Analysis of The Strategic Role of Radio Okapi in United Nations Peace Keeping Operations in The DRC

Volume 7, Issue 10, October – 2022 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
“Analysis of the Strategic Role of Radio

Okapi in United Nations Peace Keeping
Operations in the DRC”
MICHEL KIFINDA NGOY
Abstract:- In this article, we analyse the strategic work and3 plunges the Congolese population into indescribable
carried out by Radio Okapi in the Democratic Republic misery with thousands of refugees and multiple cases of
of Congo between 2002 and 2022, as part of the human rights violations.
InternationalM ission peace operations in this country in
the heart of Africa. Created in 2002, UN Radiohas, And it is in this context that the UN Security Council
thanks to the expertise of Fondation Hirondelle, played set up, in 2000, a peacekeeping operation mission. The
an important role in the process of reunification, challenge being immense for MONUC, it was necessary to
pacification, democratization, stability and development have an appropriate strategy to make the UN mission closer
of the DRC. Our qualitative and quantitative survey on to the population and avoid the failure of UNAMIR during
Surveymankey reveals that Radio Okapi is the the Rwandan Genocide. At the heart of this strategy, Radio
MONUSCO service that has had the greatest impact on Okapi was therefore created very appropriately, thanks to
the daily lives of Congolese. the partnership between the UN and Fondation Hirondelle. It
should play a strategic role in the reunification, pacification,
Through his journalistic production, Radio Okapi democratization and development of the DRC.
has shownhimself asa symbol of national unityand  What role has Radio Okapi played for nearly 20 years in
proof of Congolese cultural identity for the past 20 years. the DRC and what is the impact on the principles and
Even if at one point, by talking about armed groups and practice of journalism?
rape in the east, it seemed to develop a paradoxical
communication, Radio Okapi has, throughits II. PRESENTATION OF THE STUDY FRAMEWORK
information and broadcasts, contributed a lot to the AND METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH
advent of ademocratic culture in the DRC. This justifies
theopinion in favor of its perpetuation after the A. STUDY FRAMEWORK: RADIO OKAPI
departure of MONUSCO. a) Strategic triangle in the creation of Radio Okapi
Radio Okapi stems froman agreement signed between
I. INTRODUCTION the United Nations and Fondation Hirondelle. Its
creation in the DRC as a local media was defined in
To understand theusefulness of Radio Okapi's work in
the agreement signed by the UN and the Congolese
the search for peace, stability and development in the Government, the SOFA. This agreement is in line
DRC,we must start from the Rwandan genocide which with the Charter of the United Nations signed in 1945
caused about 80 thousand deaths. This genocide was at the San Francisco Conference.
provoked mainly by the1media campaign of praise for
animosity and human cruelty, regularly carried out on the According to Mr. Julian Harston, this Charter assigns
antennas of the Radio Libre des mille collines.2 four purposes to the United Nations:4
 The maintenance of international peace and
In October 1996, in eastern DRC, fighting broke out
security ;
between the Zairian armed forces and the Banyamulengé
 The developmentof friendly relations between
rebels. This war allowed Laurent-Désiré Kabila to take
nations;
power on May 17, 1997 by overthrowing President Mobutu.
Since August 2, 1998, a second war of liberation has been  Cooperation in order to solveproblems and
declared in Goma, a neighboring Congolese city in Rwanda guarantee human rights;
 The establishment of a centreto harmonize
theactions of nations.
1
El Hadji Touré, "Beyond the political foundations of the
3
Rwandan genocide: a historical-socio-cultural construction Navanethem Pillay, Report of the Mapping Project
of ethnicism", In Deviance and Society 2013/4 (Vol. 37), concerning the most serious violations of human rights and
pages 463 to 485 international humanitarian law committed between March
1993 and June 2003 on the territory of the Democratic
2
TIRTHANKAR, Chanda, Rwanda: the origins of the Republic of the Congo, Geneva, UNJHRO, 2010, p.9.
4
genocide, RFI, Published : 06/04/2014 - 11 : 53 Modified HARSTON, M. Julian, Introduction to the United Nations
on: 17/04/2014 – 12 : 28, consulted on 22 January 2021 on System: A Guide to Service on a United Nations Field
https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20140406-rwanda-origines- Mission, Williamsburg, Peace Operations Training Institute,
genocide-habyarimana-kagame-tutsis-hutus-france 2016, p.14.
IJISRT22OCT603 www.ijisrt.com 1158

