AFRICA/BURUNDI - Five radio stations attacked during violence over an attempted coup in Bujumbura

Bujumbura (Agenzia Fides) - "Attacking news outlets is never a solution, especially when citizens need to know what is happening around them and those in power should be listening to what their people are saying " says Sue Valentine, Africa program coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), in a statement sent to Fides on the crisis in Burundi. According to the CPJ in recent days, at least five radio stations were attacked during violence over an attempted coup in the capital, Bujumbura. On May 14, unidentified individuals fired grenades into the compounds of privately owned stations Bonesha FM, Renaissance Radio and Television, Radio Isanganiro, and the privately owned Burundian station African Public Radio, whose director was forced to flee outside, because, he said, was threatened with death. Another report on Thursday said that the offices of African Public Radio had been burned down, with report saying that it had been hit by a rocket.
On Wednesday, protesters attacked the privately owned pro-government radio station Rema FM. Some news reports said the station was burned down. Other reports said cars in front of the station were set on fire, but the station had not been destroyed. None of the stations are currently operating. In Burundi, where Internet penetration was only 1.3 per cent in 2013 according to the International Telecommunications Union, radio is the primary source of news. Among other things, social networking sites had been temporarily inaccessible on cell phones. Even Iwacu, Burundi's most widely circulated newspaper, posted on Twitter on Thursday that it too had shut down after receiving threats. As reported to Fides (see Fides 15/05/2015), armed supporters of President Nkurunziza and Niyombare fought for control of state-run radio Burundi National Radio and Television (RTNB), reports said. By Friday, pro-government forces had succeeded in forcefully regaining control of the station, reports said. The state broadcaster is a particularly powerful news outlet because it is the only station that broadcasts nationally. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 16/05/2015)