THE FATE OF TWO CANADIAN JOURNALISTS TO BE CLEAR BY TOMORROW The fate of two journalists, Canadian nationals who were arrested this morning will be clear by tomorrow in an unknown time so far. These journalists are in Tanzania in internships in order to learn the Tanzania experience in the media industry. The duo was bailed out by the Mwananchi Communications Ltd. Legal Officer Ms. Doris Marealle and they are supposed to report at the Oyster Bay Police tomorrow morning at nine. The two namely; Mr. Christopher Charles Oke and Mr. Michael Macdonald were arrested at the Lugalo Military Barracks where they went to witness the paying of last respects to a soldier with the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces (TPDF), Private Hugo Munga who passed away recently in South Africa after he had sustained serious injuries in the Democratic Republic of Congo being part of the UN regiment for peace keeping purposes. For the whole day these journalists had to attend a series of questioning from the military barracks to the Oyster Bay Police. They were accompanied by Ms Marealle the Legal Officer at the Mwananchi Communications Ltd where these journalists are currently attached, and Mr. Gasirigwa Sengiyumva the Information and Research Officer (IRO) at our member NGO, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-TAN). Their charges are yet to be disclosed but the possibility is breaching of security protocols by entering in a military camp without special permits. Three officials of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC) namely Mr. Onesmo Olengurumwa-Coordinator, Elias Mhegera-Information Officer, and Bendict Ishabakaki-Protection Officer attended at the Oyster Bay Police offices in order to support the media fraternity being one of its thematic groups. HATIMA YA WAANDISHI WA HABARI WAWILI RAIA WA KANADA KUFAHAMIKA KESHO Hatima ya waandishi wawili raia wa Kanada waliopo nchini kwa ajili ya kujifunza utendaji kazi wa vyombo vya habari Tanzania itajulikana kesho. Waandishi hao walikamatwa leo asubuhi na mpaka sasa haijafahamika uamuzi juu yao utatolewa saa ngapi. Wameachiliwa kwa dhamana ya Bi Doris Marealle Mwanasheria wa Mwananchi Communications Ltd na wametakiwa kuripoti tena kituoni Oyster Bay kesho asubuhi saa tatu. Waandishi hao; Bw. Christopher Charles Oke na mwenzake Bw. Michael Macdonald walikamatwa katika kambi ya Jeshi la Wananchi Tanzania (JWTZ), mara tu baada ya zoezi la kutoa heshima za mwisho kwa marehemu Private Michael Macdonald aliyefariki hivi karibuni nchini Afrika ya Kusini baada ya kujeruhiwa vibaya nchini Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo (DRC), ambako alikuwa mmoja katika askari wanaounda jeshi la kulinda amani la Umoja wa Mataifa. Kwa siku nzima ya leo waandishi hao walikuwa wakihojiwa na wanajeshi kuanzia kambini Lugalo na baadaye katika kituo cha Polisi Oyster Bay. Waliambatana na mwanasheria wa kampuni ya Mwananchi Communications, Bi Marealle, na Afisa Habari na Utafiti (IRO) wa Taasisi ya Uhuru wa Habari Kusini mwa Afrika (MISA-TAN) Bw, Gasirigwa Sengiyumva. Ingawaje mashitaka yao hayajawekwa wazi lakini inahofiwa kwamba wanashitakiwa kwa kuingia katika kambi ya jeshi bila vibali maalumu kwa raia wa kigeni. Maafis watatu wa Mtandao wa Watetezi wa Haki za Binadamu (THRDC) Mratibu-Bw. Onesmo Olengurumwa, Afisa Habari-Bw. Elias Mhegera na Afisa Usalama Bw. Benedict Ishabakaki walifika katika Kituo cha Polisi Oysterbay kwa lengo la kuwaunga mkono wanahabari likiwa ni kundi mojawapo kati ya yaanayohudumiwa na mtandao huo.
Posted on: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 06:40:50 +0000