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WSF IndyMedia Center/Prometheus Station Robbed by Gunmen
by
Jim Ellinger | 01.27.2007
On Monday, January 22nd at about 7:15pm local time, three armed robbers entered the skybox of the Moi Stadium being used by the World Social Forum IndyMedia Center (IMC) and an Prometheus Radio Project station Radio Huru and robbed three women working there. In spite of this setback, the station was able to go on-air in Nairobi, Kenya.  Stairs to Studio  Close-up of IMC-Africa sign  Sign poointing the way to Indymedia radio  Studio Windows  Sports Stadium WSF IndyMedia Center/Prometheus Station Robbed by Gunmen Moi Sports Complex Nairobi, Kenya January 22, 2006 On Monday, January 22nd at about 7:15pm local time, three armed robbers entered the skybox of the Moi Stadium being used by the World Social Forum IndyMedia Center (IMC) and an Prometheus Radio Project station Radio Huru and robbed three women working there. The Moi Sports Complex in the Kasarani area of the Nairobi capital was the site of the 7th World Social Forum, held from January 21st to 25th. An estimated 50,000 persons participated in the event. Sofina Nakoto and Farida Nasanga of Kampala, Nigeria and Elena Botkin-Levy of the Prometheus Radio Project of Philadelphia were at the station when the robbery occurred. One of the men brandished a handgun and stuck it in Nasanga’s face, ordering the women to lie on the studio floor. The men then proceeded to rob the station of microphones, wallets, a video camera and a laptop computer. “One of the men was speaking to us in Swahili which we didn’t understand. He pulled out a gun and pushed our heads down. We were scared. We are women only,” said Nakota. “Who are you? Who are you? What are you doing here?” the women asked. The robbers dumped the contents of a tool bag on the studio floor and used it to haul off their loot. The robbery took less than 15 minutes. There were no shots fired or injuries. The crime was reported at the police station in the sports complex. There have been no arrests. The robbers left the three women laying on the studio floor and locked them in the from the outside. A short while later a friend freed them. Seeing the three women laying on the floor, the man at initially thought they were praying or sleeping, according to Nasanga. But the women were fearful the robbers had returned. “I felt bad because this is not my country. If I died here my parents would not know what happened. I didn’t want this bad thing,” said Nasanga when interviewed the following day. The women recognized one of the robbers who had visited the station earlier in the day, even helping to hang a sign. They now believe he was planning the robbery. The skybox where the station was located was in a remote part of the stadium, high above the majority of the activity and crowds on the stadium grounds. Despite the harrowing experience, all three women returned to their work with the community media. “We wanted to continue our radio work,” said Nasanga. “I’m not feeling good about what happened, but we want IndyMedia to go around the world. Many people have many problems and we want to help. We have to continue because the problems are painful,” said Nasanga. “We want to thank the people with IndyMedia and Prometheus Radio workers who have come here and trained us and cooperated with us,” said Nasanga. Two days after the robbery, at 10:30am local time, Radio Huru signed on the air. Jim Ellinger |
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Comentarios
Three Cheers
Submitted by Mabootoo Mabootoo Too (no verificado) on Lun, 02/05/2007 - 6:32pmThree cheers for these three men. Victims of political and financial oppression, they took their revenge and achieved social justice for themselves.
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