August programs

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Please find below descriptions of IRfJ programs produced during August.  French versions of these programs are posted here on our website with English transcripts.

The 7th program in the On the Track of Justice Series features ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo answering questions from citizens of Ituri during a public meeting organized  by IRfJ on 11 July.  Citizens from the towns of Lopa and Katoni, and the principalities of Bokoko, Lumumba, and Yambi, as well as those from Bunia, posed questions directly to the Prosecutor during the meeting which was recorded by IRfJ staff.  This program is made from those recordings.

The 8^th program in the On the Track of Justice Series features Chief Defense Counsel for Thomas Lubanga, Catherine Mabille, and Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo  responding to questions together at the public meeting held on 11 July.  The protection of witnesses and the quest for the truth are two points which the Defense and Prosecution find common ground on during this discussion.  Detailed information on the public meeting we held in Bunia on July 11 can be found under “Events” on our website.

The 56^th program in the IRfJ base series addresses a wide range of local and national justice questions posed by people in Bunia, from whether taxes collected at the local market are legal; to whether the law allows a village-chief to sell an individual’s plot of land; to why in Ituri there are people held in prison for two years without a trial.  The Police Inspector and Commander for Ituri, the City Chief for Bunia and a Judge at the High Court of First Instance for Ituri are among the officials who respond to questions in this program.

The first program in our new series Justice Magazine focuses on the rights of those who have family members and loved-ones held at the Bunia prison.  This new series Justice Magazine addresses human rights and justice concerns voiced by our listeners through a multi-genre production, where we use drama, commentary by listeners and responses by a justice official who is invited to our studio to address the concern du jour for each program in the series.

The above programming was produced in French, Swahili and Lingala and broadcast on community radio throughout the Ituri district, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  In additional to our main radio partner in Bunia, which broadcasts throughout all of Ituri, there are six other community radios in Ituri broadcasting IRfJ programming.

Interactive Radio for Justice creates reliable and interactive dialog between communities targeted by ICC investigations and the responsible justice authorities, at both local and international levels.  This dialogue, which starts with questions directly from citizens in these targeted communities, fosters mutual understanding and a consciousness of rule of law and personal and public responsibility.  We believe that this is essential for international justice to have a significant impact where the most serious crimes against humanity are taking place, and that this consciousness is essential for sustainable peace in these regions. 

Thank you for your continued interest and support for IRfJ, your comments and ideas are always welcome!

Sincerely,
Wanda E Hall
Director and Founder
Interactive Radio for Justice
www.irfj.org