ISSN No:-2456-2165
In view of the multiple threats to peace in And it was in the context of the war
several countries, the UN has deployed peacekeeping unleashedon August 2, 1998 that divided the DRC
missions,whose origin has sometimes been traced into three administrations that Radio Okapi was born
back to the fifth century BC. The 1st generation in 2002 to play a strategic role in the process initiated
OMPs, such as the one deployed in 1956 to respond by President Joseph Kabila to reunify, pacify,
to the Suez crisis, are missions of interposition after a democratize and stabilize the country.
ceasefire or border surveillance. Only the Congo
crisis, in 1961, had led to the use of force with ONUC b) Birth of the UN Republic in the DRC
in 1960, 56after thedeath of Hammarskjöld, Secretary On the eve of the creation of Radio Okapi, the country
General of the UN7. was divided into several administrations. To reunify and
pacify it, a ceasefire agreement was signed in July
Forty years later, the UN deploys a new mission 1999 in Lusaka, Zambia. This led the Security Council
in the DRC to face a war that has divided the country to demand the withdrawal of foreign forces and to
into three administrations. Compared to Afghanistan, establish, by its resolution 1279 of 30 November 1999,
where NATO deployed more than 100,000 well- the Peace Mission in the DRC, MONUC.10
trained and well-equipped troops in 2010, MONUC
has deployed barely 20,000 troops to a territory three Convinced of the strategic role that this radio
times the size of Afghanistan. How do you expect station should play in the implementation of
that with 20,000 soldiers less trained than the 100,000 MONUC's mandate, the UN called on the expertise
deployed in Afghanistan can completely restore peace of Fondation Hirondelle, which set up in 2011 the
in a subcontinent country that is the DRC? concept of a radio station, organized as a network
across the country with a network head in Kinshasa11.
In 2012, Martin Kobler, head of MONUSCO And it was on 25 February 2002 that Radio Okapi
after serving in Afghanistan, immediately understood began broadcasting for the first time from its studios
that he could not rely too much exclusively on in Kinshasa and throughout the Congolese territory.
MONUSCO soldiers. He therefore reinforced his Since then, it has remained the only radio station to
attention on the Joint Human Rights Office, BCNDH, broadcast throughout the DRC until the eve of the
and Radio Okapi, a media strategically created with 2006 elections. 12
the expertise of Fondation Hirondelle created in 1994
by three Swiss journalists during the Rwandan Although RadioOkapi remains the initiative of
genocide, says Jean Marie Etter. 8 the United Nations, Patrick Busquet stresses that it is
a proven historical fact that Fondation Hirondelle
Indeed, Radio Okapi being essentially designed created Radio Okapi, which continues to operate on
and executed by the expertise of Fondation the editorial model of this Swiss Organization. But
Hirondelle, thanks to UN funding, its editorialmodel radio unquestionably belongs to the United Nations.
obeys that of the FH whoserigorous processing of It broadcasts 13 in the five languages spokenin the
information involves the obligation to report only DRC (Swahili , Lingala , Kikongo,Thsiluba and
facts as experienced, accurately, objectively and French. Today, it has five regional stations and 41
balanced; and above all with respect for the dignity of FM transmitters as well as one Internet broadcast
the other. 9 (www.radiookapi.net). The website welcomes more
than 2 million Internet users per month.14
10
Security Council 1140, the resolution of the situation in
the DRC requires the respect of the Lusaka agreement, press
5
SUNIL V. Ram, History of United Nations peacekeeping release of 24 January 2000, pp.4 à Find on:
operations during the Cold War : 1945 à 1987, United https://www.un.org/press/fr/2000/20000124.cs1140.html
11
Nations, Cours, July 2006, p. 3. Presentation by Radio Okapi, from
6
DAVID, Charles-Philippe, War and Peace: Contemporary https://www.radiookapi.net/page/propos, consulted on 11
Approaches to Security and Strategy, Paris, Presses de October 2021 at 08:30
12
Sciences Po, 2006, p. 311. Aimee Kayembe and others, Situation of the media in the
7
MARCIN PERRIN DE BRICHAMBAUT and Ali, Leçons du Democratic Republic of the Congo, Paris, Istitut Panos
droit international public, Paris, Presses des Sciences pô et Paris, 2004, pp. 76
13
Dalloz, 2002, p.248. BUSQUET, Patrick, Representative of Fondation
8
CHICON, Emmanuel, a Swallow making peace via radio, Hirondelle 2013-2015 affirmed this during an interview
Libération, 06 August 2005, to be consulted on granted to us in 2014, as part of our scientific research on
https://www.liberation.fr/medias/2005/08/06/une-hirondelle- this work.
14
faiseuse-de-paix-via-la-radio_528661/ ESSOME, Alexandre, Director of Radio Okapi 2019-
9
ETTER, Jean-Marie, la pratique du journalisme en zone de 2022, Radio Okapi, article published on
conflit, version 1, Fondation Hirondelle, Lausanne 2005, p.4 https://monusco.unmissions.org/radio-okapi

