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· ALERTDate: October 12, 2005Persons/Institutions: Media in AngolaViolation: ThreatenedOn October 12, 2005, the President of Angola’s National Assembly accused local independentmedia of instigating a new civil war in the country.Roberto de Almeida said independent newspapers and radio stations should be blamed forwhat he considered as instigation to the return of the war in Angola.Speaking to the government-controlled National Radio of Angola (NRA), De Almeida accusedthe media of irresponsibility and having a politic agenda focused on “bringing a new waramong the Angolans.”He particularly focused on “Semanario Angolense”, the major weekly independent newspaperin the country. De Almeida was referring to an article the paper published on a group of armysoldiers who were allegedly unhappy with the treatment they were receiving from the government.De Almeida holds the second highest position in the Angolan government structure andoften assumes the role of Head of State.· ALERTDate: August 24, 2005Persons/Institutions: Francisco ZuaViolation: Threatened, censored (equipment confiscated)On August 24 2005, Angolan police threatened and censored a photojournalist with the independentweekly “Angolense”, allegedly for reporting in an area without prior authorisation.Photojournalist Francisco Zua was taking photographs in one of the more crowded streets ofthe capital, Luanda, when a policeman stopped him and said he had no authorisation to reporton the area. According to the reporter, the police officer grabbed his camera and removed thememory card before releasing him. The newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Suzana Mendes, queriedthe police station commander about the incident and was instructed to take the camera to thepolice station to ensure that the memory card belonged to the camera in question. The policeseized the equipment, however, and deleted the entire content of the memory card, Mendestold MISA-Angola.· ALERTDate: August 22, 2005Persons/Institutions: Zeca MartinsViolation: CensoredAngola’s government-controlled National Radio has fired a respected sports analyst after hecriticised the country’s Football Federation.On August 22 2005, Zeca Martins, a commentator for Radio Cinco, National Radio’s sportschannel, received a letter indicating that he was, as of that day, no longer a member of thestation staff for “breaking personal confidence.” Martins told MISA-Angola that he was firedfor allegedly breaking the personal trust of the social communication (information) minister,an allegation that he denies.· ALERT UPDATEDate: July 20, 2005Persons/Institutions: Media in AngolaViolation: CensoredThree months after Deputy Minister of Information Miguel de Carvalho urged state-owned“Jornal de Angola” to give less space to the opposition, the country’s only daily has significantlyincreased its coverage of government and ruling party activities, journalists have toldMISA-Angola.So This Is Democracy? 2005-34-Media Institute of Southern Africa