Journalist feared killed for exposing corruption in Africa

[seemslikeadream]

Missing reporter stirs trouble on three continents

Journalist feared killed for exposing corruption in Africa

Rory Carroll in Abidjan
Sunday June 6, 2004
The Observer

On a visit to the port city his French wife, Osange Silou, told the Associated Press: "I hope to get very precise replies as to where he is if he is still living, or where his corpse is if he is dead."

The pro-government press claims he is alive and in hiding as part of an attempt to destabilise the President. But few expect to see the father of three again. Immigrants in Abidjan's shanty towns know too well the military's adeptness at making perceived enemies of the state disappear. A leaked UN report said at least 20 people vanished during disturbances in March.

After pressure from President Jacques Chirac and the Canadian government the Ivorian authorities are claiming progress: Kieffer's car was found at Abidjan airport and Michel Legré, a brother-in-law of Simone Gbagbo, the President's wife, has been charged with complicity in kidnapping and murder.

He has allegedly named eight accomplices, including Aubert Zohore, director of the Finance Minister's office, Patrice Bailly, the presidential security chief, and Pastor Moïse Koré, the presidential 'spiritual adviser'. All deny any involvement. But there is no sign of a breakthrough.

more
http://www.guardian.co.uk/westafrica/story/0,13764,1232419,00.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Found his photo.

There's an article for any passing French-speaking DU'er:
http://fr.news.yahoo.com/040604/202/3u6t1.html

Doesn't look good.

[seemslikeadream]

2. Nice photo JudiLyn Maybe someone can translate

vendredi 4 juin 2004, 20h00
Le fils de Guy-André Kieffer demande à Ottawa de s'impliquer davantage

agrandir la photo

MONTREAL (AFP) - Le fils du journaliste franco-canadien Guy-André Kieffer, disparu depuis la mi-avril en Côte d'Ivoire, a demandé vendredi au gouvernement canadien de s'impliquer davantage pour tirer cette affaire au clair, et a porté plainte auprès de la police fédérale pour l'enlèvement de son père.

"Je ressens une grande frustration", a affirmé Sébastien Cédric Kieffer dans une conférence de presse. "J'aimerais que le gouvernement canadien et le Premier ministre (Paul Martin) s'impliquent dans ce dossier de manière plus agressive", a-t-il insisté.

Alors que "les autorités françaises ont dépêché un juge d'instruction, et fait les démarches pour une vraie enquête, du côté canadien, c'est très vague", a estimé le jeune homme de 29 ans, soutenu par l'organisation Reporters sans frontières (RSF).

Sébastien Kieffer, qui a porté plainte jeudi auprès de la Gendarmerie royale du Canada (GRC), dit n'avoir pas eu beaucoup d'informations jusqu'à présent du ministère des Affaires étrangères pour l'aider.

http://fr.news.yahoo.com/040604/202/3u6t1.html

[seemslikeadream]

3. translation

Rough and literal, but the general gist can be discerned.

The son of Guy-Andre Kieffer asks Ottawa to imply himself more

to increase the photograph

MONTREAL (AFP) - the son of the Franco-Canadian journalist Guy-Andre Kieffer, disappeared since mid-April in Côte.d'ivoire, asked for Friday the Canadian government to imply himself more to draw this business with light, and carried felt sorry for near the federal police force for the removal of his father.

"I feel a great frustration", affirmed Sebastien Cédric Kieffer in a press conference. "I would like that the Canadian government and the Prime Minister (Paul Martin) imply themselves in this file in a more aggressive way", it insisted.

Whereas "the French authorities dispatched an examining magistrate, and makes the steps for a true investigation, Canadian side, it is very vague", considered the 29 year old young man, supported by the Reporters organization without borders (RSF).

Sebastien Kieffer, who carried felt sorry for Thursday near the royal Gendarmerie of Canada (GRC), said not to have had many information until now of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to help it.

Itself "keeps hope as long as no body was found".

His/her father, 54 years, correspondent of the Letter of the Continent, confidential letter devoted to Africa, inquired into suspicions of transfers of illegal funds between the Côte.d'ivoire and the Guinea-Bissau, as of money bleaching by the national bank of the Ivory Coast, when it was seen for the last time on April 16 on a carpark of a shopping centre in Abidjan. "It knew that the situation was hot for him", underlined Sebastien Kieffer, telling that his father used his Canadian nationality, more neutral than French nationality, to facilitate his work in Côte.d'ivoire.

Today, RSF and the family of Mr. Kieffer fear that the authorities of the Ivory Coast do not make carry the blame to the only person stopped in this investigation, Michel Legré, brother-in-law of the woman of president of the Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo.

During his two hearings in front of the French judge, Michel Legré had delivered the names of several close relations of the capacity and the financial world, implied according to him in the disappearance of the journalist.

"What disappoints us is that nothing of his role is known, its protection should be ensured" so that light is made, put forward Tanya Churchmuch, president the Canadian section of RSF.

Last person to have seen Guy-Andre Kieffer before her disappearance, Michel Legré was accused on May 28 of "complicity of removal, sequestration and assassination" and was submitted at and the correction Prison of Abidjan.

Last week already, the Canadian Association of the journalists had required of the Canadian government to make pressure near the authorities of the Ivory Coast so that the persons in charge for the disappearance of the journalist are translated into justice.