ISSN No:-2456-2165
c) Radio Okapi's own objectives, valuesand perspectives Through its national network, the provinces
Created to make a lasting contribution to peace, in listen to the capital and the capital finally hears the
particular by accompanying thedemocratic processin provinces. Radio Okapi is an instrument of
the DRC, Radio Okapi's objective was to contribute reunification and national reconciliation. Most of the
to efforts to reunify and pacify the country. For this personalities interviewed say that the radio has
purpose, it is referred to as the frequency of peace opened up the Congo.22
because its staff should develop conflict-sensitive
journalism in order to promote peace and Didn't Marie Soleil Frère affirm that Radio
development. Okapi has played an essential role in maintaining
national cohesion and a sense of common belonging
According to Fondation Hirondelle, which within a divided geographical and ideological
determined the form and content of this radio, Okapi community? In terms of the advent of democracy,
was created to cover news in the DRC in the most Radio Okapi has played a key role in media coverage
complete and rigorous way possible. Through its of the elections of the last three electoral cycles, on
programmes, it respects regional pluralism within a the eve of which it is putting in place an electoral
national identity. It covers, if necessary, military charter that sets out the rules that reflect the
news, explains the work of MONUC, UN agencies fundamental principles of the professional practice of
and the main stakeholders in the electoral process. 15 journalism as well as the values of the United Nations
and Fondation Hirondelle.2324
Radio Okapiendorses the criteria set by
UNESCO, including universality, diversity and If the Okapi project can be considered a
independence. Working in Congolese society and for success, it raises several questions, says Aimée
it, Radio Okapi 16wants to defend and protect the Kayembe. There is in particular the problem of
values expressed in the Universal Declaration of MONUSCO's stranglehold on radio amplified by the
Human Rights. The authorities and individuals under departure of Fondation Hirondelle. There is also the
attack can speak freely on these facts.1718 integration of the project into the local journalistic
landscape that is becoming more and more a reality.
Many Congolese and foreign media quote Today, apart from the 25 posts of the
information broadcast by Radio Okapi and praise its RadioDirectorate, all other supervisory functions are
credibility19. According to Charles Antoine Bambara, occupied by nationals. Thereis also the future of the
the reputation of Radio Okapi is mainly made by Radio Okapi project, which remains uncertain.
journalists who have adhered to an editorial line, However, with the creation of "Ban'Okapi" is one
based on impartiality, balance of information, track among many others to perpetuate this project.
objectivity, clarity, accuracy in any treatment of the
news. The other caporalized media do not hesitate to B. METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK: QUALITATIVE
relay the information broadcast by Radio Okapi and AND QUANTITATIVE APPROACH
cover themselves with this source to escape threats The analysis of the strategic role played by Radio Okapi
and multiple pressures.2021 inthe effortsof reunification, pacification, democratization
and stabilization of the DRC required a rigorous
15
methodological approach coupled with qualitative and
Fondation Hirondelle, The practice of journalism in quantitative approaches.
conflict zones, version 1, Kinshasa, Radio Okapi, p.6.
16
Radio Okapi from the website www.radiookapi.net a) The qualitative method
17
Fondation Hirondelle, The practice of journalism in Our study focuses completely on the perception of
conflict zonesOn. Cit. pp.7 Radio Okapi's work by its listeners and audiences on
18 the internet. To achieve this, weused an ethnographic
Fondation Hirondelle, Summary of the sustainability study
of Consultant Pierre Heuer Study conducted from April to approach and focus group.
November 2004 in the DRC
19
The BBC World Service has asked Radio Okapi for
permission to reproduce some of its information for its
online site. Several other local media systematically use the 22
information broadcast by Radio Okapi to enrich their HEUER, Pierre, Sustainability study of Radio Okapi,
editorial offer. Kinshasa, Study conducted from April to November 2004,
p.4.
20 23
BAMBARA, Charles Antoine, « Radio Okapi : Quinze FRERE, Marie Soleil and Others, Central Africa, Media
ans au service de la nation congolaise » in Echoes de la and Conflict. Vectors of war or actors of peace, Bruxelles,
Monusco, Radio Okapi, special 15 years, Kinshasa February Editions complexes, 2005, p.111-112.
24
2017, pp. 5. SAIKI, Kamal and LAPLUME, Yves, Electoral Charter,
21
KIFINDA NGOY Michel, Media and political power in Kinshasa, Radio Okapi 2005, pp.3-6
25
the DRC. Outline for Peace and Development Journalism, KAYEMBE Aimee and Others, Situation of the media in
Saarbrücken, Editions Universitaires Européennes, 2019, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Paris, Institut Panos
p.161. Paris, 2004, p.76.

