DR Congo: CPJ Calls on Authorities to Restore Telecom Services in Fizi Territory
The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to restore mobile telephone and internet services in the eastern Fizi Territory, where networks have been cut off for more than a month, according to AllAfrica.
The press freedom organisation said the blackout was affecting Fizi Territory, which includes the city of Baraka, in South Kivu province. The shutdown has severed a vital communications link for residents, humanitarian workers and journalists operating in a region already affected by armed conflict, as AllAfrica reported.
CPJ said the prolonged outage undermined the ability of reporters to file stories and of citizens to access information, warning that siloing communities from digital communications can compound humanitarian and security concerns. The group urged Congolese authorities to immediately restore services and to provide a public explanation for the disruption.
Conflict in eastern DRC
South Kivu is one of the provinces that have borne the brunt of eastern Congo’s long-running insecurity, where multiple armed groups operate and clashes between government forces and rebels have displaced large populations in recent years. The region has been a focal point of operations by M23 rebels, drawing renewed regional and international attention to the DRC’s eastern frontier.
Communications blackouts in conflict-affected areas of the DRC have been a recurring concern for media and humanitarian organisations, who argue that cut-offs hamper reporting on civilian protection and aid delivery.
CPJ’s appeal adds a press-freedom dimension to the broader humanitarian and security concerns surrounding the blackout.
Sources
This report was written from coverage published by the following news organisations. Follow the links for the original reporting.
