[Imc-africa] BLOCK Re: PROPOSED: WSF IndyMedia Center/Radio Station Robbed by Gunmen

[Peter van Heusden]

Hi comrades

I don't think we should be posting this article on its own, for a number
of reasons. Firstly there has been little input from the World Social
Forum, largely due to problems of Internet access in Kenya. Thus this
article would effectively stand alone as reportage from the WSF. In that
context, I believe that by focussing on crime in the particular
(episodic and context-less) way that it does, it perpetuates negative
Western stereotypes of Africa. The criminal shutdown of the radio
station was only one form of silencing taking place in Nairobi - see for
instance this report:  http://de.indymedia.org/2007/01/167151.shtml
Finally, I must admit that I find the portrayal of the women in the
story who are "women only" terribly grateful of the help they are
receiving from IndyMedia and Prometheus, a bit grating. It seems that in
the coverage of the World Social Forum, with all due respect, this story
mostly highlights Indymedia and Prometheus Radio Project.

So can we hold off on this story and rather try and produce an overall
story about the World Social Forum later in the week? I've created a
scratchpad for collecting coverage at
https://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/GlobalWorkPadWSF2007

Peter
Indymedia South Africa


suzq wrote:
> This is new since we posted the last article, and I thought it important 
> to post.  Is there anyone in particular within the local IMC whom we can 
> ask as to whether it's OK to post this?  I just saw it on the Philly IMC, 
> I'm not there on the spot.
>
> Thanks,
> ZQ
>
> TITLE: World Social Forum IndyMedia Center/Radio Station Robbed by Gunmen
>
> IMAGE:
> http://www.phillyimc.org/images/2007/01/36519.jpg
>
> ABSTRACT:
> On Monday, January 22nd at about 7:15pm local time, three armed robbers 
> entered the skybox of the Moi Stadium being used by the World Social Forum 
> IndyMedia Center (IMC) and an Prometheus Radio Project station Radio Huru 
> and robbed three women working there. In spite of this setback, the 
> station was able to go on-air in Nairobi, Kenya.
>
> RELATED LINKS:
> <a href="http://www.phillyimc.org/en/2007/01/36514.shtml">Audio Report 
> of the Attack</a> | <a href="http://kenya.indymedia.org/">Indymedia 
> Kenya</a> | <a href="http://www.prometheusradio.org/"> | <a 
> href="http://kenya.indymedia.org/news/2007/01/521_comment.php#525">Update</a> 
> | <a href="http://wsf2007.org/">World Social Forum 2007</a> |
> <a href="http://wiki.radiolivre.org/Main/WorldSocialForum2007">Convergence 
> Radio Project</a>
>
> TEXT:
> WSF IndyMedia Center/Prometheus Station Robbed by Gunmen
> <p>
> Moi Sports Complex Nairobi, Kenya January 22, 2006
> Jim  Ellinger in Nairobi  jimedia at grandecom.net
> <p>
> On Monday, January 22nd at about 7:15pm local time, three armed robbers 
> entered the skybox of the Moi Stadium being used by the World Social Forum 
> IndyMedia Center (IMC) and an Prometheus Radio Project station Radio Huru 
> and robbed three women working there.
> <p>
> The Moi Sports Complex in the Kasarani area of the Nairobi capital was the 
> site of the 7th World Social Forum, held from January 21st to 25th. An 
> estimated 50,000 persons participated in the event.
> <p>
> Sofina Nakoto and Farida Nasanga of Kampala, Nigeria and Elena Botkin-Levy 
> of the Prometheus Radio Project of Philadelphia were at the station when 
> the robbery occurred.
> <p>
> One of the men brandished a handgun and stuck it in Nasanga's face, 
> ordering the women to lie on the studio floor. The men then 
> proceeded to rob the station of microphones, wallets, a video camera and a 
> laptop computer.
> <p>
> "One of the men was speaking to us in Swahili which we didn't understand. 
> He pulled out a gun and pushed our heads down. We were 
> scared. We are women only," said Nakota. 
> "Who are you? Who are you? What are you doing here?" the women asked.
> <p>
> The robbers dumped the contents of a tool bag on the studio floor and used 
> it to haul off their loot. The robbery took less than 15 minutes. There 
> were no shots fired or injuries. The crime was reported at the police 
> station in the sports complex. There have been no arrests.
> <p>
> The robbers left the three women laying on the studio floor and locked 
> them in the from the outside. A short while later a friend freed them. 
> Seeing the three women laying on the floor, the man at initially thought 
> they were praying or sleeping, according to Nasanga. But the women were 
> fearful the robbers had returned.<p>
> "I felt bad because this is not my country. If I died here my parents 
> would not know what happened. I didn't want this bad thing," said Nasanga when 
> interviewed the following day.
> <p>
> The women recognized one of the robbers who had visited the station 
> earlier in the day, even helping to hang a sign. They now believe he was 
> planning the robbery. The skybox where the station was located was in a 
> remote part of the stadium, high above the majority of the activity and 
> crowds on the stadium grounds.
> <p>
> Despite the harrowing experience, all three women returned to their work 
> with the community media. 
> "We wanted to continue our radio work," said Nasanga. 
> "I'm not feeling good about what happened, but we want IndyMedia to go 
> around the world. Many people have many problems and we want to help. We 
> have to continue because the problems are painful," said Nasanga.
> <p>
> "We want to thank the people with IndyMedia and Prometheus Radio workers 
> who have come here and trained us and cooperated with us," said Nasanga.
> <p>
> Two days after the robbery, at 10:30am local time, Radio Huru signed on 
> the air. Farida Nasanga was the first voice on the air.
> <p>
> <a href="jimedia at grandecom.net">Jim Ellinger</a>
> WSF Nairobi, Kenya
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