ISSN No:-2456-2165
Ethnography is a qualitativemethod forcarrying Thus, in light of these methods, we initiated an
out a descriptive and careful study of the habits, online survey questionnaire with the mathematical
habits, customs and mores of specific populations. It interpretation of the results in order to collect the
makes it possibleto assemble the elementsor opinions of the Congolese public on the strategic role
information in a complex system to penetrate the of Radio Okapi in UN peacekeeping operations in the
dynamics around objects. 26 DRC.
Through ethnography, we studied the behaviour III. ANALYSE OF THE PERCEPTION BY THE
of the population in the east, including armed groups, CONGOLESE OF THE WORK DONE BY
to see how the information broadcast by Radio Okapi RADIO OKAPI
influenced the Congolese, particularly in promoting a
culture of peace and development. A. USE OF THE SURVEY MANKEY SOFTWARE IN
CONDUCTING AN OPINION POLL ON THE
To complete and tie up our qualitative research, PERCEPTION OF RADIO OKAPI'S WORK BY THE
we used thex focus groups thanks to which we carried CONGOLESE POPULATION
out groupe-ntretiens. These are semi-structured What perception does the Congolese population, the
discussion groups, moderated by a neutral moderator main beneficiary of Radio Okapi's work, have?
in the presence of a spectator, which aim to collect
information on a pre-developed question.27Our focus To arrive at a scientific answer tothis question,we used
groups worked thanks to the Club des auditeurs de a mixed method, qualitative and quantitative, through a
Radio Okapi created by Fondation Hirondelle a few small online opinion survey using the Surveymankey
months after the creation of the Radio. software. Our approach was methodical: we29 first organized
an online working session, in a WhatsApp Group, with the
b) From qualitative to quantitative method coordination of the 26 provinces of the Club des listeners de
After a good collection of qualitative data through radio Okapi, CARO, an organization created by Fondation
focus groups through our opinion survey Hirondelle to collect listeners' opinions on the work of
questionnaire, the use of quantitative methods has Radio Okapi. Based on discussions with CARO members,
proven to be essential in mathematical and statistical we receiveda closed-ended questionnaire consisting of eight
analysis in the description, explanation and prediction main questions that could allow us to understand the
of phenomena through historical sources in the form perception of Congolese on Radio Okapi's work compared
of measurable variables. to other MONUSCO services.
According to Agathe COUVREUR and Franck To have a representative, quantitative and above all
LEHUEDE, 28quantitative research helps to evaluate qualitative sample, we had to submit this questionnaire to
opinions or behaviour. It also leads to the the Congolese populations of all 26 provinces of the
characterization of the characteristics of a population country. Difficulties in accessing the Internet for all have
with its own opinion or behaviour. Beyond the risked limiting this survey to a certain category of the
counting of opinions or behaviors of groups of population, whereas it is more listeners from the interior of
individuals, quantitative aims to verify hypotheses the country who regularly follow Radio Okapibecause of the
and illustrate theories by highlighting correlations lack of other local media.
between variables.
We therefore relied on the Club of Auditors of Radio
Okapi, CARO,to organize focus groups. As the Listeners'
Club is already a well-organized and representative structure
in all provinces and cities of the country, we have ensured
that the provincial leaders of all the branches of the
Listeners' Club have the questionnaire and organize a group
26
DIOP SALL Fatou, "Chapter 8. La méthode session with the other members to answer it together.
ethnographique », in: Françoise Chevalier éd., The research Thanks to the listeners' club, which also exists on
methods of the DBA. Caen, EMS Editions, « Business Facebook's social networks, WhatsApp, we have formed
Science Institute », 2018, p. 140-157. DOI: 144 Focus groups for the 144 territorial committees of the
10.3917/ems.cheva.2018.01.0140. URL : Listeners' Club. Each group answered a questionnaire,
https://www.cairn.info/--9782376871798-page-140.htm, which gave us already 144 answers obtained, answers
27
Dr. Pia Touboul, Qualitative Research: The Focus Groups reflecting the perception of several hundred people grouped
method Methodological guide for theses in General into 144 committees of the Listeners' Club.
Medicine, Department of Public Health CHU of Nice,
consulted on
https://nice.cnge.fr/IMG/pdf/Focus_Groupes_methodologie
_PTdef.pdf, February 20, 2022.
28
Agathe COUVREUR and Franck LEHUEDE, Essai de
29
comparaison des méthodes quantitatives et qualitatives à SurveyMonkey is an online survey site founded in 1999 by
partir d'un exemple: le passage à l'Euro vivre par les Ryan Finley. SurveyMonkey offers free, customizable
consommateurs, Paris, Credoc, 2002, p. 7. surveys, as well as a series of statistics programs.

ISSN No:-2456-2165
As the Listeners' Club was created to enable the targeted people who are not members of the Listeners' Club.
population to take ownership of Radio Okapi's work by its Among these people are some university professors,
listeners, the members of this Club regularly follow Radio students, journalists, political and diplomatic operators. We
Okapi and participate in the regular debate on the editorial also shared this questionnaire with strangers through social
content of the Radio. This gave our survey an advantage and media. Only about fifty people answered our question
a risk. The advantage is that our questionnaire is answered completely.
by people who actuallylisten to Radio Okapi regularly and
can give us answers that are very reasonable and close to This allowed us to collect more than 200 responses to
scientific reality. But the risk was, given their proximity to our questionnaire, but answers that represent the perception
Radio for more than ten years, the members of the Listeners' of several hundred Congolese from all territories of the DRC
Club could be content to give us answers that were a little including the diaspora. All these responses were
partisan and not based on an objective perception. methodically processed andinterpreted by Surveymankey
before presenting the results in diagram and percentage.
Thus, in addition to these 144 targeted questionnaires,
we also shared the link of the questionnaire to about twenty
B. SURVEYRESULTS
Q1 What is your perception of the work of MONUSCO and Radio Okapi? Choose all the right assertions.
ANSWER CHOICES ANSWERS
MONUSCO has worked hard to secure civilians, especially in the east of the country 15.28% 33
MONUSCO's work is not noticeable as civilians are still being killed in the east 68.98% 149
MONUSCO has mainly contributed to the fight against extreme poverty in conflict-affected areas 7.87% 17
Within MONUSCO, Radio Okapi is one of the services that has helped the Congolese population the
62.96% 136
most.
If MONUSCO and Radio Okapi were not in the DRC, the situation in the country would be more
25.93% 56
dramatic and catastrophic.
Total number of participants: 216

Table 1: 216 responses received
Answers obtained: 216 Question(s) ignored: 0
The Monusco a
A lot...
The work of
the Monusco...
The Monusco a
especially...
Within the
MONUSCO, Line...
Yes the Monusco

and Radio ...
0% 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % 100 %
Fig. 1: graphical presentation of the answers to the first question

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Q2 Of the following services of MONUSCO, which has had the greatest impact on the daily lives of Congolese? Choose all the
right assertions.

