February 16, 2009 at 07:55:09
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Open Letter to Time Magazine on Ben Affleck and Congo
by Georgianne Nienaber Page 1 of 1 page(s)
www.opednews.com
Regarding Ben Affleck's essay on Congo, the first thing that assaults credibility is his description of the landscape as a "bucolic jungle." Eastern Congo is not a "jungle," it is forested in some areas, and it is certainly not "bucolic." I beg to differ with Mr. Affleck, as I have just returned from the region as an independent journalist. I have been working in the region since 2004. I also happened to interview CNDP leader Laurent Nkunda a week before his detention by Rwanda. Thank you to the Huffington Post for linking to the report (s) Australian Journalist Helen Thomas and I filed from DRC. Rwanda's forces did not "flush out" Nkunda. He went willingly to Gisenyi to meet with Kagame's representatives, where they betrayed him, and now have him under house arrest. I am in regular contact with civilian supporters of the CNDP who are grateful that we posted our unedited interview with Nkunda on YOUTUBE. Congolese refugees in Rwanda are demonstrating for the release of their "leader" Nkunda, but Time Magazine seems to not be reporting that fact. If Mr. Affleck has compelling testimony from Nkunda, why does he not make it available--for free? The fate of millions of people hangs in the balance now, and they do not have time to wait for Mr. Affleck's Hollywood documentary. Meanwhile, there has been MORE violence in eastern DRC, as reported by Human Rights Watch, since Nkunda's detention. I also find it comical to see the photo of Mr. Affleck being "patted down" while his "war correspondent" photographer looks on with his lens.
Two small women went in with our Nikon and Canon cameras with no problem, no patting down, and no sense of threat. We had dinner with Nkunda after the interview and met with his family. Of course it is very "Hollywood" to gin up the reality of meeting with Nkunda to enhance the "bravery" of Affleck and his cameraman. This is not journalism. This is a Hollywood promotion sanctioned by Time Magazine.
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
VERY VERY INTERESTING!
Check this out, the link takes ages to open that's why I post it and then the text. There is a function allowing you to contact the author! Please do so to thank her. Encouraged she may be able to do some more! http://www.opednews.com/articles/Open-Letter-to-Time-Magazi-by-Georgianne-Nienabe-090214-536.html
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6 comments:
Thanx for the link:
Below some interesting links also :
This came from the same author : Congolese Populist Movement Requests Urgent Meeting With S.O.S. Clinton and U.N. Secretary Rice
http://www.laprogressive.com/2009/02/16/congolese-populist-movement-requests-urgent-meeting-with-sos-clinton-and-un-secretary-rice/
The second from Kenya Daily Nation : Why Kabila may soon be powerless
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/-/1066/531130/-/13rb2fwz/-/index.html
I had seen the one from the nation; it is actually nice, though it seems to miss the point of a real possible dismissal of Kamerhe in Kinshasa. As for the first one, I don't understand who is behind the petition in the SOS Clinton. Surely if this person knows the region, she should be aware that the Clintos are friends of Kagame and Ms Rice a friend of Kabila according to rumours around since 1998.
Things are becoming more and more complicated and really strange with humanitarians and international NGO's.
Before, many if not all of those NGO's were against CNDP and Nkunda for his program to defeat FDLR and against Kabila's ruling politics.
Now, since Nkunda is under custody in Rwanda and CNDP considered as "swallowed" by FARDC, those same NGO's are feeling committed to help CNDP and Hutu (in fact FDLR) against Rwanda - DRC joint intervention to root up FDLR!!!
And nothing is said about the FDLR leaders living undisturbed in Europe and elsewhere even in USA.
Actually, the NGO's main concern is FDLR being in danger and seemingly its next destruction. I believe they are now seeing that the motivation and rational of their presence in Kivu are jeopardized.
Next sentences from Linda Milazzo in LAProgressive web site are really awful for their mix up:
It is imperative that you understand that with every passing day since the General’s detention, Rwandan Tutsi troops have slaughtered more and more Hutu civilians. Unless immediate assistance is provided and high level dialogue is initiated with the United States, the General will remain in grave danger (including the possibility of assassination), and civilian massacres will continue to rise. HRW can't of course miss that opportunity to smash a strong message with well tuned reports ...
More, we see by those unappropriated and insane reports in the media that we are dealing with powerful organizations ready to pay what is needed to achieve their objectives in controlling total Africa resources.
Those humanitarians and multinational companies are working hands in hands. Check only the guy “Hotel Rwanda” humanitarian Paul Rusesabagina. He got his say in the article when he is a true negationist and FDLR member!?
Hope Antoinette and everybody noticed those special "discrepancies".
Bagambiki
Yes Bagambiki, you are at the right track.
Congo Times with it's ink slaves of Joseph Kabila's faith spread news about Nkunda having been watched at a soccer match in Rwanda. So it is proven Kagame is a friend of Nkunda as ever since.
Same is the fog spread about the transfer of Nkunda to be exported to Joseph Kabila's torture barracks in Kinshasa or not.
The thicker the fog the more there is the possibility of Nkunda beeing murdered. The thick fog serves to lower the anger of people about catching Nkunda in Rwanda by Kagame. Both in Kigali and Kinshasa might grow this anger to Madagascar dimension.
And then the game of these autocrats is over. Dead or alive, Nkunda or Lumumba murdered, there will be many more Nkundas and Lumumbas. This schould not be forgotten. The reason for existance of Lumumba and Nkunda is injustice. If injustice would be killed, there would be no more reason to fight. This lesson all autocrats forget.
L.
Dear Bagambiki,
Please do an anlysis of those discrepancies. I will post it. It is important for people not to fall into the trap. I am swamped by typical academic log in the form of exams, end of semester for my beloved undergraduate students. I will be grateful! Thanks!
Sorry but I don't have enough time neither though the topic and subject is highly important.
This needs to go one by one in those rubbish articles and reports from those well known HRW, International Amnesty, etc.
The main point again is how they are using information to poisoning people mind. They are paid to do so, that's their job to destabilize opinions and governments mostly in Africa.
Bagambiki
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