rwandan radio station, and was broadcast by six Rwandan stations, some of which can be received in Burundi, Radio France Internationale said. Pierre Claver Nyankuru, the journalist who presented the programme, said it could be heard in “six provinces in the north and west.” Nyankuru used to work for Radio Bonesha, which has been closed since 14 May, like all of Burundi’s privately-owned radio stations. The one-hour Kirundi-language broadcast addressed the situation in Burundi ahead of the elections planned by the authorities. “Everyone expressed their views, it was a very balanced broadcast,” Radio Bonesha director Patrick Nduwimana told RFI. “We had comments from the Election Commission, the ruling party and the opposition.” The journalists involved plan to produce a similar one-hour Kirundi-language programme every two weeks with aim of informing both the public in Burundi and Burundians in exile. Photo: Diane Nininahazwe / IWACU