has. Thanks to "Civil Affairs", populations affected by conflicts have been assisted by the 28.24%61
construction of bridges, villages, health centers, etc.
b. Thanks to "Political Affairs", political actors have been reconciled and conflicts avoided. 16.20%35
Thanks to the Joint Human Rights Office, Congolese activists have been protected and 50.00%
human rights violations denounced 108
d. Thanks to the Aviation Service, many military missions and NGOs have taken place in a 43.98%95
country where the infrastructure is almost non-existent.
e. Thanks to Radio Okapi, the Congolese population is well informed, the country reunified 64.81%140
by the same information and the mandate of MONUSCO well understood.
Other (please specify) 9.26% 20
Table 2: 216 responses received.
In order of decrease, Radio Okapi is the service of MONUSCO which has more impact on theCongolese population with
more than 64%, followed by the Joint Office for Human Rights with 50%. Aviation Movcon comes third with 43%, followed
byCivil Affairs 28%, andPolitical Affairs 16%.
Responses obtained: 216 Question(s) ignored: 0
a. Thanks to the "

Business...
b. Thanks to the "

Business...
c. Thanks to the
Bureau Conjo...
d. Thanks to the
Service...
and. Grace a
Radio Okapi...
Other
( please...
0% 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % 100 %
Fig. 2: Graphical presentation of the answers to the first question

ISSN No:-2456-2165
Q3 Which Radio Okapi show meets your expectations? List in order of arrival

has. Newspapers 71.16% 153
b. The DEC 35.81% 77
c. The Editors' Word 71.16% 153
d. Okapi service 24.19% 52
e. Great Interview 32.09% 69
f. Rund Up and Okapi danse (music shows) 6.98% 15
g. Okapi Sports 25.12% 54
h. Okapi miscegenation and cultural events 12.09% 26
i. Okapi employment 21.40% 46
j. Regional newspapers and Lingala info 23.26% 50
Table 3: responses from 215 participants
This table illustrates that newspapers and the program word to listeners are the most followed of all Radio Okapi programs
with more than 71% of audience each, followed by Dialogue Entre Congolais 35%, Grande Interview 32%, Okapi sport 25%,
Okapi Service 24%, Newspapers of the regions and info lingala 23%, Okapi employment 21%, Okapi miscegenation and cultural
animation 12%, etc.
a. The
Newspapers
b. The DEC
c. Th
Floor to the...
e
d. Okapi
service
anBig
Interview
d.
f. Round Up
and Okapi then...
g. Okapi
Sport
h. Okapi
Miscegenation
and...
i. Okapi
employm
ent
j.
Logs of...
0% 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % 100 %
Fig. 3: graphical presentation of the responses to the third question

ISSN No:-2456-2165
Q4 Are you satisfied with Radio Okapi's handling of political news? And why?
has. Yes, Radio Okapi broadcasts impartial, objective, balanced and non-partisan information 63.43% 137
b. No, Radio Okapi's news is partisan and unbalanced 6.48% 14
c. Radio Okapi broadcasts credible but late and in-depth information 3.24% 7
d. Radio Okapi censors all information that offends MONUSCO or the government 8.80% 19
Radio Okapi should focus on journalistic investigations to unearth all the political shenanigans 18.06% 39
blocking the DRC
TOTAL 216
Table 4: 216 responses
63% of the Congolese population believe that Radio Okapi broadcasts impartial, objective, balanced and non-partisan
information. 18% want Radio Okapi to focus on journalistic investigations to find all the political shenanigans blocking the DRC.
8% accuse Radio Okapi of censoring all information that undermines MONUSCO or the government, 7% think that Radio Okapi's
news is partisan and unbalanced and 3% maintain that Radio Okapi broadcasts credible information but late and without going
into depth.
Figure1-9: graphical presentation of responses to the fourth question
a. Yes
radio Okapi...
b. No ,
Information...
c. Radio
Okapi diffuse...
d. Radio
Okapi censorship...
Radio Okapi
should be...
0% 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % 100 %
Fig. 4: 216 responses

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Q5 How do you assess the impact of the security information broadcast by Radio Okapi? Choose all the right assertions.
has. Radio Okapi's security information enabled MONUSCO and FARDC to stay ahead of negative 47.22%
forces and fight them effectively. 102
b. Thanks to the information broadcast by Radio Okapi, all negative forces were denounced and
25.46% 55
suppressed.
c. Radio Okapi has glorified armed groups by amplifying and dramatizing even small attacks instead of 28.24% 61
focusing on the real problems of the population.
d. Many belligerents have been rewarded by the government through negotiations following 31.48% 68
information from Radio Okapi, which gives them more importance.
e. Many young people have joined armed groups in the hope that Radio Okapi will also talk about
14.35% 31
them.

Table 5: 216 responses
a.
Information...
b. Thanks to the
Information...
c. Radio Okapi
has
done...
d. Many
Belligerents...
and. Many
young people
have...
0% 10 % 20 % 30 % 40% 50% 60 % 70 % 80 % 90% 100 %
Fig. 5: Graphical presentation of the answers to the fifth question
Q6 Do you think Radio Okapi has contributed to the improvement of your living conditions through the information it broadcasts?

has. Yes, it is thanks to the information of Radio Okapi that the Snel manages to restore electricity, the 29.63% 64
Regideso to give water to the population, the government to rehabilitate the roads, etc.
b. Many bad managers have been dismissed as a result of the dysfunctions denounced by Radio Okapi. 19.91% 43
c. No, despite nearly 20 years since Radio Okapi has existed in the DRC, the population still lives in 36.57% 79
extreme poverty and the information it broadcasts has no impact.
d. Radio Okapi does not sufficiently disseminate information relevant to the problems of the
13.89% 30
population.
TOTAL 216

