Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Fides Service) - For the past 5 years La Prospérité daily newspaper printed in Kinshasa strives to offer the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo information as impartial as possible and in such as way as to promote the diffusion of moral values.
La Prospérité Editor Marcel Ngoyi Ngoyi Kyengi in an interview with a local Catholic news agency DIA said he saw society in DR Congo in danger of plunging into a pit if the question of ethics is neglected. Mr Ngoyi Kyengi’s paper tries to promote values. For example in view of the annual Saint Valentine’s day his paper launched an awareness campaign to help young people realise their dignity, respect one another and moderate their behaviour.
He said his paper’s original impartial position has been recognised by the national media authorities. In fact after the recent national referendum campaign the media authorities lauded the La Prosperite for its spirit of independence and its objective and rapid information.
This is an important achievement in a country still struggling to recover from ten years of civil war, which killed at least 3 million people, and to introduce democracy. Recently the Central Electoral Commission after approving special norms, announced that on 18 June there will be presidential and parliamentary elections the first free election in this vast country forty years since it acquired independence from Belgium.
The editor is convinced that the press has an important duty to act as mediator between the people and their aspirants governors. “The press has this role and it must be up to its calling to supply reliable and verifiable information to help the people who have suffered so much for so long to make the best choices when the time comes” says the editor of La Prospérité.
La Prospérité has a staff of 23 in Kinshasa and 14 correspondents in the provinces of East Kasai, West Kasai, Bandundu, Lower Congo and Equator. The paper also has a correspondent in the South Kivu region where there are still serious tensions. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 27/2/2006 righe 32 parole 353)
