Quite the opposite, in fact. All this repression only strengthens our belief that we are doing the right thing. It actually helps us keep faith. As I said earlier on, the authorities generally tend to consider independent journalists as politicians and they tend to throw us in the same bag with rebels and those they accuse of serving imperialistic goals. All that because we do not toe the line.
Authorities behave like that wherever democracy is non-existent.
The civil war in your country is mind-boggling to a lot of people in the outside world. In the search for peace, the media should be a forum for free, uncensored speech, for dialogue and positive confrontation of ideas and opinions, because nothing can grow where speech is restricted. While playing this role, the media should avoid sensationalizing the news, which might compromise its true goals. Above all, the media should never be involved in war propaganda. Congolese journalists are routinely made victims of degrading practices, from unjustified arrests to brute beatings, from death threats and annoying anonymous phone calls to expedient trials on bogus charges before a military court whose decisions cannot be appealed.