ISSN No:-2456-2165
a. Yes, it is
Thanks to the...
b. Many
bad...
c. No despite
Nearly 20 a...
d. Radio Okapi
does not
broadcast p...
0% 10% 20 % 30 % 40% 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % 100 %
Fig. 6: Graphical presentation of the answers to the sixth question
Q7 What do you recommend about Radio Okapi's work?

has. That Radio Okapi carry out more journalistic investigations to find all these cases of fraud and 39.81% 86
embezzlement of public funds.
b. That Radio Okapi be more interested in the domestic and foreign policy of the DRC 6.48% 14
c. That Radio Okapi attaches the greatest importance to the facts of society to bring to the attention of 32.87% 71
the decision-makers the real problems of the population.
d. That Radio Okapi remains a true thematic radio that broadcasts only information corresponding to the 16.20% 35
mission of MONUSCO (the promotion of peace and security)
Other (please specify) 4.63% 10
TOTAL 216

ISSN No:-2456-2165
a. What Radio
Okapi effect...
b. What Radio
Okapi...
c. Radio
Okapi brings...
d. Radio
Okapi remains ...
Other
(please...
0% 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60% 70 % 80 % 90% 100 %
Fig. 7: graphical presentation of responses
Q8 What future do you want for this radio station after the departure of MONUSCO? Choose only one good assertion.

a. has. Radio Okapi must be closed after the departure of MONUSCO because the object of its
7.41% 16
existence no longer exists.
b. Radio Okapi should be bequeathed to its current staff organized in association in order to 31.48% 68
perpetuate this work of a generalist radio with several sources of funding.
c. The government should recover Radio Okapi and its staff and fund it after MONUSCO leaves 16.20% 35
and turn it into a public broadcaster.
d. Radio Okapi should be bequeathed to United Nations agencies in order to focus on issues of 44.91% 97
development, the fight against famine, poverty, the emancipation of women, the protection of
children as well as the fight against diseases in the DRC.
TOTAL 216
a. Radio
Okapi must be...
b. Radio
Okapi will have
to...
c. The
government...
d. Radio
Okapi will have
to...
0% 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % 100 %
Fig. 8: Graphical presentation of responses

ISSN No:-2456-2165
IV. INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE Indeed, 64.81% of the Congolese believe that thanks to
SURVEY ON THE ROLE PLAYED BY RADIO Radio Okapi, the Congolese population is well informed, the
OKAPI WITHIN MONUSCO country reunified by the same information and the mandate
of MONUSCO well understood. This ranks Radio Okapi at
A. Radio Okapi is a "jewel" of MONUSCO at the service of the top of all MONUSCO services even before the United
the Congolese public Nations Joint Human Rights Office and the MovCon
The results of our poll show that 68.98% of aviation service. 50% of the population approve that thanks
MONUSCO's work is not perceptible because civilian to the Joint Human Rights Office, Congolese activists have
populations are still being killed. Nevertheless, despite this been protected and human rights violations denounced.
high percentage of a negative perception of the Congolese 43.98% of Congolese admit that thanks to the Aviation
population on the work of the UN Mission in the DRC, Service, many military missions and NGOs have taken place
62.96 of the same population attests that within in a country where infrastructure is almost non-existent.
MONUSCO, Radio Okapi is one of the services that has
helped the Congolese population the most. 25.93% of this 28.24% of the population maintain that thanks to the
same population also recognizes that if MONUSCO and "Civil Affairs of MONUSCO", the populations affected by
Radio Okapi were not in the DRC, the situation of the the conflicts have been assisted by the construction of
country would be more dramatic and catastrophic. However, bridges, villages, health centers, etc. and 16.20% of the
15.28% of the Congolese population maintain that same population maintain that thanks to the "Political
MONUSCO has worked hard to secure civilians, especially Affairs", political actors have been reconciled and conflicts
in the east of the country; while 7.87% believe that avoided. The other services of MONUSCO, the UNPOL for
MONUSCO has mainly contributed to the fight against having contributed to the reform of the police as well as the
extreme poverty in conflict-affected areas. DDR for having helped many children to leave the armed
groups, together obtained 9.26% of appreciation of the
This trend is corroborated by the reality on the ground, population.
precisely in the east where people demonstrated in 2020 in
Beni for the departure of MONUSCO but at the same time, This ranking in order of importance of the various
they did not want the departure of Radio Okapi. The services of MONUSCO had been made since 2014 by the
demonstrators began to attack the facilities and other head of MONUSCO Martin Kobler. He maintained during a
property of MONUSCO whenthey were unanimous that it strategic meeting with the staff of Radio Okapi that he
was necessary to protect Radio Okapi in view of the service needed Radio Okapi, the Joint Human Rights Office and
it provides to the population. Some are even reluctant to Movcon as a priority to continue to fulfill the mandate of
remove MONUSCO because they fear that at the start of the MONUSCO. All other services could even close, the three
mission, Radio Okapi will also be closed and that the people were enough for the UN mission to implement its mandate
will be deprived of balanced, non-partisan, credible entrusted to it by the Security Council.
information and that their concerns will be permanently
ignored by national and international opinion, simply B. Radio Okapi's strength lies in its newspapers, interactive
because there is no media that will be interested in it after missions, debate and sport
the closure of Radio Okapi. 30 According to the ranking of our survey, newspapers and
the program Parole aux auditeurs come first with 71.16%
This study of the perception of the work of each, followed by Dialogue Entre congolais with 35.81%,
MONUSCO and Radio Okapi by the Congolese population Grande Interview 32.09%, Okapi sport 25.12%, Okapi
testifies to the strategic roleplayed by Radio Okapi in the service 24.19% as well as music programs like Rund-Up
DRC and within the UN mission and for its maintenance in and Okapi danse ensemble with 6.98%. This reveals that
the DRC. The answers to the second question corroborate Radio Okapi's strength lies in the production and
this assertion so well. To the question of knowing: of the dissemination of national, impartial, credible and verified
various services of MONUSCO, which has had the greatest information. But also and above all by its program word to
impact on the daily lives of Congolese, the people we the listeners which allows the population to express itself
interviewed chose in order of importance all the services freely as in any democratic state. The Dialogue between
they consider to have had a significant impact on the daily Congolese, the flagship program of the radio, is also its
lives of Congolese. And here too it is clear that Radio Okapi strength, especially since it puts on the same negotiating
is at the top of all other MONUSCO services. table the different belligerents or political opponents in
order to address other what divides them. Grande Interview
had the merit of offering the population a complete analysis
of a situation through a guest who mastered the problem.
Other entertainment programs allow the population to forget
30 their misery and have the right to a normal.
Monusco, Radio Okapi, the radio station of the United
Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic Radio Okapi really played a strategic role in
of the Congo (MONUSCO), celebrated its 18th anniversary reunifying, pacifying and normalizing the life ofthe nation
on Tuesday., press article, Kinshasa on the after years of war. All of his shows have been cleverly
25thFEBRUARY 2020, a consultee on designed to allow him to play this role. Even though the
https://news.un.org/fr/story/2020/02/1062581, October 04, country has a hundred media, Radio Okapi stands out from
2022.

