Freddy Mulongo
Freddy Mulongo, born September 6, 1965 in Lubumbashi in the province of Katanga, is a Congolese journalist living in France. It is one of the great defenders of associative and community radios in Congo. Accredited at Matignon with Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault government, he is also accredited at the Palais des Nations in Geneva where is the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Studies
After his studies in Paris, and having experienced the outbreak of free radios in France, he returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo where he created "Réveil FM", the first community radio station in Kinshasa.
Political Commitment
June 7, 1999, Freddy Mulongo created free radio "Réveil FM" to bring Kinshasa inhabitants proximity information. It began broadcasting on 20 November the same year.
September 14, 2000 an order of the Congolese government stopped its diffusion, as well as other radio stations.
In March 2001, he initiated the Festival "Free frequencies or radio pluralism" in the People's Palace in Kinshasa. He was elected President of the Association of Community Radios and Associative Congo (Arco).
In August 2006, while Freddy Mulongo participated at the world general assembly of Amarc in Amman Jordan, the High Media Authority (HAM) will suspend "Réveil FM" the eve of the proclamation of the results of the first round of presidential elections 2006, for a reason: "Lack of program schedule".
This political coup of the HAM to reduce press freedom was a sword in the water for more than 165 radios present at Amman as they sign a protest petition and support Freddy Mulongo and "Réveil FM".
President of Arco from 2001-2007, Freddy Mulongo also organized in 2006 radio silence days to protest against administration that wanted to silence the third sector and the alternative media Congolese media landscape.
In 2001, there were only 10 radio stations in Congo and in 2007, when he left to return to France, the Democratic Republic of Congo had over 250 associative and community radios, the same number as South Africa.
From Paris, Réveil FM became International and is now emitting on the net.
More recently
On 25 April 2012, Freddy Mulongo asked the question to the candidate François Hollande for Réveil FM between the two rounds of the presidential election during a press conference with 300 accredited journalists : "Mr Holland, once elected, will you go to the XIVè Francophonie summit to be held from 12 to 14 October 2012 in Kinshasa? And what will be your projected management of is your case management 'Françafrique'? ' (While there was electoral hold-up recognized by observers of the European Union, the Carter Center, the Catholic Church and the United Nations)
External links
Last book : "En toute liberté", Edition Edilivre collection Classique (sept.14, of 2012)