Maputo, 15 Dec (AIM) – The Mozambican chapter of the regional press freedom body MISA (Media Institute of Southern Africa) has demanded a speedy investigation into the murder on Thursday morning of journalist Joao Chamusse.
Only a full investigation, warned a MISA release on the murder, “can remove the association that is being publicly made between the assassination of this journalist and his criticisms of the Frelimo government”.
Chamusse was found murdered in the yard of his home in the Maputo municipal district of Katembe. So far the police have said nothing about the crime.
Chamusse edited a weekly electronic paper “Ponto por Ponto”, and was a regular commentator on the independent television station, TV Sucesso. Earlier in his career, he had been interim editor of the independent newssheet “Mediafax”, and co-founder of the weekly paper “Canal de Mocambique”.
Throughout his career he had been highly critical of the Mozambican government, and was one of many journalists who denounced the fraud that characterized the municipal elections held on 11 October.
MISA declared “nothing justifies the assassination of any citizen, but particularly of journalists whose work is crucial for the survival of democracy”.
Regardless of the motive, the release continued, “the murder of a journalist is a great setback for a democratic country, where the media is a fundamental pillar. Hence the murder of Joao Chamusse should be condemned in the most vehement way possible”.
“No society should allow a resort to murder to solve its problems”, MISA added. “At the same time as it condemns this vile act, MISA-Mozambique urges the competent authorities to investigate and clear up, as quickly as possible, this crime which has shocked the country and the world”.
The Mozambican government, stressed MISA, “needs to send a clear message that it will not tolerate murders, particularly of journalists”.
In matters of freedom of expression and of the press, the release said, “the name of Mozambique is already stained internationally, due to events of recent years, including the killing and kidnapping of journalists, and other ways of repressing these professionals”.
MISA was sure that the Mozambican state “does not want to carry another burden of the murder of a journalist”, and the way of dispelling any suspicion “is to clear up this public crime, and bring its moral and material authors to trial”.
(AIM)
Pf/ (393)