ISSN No:-2456-2165
the others by the quality of its programs and its editorial roads, etc. the other 19.91% add that many bad managers
line. To verify the veracity of this statement, here is how have been dismissed from their positions as a result of the
our interviewees answered the fourth question: But is the dysfunctions denounced by R adio Okapi. While 13.89% of
population satisfied with Radio Okapi's treatment of Congolese criticize Radio Okapi for not having sufficiently
political news? 63.43% of the population attest that Radio broadcast information corresponding to the problems of the
Okapi broadcasts impartial, objective, balanced and non- population. From what is happening, he clarifies that Radio
partisan information, but 18.06% of Congolese believe that Okapi is making improving the living conditions of the
Radio Okapi should focus on investigations. journalists to Congolese its hobbyhorse. It provides the information
find all the political shenanigans blocking the DRC. needed to push governments to look into it. But only, Radio
Okapi has no power of action on the ground. It is up to the
8.80% of listeners accuse Radio Okapi of censoring all government to do its job. The challenge is therefore
information that harms MONUSCO or the government, enormous and the work of this radio should be rethought for
while 6.48% outright condemn Radio Okapi for more efficiency.
broadcasting partisan and unbalanced information. 3.24%
believe that Radio Okapi broadcasts credible information 39.81% of Congolese recommend that Radio Okapi
but late and without going deep. This attests to the carry out more journalistic investigations to find all these
effectiveness of Radio Okapi's work while recognizing that cases of fraud and embezzlement of public funds. 32.87%
there is still some way to go to make it a radio station expect Radio Okapi to bring the greatest importance to the
indisputably at the service of peace, stability and facts of society to bring to the attention of decision-makers
development in the DRC. the real problems of the population. 16.20% plead for Radio
Okapi to remain a true thematic radio that broadcasts only
C. Radio Okapi has a positive and effective impact on the information corresponding to the mission of MONUSCO.
daily lives of Congolese And finally 6.48% of listeners want Radio Okapi to be more
To gauge more closely how the population judges the interested in the domestic and foreign policy of the DRC.
impact of security informationS, let's see how the survey
reveals to the fifth question. All its recommendations testify to the full will of the
population to see Radio Okapi be sustained after the closure
47.22% of Congolese believe that Radio Okapi's of MONUSCO. But how should it be managed after the
security information has allowed MONUSCO and FARDC departure of MONUSCO? 44.91% of Congolese propose
to be one step ahead of negative forces and fight them that R adio Okapi be bequeathed to United Nations agencies
effectively. However, another 31.48% believe that many in order to focus on issues of development, the fight against
belligerents have been rewarded by the government through famine, poverty, the emancipation of women, the protection
negotiations following information from Radio Okapi which of children and the fight against diseases in the DRC.
has given them more importance. This has led some analysts 31.48% believe that Radio Okapi should be bequeathed to
to think that by dint of wanting to denounce any activism of its current staff organized in association. 16.20% of
armed groups in the east, Radio Okapi has unknowingly Congolese plead for the government to recover this radio
fallen into the promotion of its armed groups that have station Only 7.41% think that Radio Okapi should be closed
multiplied in the hundreds in the region. This position is also after the departure of MONUSCO.
confirmed by our poll which reveals that 28.24% of the
population accuse Radio Okapi of having praised armed V. CONCLUSION
groups by amplifying and dramatizing even small attacks
instead of focusing on the real problems of the population. In conclusion, the combination of the qualitative and
However, 25.46% of this population maintain that thanks to quantitative approach led usto analyse the Congolese
the information broadcast by Radio Okapi, all negative population's perceptionof the strategic importance of Radio
forces have been denounced and stifled. Okapi's work in the DRC . The conclusions of our study
show thatthis UN media is the service of the UN Mission
What is certain, Radio Okapi has remained on the front that has served the Congolese the most, even before the
line for the past 20 years to denounce any activism of armed Human Rights,Aviation, Movcon and Civil Affairs
groups and to lead the Congolese army and the United departments.
Nations to pull the soil by its horns. Let us therefore see in
the sixth question what the Congolese think of the impact of Over the past 20 years, peace radio has shown itself to
theinformation broadcast by Radio Okapi in improving the be the true vector of Congolese values, culture and identity.
living conditions of the population. On this question, the Son offre editorial has allowed it to establish itself in the
opinions are really diverse. 36.57% of the population Congolese media landscape as the only media that has
believe that despite nearly 20 years since Radio okapi exists contributed to the reunification of the country. Radio Okapi
in the DRC, the population still lives in extreme poverty and has contributed greatly to the promotion of peace by
the information it disseminates has no impact. denouncing any activism of negative forces. Even if at a
certain point, by talking about armed groups and rape in the
On the other hand, 29.63% of the same population east, she was perceived as a vector of an apology for
recognize that it is thanks to the information of R adio Okapi violence and the militia by her paradoxical communication.
that SNEL manages to restore electricity, Regideso to give
water to the population, the government to rehabilitate Through its programs Parole aux Auditeurs, Okapi
Service, Dialogue entre Congolais, Radio Okapi has

