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

[Josh Marcus]

Hello there,

I'd like to support Peter's idea of a broader feature produced later,
which can include more of the reporting done from the WSF.  I was a
part of the convergence in Nairobi (and am now in Maseno near Kisumu,
with the team helping to build a second station) and we have a lot of
great coverage -- including mp3s of the Radio Huru broadcast -- which
we have not been able to get online due to the scarcity of good
internet connections.  It would be great to give us a chance to get
that online -- and for others to get their coverage online -- and put
up a representative feature of the full convergence and the coverage
that was done.

--j

On 1/29/07, Peter van Heusden <pvh at wfeet.za.net> wrote:
> 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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> > Imc-africa at lists.indymedia.org
> > http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-africa
> >
> >
>
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