Update to AGO35312.E of 1 September 2000 on the Jornal de Angola; its current status; names of its editors and journalists; their treatment by the authorities; and whether the paper has to be submitted for approval before it can be distributed [AGO36096.E]

The following names of editors and journalists at the Jornal de Angola were taken from the paper's Website on 8 January 2001.

Editors:

Osvaldo Gonçalves, Editor-in-Chief
José Cristóvão, Executive Editor
Guilhermino Alberto and Garrido Fragoso, Political Editors
Manuel Correira Carlos and Alberto Pereira Dinis, General Section Editors
António Canepa and Henrique Matos, Internacional Editors
Raimundo Salvador and Leonel Kassana, Economics Editors
Lourenço José, and Kumuênho da Rosa, Editors of Culture
Jomo Fortunato, Editor of Cultural Life
Caetano Júnior and Fernando Cunha, Sports Editors
António Paulo and Agostinho Chitata, Weekend Editors
Manuel Dionísio, Social Editor

Journalists:

Manuel Feio, Ambrósio Clemente, César André, Armando Estrela, Ruth Zená, António Cruz, Pereira Santana, Fátima Gourgel, António Benquengue, Alberto Pegado, Altino Matos, Amândio Clemente, António Cristóvão, Honorato Silva, Sérgio Chivaca, Bernardino Fançony, Rosalina Mateta, Augusto Alfredo

Provincial Correspondants:

Alberto Coelho (Cabinda), Isidoro Natalício (K. Norte), Adelino Ngunza (Malanje), Alberto Mendes (Uíje), Hortêncio Sebastião (L. Norte), Baptista Marta (Namibe), Jaime Azulay (Benguela), António Eugénio (Huambo), João Luhaco e Estanislau Costa (Huíla), Jesus Silva (Lobito), Lourenço Manuel (Kuando Kubango), Luís Pedro (Kuanza Sul), João Mavinga (Zaire), Rodrigues Pedro (Cunene), Augusto Pedro (Bengo).

Exterior Correspondant:

Sebastião Coelho (Buenos Aires)

Further to the information on the case of Isidoro Natalício in AGO35312.E of 1 September 2000, correspondent of Jornal de Angola in the Kwanza Norte provincial capital N'Dalantando, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) reported in November 2000 that Natalício was threatened by the governor of Kwanza Norte province, Manuel Pedro Pacavira, after he reported on the Catholic radio station Radio Ecclesia that a rally had taken place in front of the governor's home by angry war veterans, former political prisoners and injured soldiers who had been denied payments of their pensions (8 Nov. 2000). The governor informed Natalício during a 7 November 2000 meeting that the mob of angry veterans would protest in front of the journalist's house for "'incriminating them against the governor'" (ibid.). In another related incident on the same day, Natalício was subpoened by the province's bureau of criminal investigation (DPIC) for "defaming and slandering" the governor in his 3 November 2000 report on Radio Ecclesia (ibid.). Police questioned him on 7 November 2000, but he refused to answer any questions without the presence of a lawyer (ibid.). Natalício was also awaiting the verdict of his appeal of an eviction warrant on his house issued by a provincial court in June 2000; he was to attend a court hearing on 8 November 2000 to find out the ruling on his home (ibid.). No additional information on the outcome of the cases against Natalício could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. No other reports of the treatment of journalists employed by Jornal de Angola could be found among the sources conulted by the Research Directorate.

In a 11 January 2001 telephone interview, the Africa Program Coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York stated that Angola mandates by law that all print media, be it government or independently operated, send copies of their papers to the Ministry of Information and the Social Communications Council. However, in practice, the government does not have the means to enforce the law (ibid.).

Attempts to obtain copies of the 11 January and 1 May 1999 editions of Jornal de Angola were unsuccessful within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), New York. 11 January 2001. Telephone interview with the Africa Program Coordinator.

Jornal de Angola [Luanda]. 8 January 2001. http://jornaldeangola.ebonet.net/ [Accessed 9 Jan. 2001]

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA). 8 November 2000. "Angolan Governor Threatens Journalist." http://dfn.org/focus/angola/natalicio.htm [Accessed 10 Jan. 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted


Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1999. 2000

IRB Databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

World News Connection (WNC)

Two oral sources contacted.

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International

Angola Peace Monitor [London]. January 2000-December 2000

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Search Engine

Daily Mail & Guardian [Johannesburg]. Search Engine

Digital Freedom Network

Freedom House

Human Rights Watch

International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX)

Reporters sans frontières (RSF)

UK Immigration and Nationality Directorate

ReliefWeb

Search Engines:

Dogpile

Fast Search

Google