ISSN No:-2456-2165
contributed to the adventof democratic culture through [11.] ESSOME, Alexandre, Director of Radio Okapi 2019-
freedom of expression in the DRC. Shows like Grande 2022, Radio Okapi, article published on
Interview and invite du jour have reinforced the culture of https://monusco.unmissions.org/radio-okapi
accountability of governments. Field reports and programs [12.] ETTER, Jean-Marie, La pratique du journalisme en
such as Eco de l'Economie, Maisha etc. have contributed a zone de conflit, version 1, Fondation Hirondelle,
lot to the process of stability and development of the DRC. Lausanne 2005, p.4
[13.] Fondation Hirondelle, La pratique du journalisme en
The importance of Radio Okapi's work in Congolese zone de conflit, version 1, Kinshasa, Radio Okapi,
society leads the public to wish and encourage the survival p.6.
of this broadcasting after the end of the UN Mission in the [14.] Fondation Hirondelle, La pratique du journalisme en
DRC. zone de conflit, Op. cit. Cit. pp.7
[15.] Fondation Hirondelle, Summary of the sustainability
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[1.] Agathe COUVREUR and Franck LEHUEDE, Essai from April to November 2004 in the DRC
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vivre par les consommateurs, Paris, Credoc, 2002, p. paix, Brussels, Editions complexes, 2005, p.111-112.
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République démocratique du Congo, Paris, Institut Nations Field Mission, Williamsburg, Peace
Panos Paris, 2004, pp. 76 Operations Training Institute, 2016, p.14.
[3.] BAMBARA, Charles Antoine, « Radio Okapi : [18.] HEUER, Pierre, Etude de pernnisation de radio
Quinze ans au service de la nation congolaise » in Okapi, Kinshasa, Etude mené d'avril à novembre
Echos de la Monusco, Radio Okapi, spécial 15 ans, 2004, p.4.
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france

Analysis of The Strategic Role of Radio Okapi in United Nations Peace Keeping Operations in The DRC

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Analysis of The Strategic Role of Radio Okapi in United Nations Peace Keeping Operations in The DRC

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Volume 7, Issue 10, October – 2022 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

“Analysis of the Strategic Role of Radio

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ANSWER CHOICES ANSWERS

Total number of participants: 216

Answers obtained: 216 Question(s) ignored: 0

Yes the Monusco

Fig. 1: graphical presentation of the answers to the first question

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ANSWER CHOICES ANSWERS

Responses obtained: 216 Question(s) ignored: 0

a. Thanks to the "

b. Thanks to the "

Fig. 2: Graphical presentation of the answers to the first question

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ANSWER CHOICES ANSWERS

Responses obtained: 215 Question(s) ignored: 1

Fig. 3: graphical presentation of the responses to the third question

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ANSWER CHOICES ANSWERS

b. No, Radio Okapi's news is partisan and unbalanced 6.48% 14

Table 4: 216 responses

Fig. 4: 216 responses

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ANSWER CHOICES ANSWERS

Total number of participants: 216

Responses obtained: 216 Question(s) ignored: 0

Fig. 5: Graphical presentation of the answers to the fifth question

ANSWER CHOICES ANSWERS

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0% 10% 20 % 30 % 40% 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % 100 %

Fig. 6: Graphical presentation of the answers to the sixth question

Q7 What do you recommend about Radio Okapi's work?

ANSWER CHOICES ANSWERS

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0% 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60% 70 % 80 % 90% 100 %

Fig. 7: graphical presentation of responses

ANSWER CHOICES ANSWERS

Responses obtained: 216 Question(s) ignored: 0

Fig. 8: Graphical presentation of responses

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