The response was swift — and unambiguous. Several independent media outlets in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have signed an Open Letter to the UK-based NGO Global Witness, denouncing what they call a “neo-colonial attempt to intimidate and silence African journalism.”
What began as a seemingly routine exchange has erupted into a symbolic standoff over press sovereignty and Western paternalism.
A “right of reply” out of nowhere
It all started on 20 October, when Ms. Natasha Ion, self-described as an envoy of Global Witness, contacted Congolese media outlets demanding the publication of a so-called “right of reply.”
The surprise? The articles in question made no reference whatsoever to Global Witness.
In their joint response, the journalists describe the request as “an alarming form of pressure”, arguing that it was an attempt to fabricate a narrative linking Congolese media to a supposed campaign to whitewash businessman Dan Gertler — without a shred of evidence.
“Behind this move lies the intent to manufacture a defamatory story accusing Congolese journalists of complicity,” the Open Letter reads. “This contempt comes from those who believe Africa must fall silent whenever the West speaks.”
When paternalism returns in disguise
The tone of the letter is both defiant and lucid. The signatories accuse Global Witness and its representative of reviving old colonial reflexes under the guise of “transparency” and “accountability.”
They reject what they call an emerging pattern of narrative control, through which Western organisations seek to dictate what African journalists may or may not say. “We are not your subordinates, nor your propaganda tools,” the letter declares. “We are independent media, and we will not be silenced by threats of inclusion in obscure reports that no one reads.”
Questioning Global Witness’s transparency
The letter goes further, turning the transparency argument back on Global Witness itself. The journalists highlight the NGO’s opaque funding networks, notably those associated with financier George Soros, and recall that similar organisations have already faced scrutiny for political influence in several countries. “You demand total transparency from others,” they write, “while operating within a murky ecosystem of funding and influence that you refuse to illuminate. You are in no moral position to lecture us.”
This sharp critique echoes growing global unease about the accountability of powerful NGOs whose advocacy campaigns often shape public narratives — particularly in Africa — without genuine local input.
A call for african media unity
Beyond the confrontation, the Open Letter is also a rallying cry for African journalists to resist what the authors describe as “a new wave of neo-colonial pressure.” They call for solidarity among the press in Africa to defend their right to report, analyse, and express opinions freely — without fear of being discredited or sanctioned by “self-proclaimed foreign guardians.”
“Enough of this paternalism. Enough of baseless insinuations. Enough of coercive ultimatums,” the letter thunders.
“Global Witness, know this: Africa is not your playground, and the Congolese press is not your target.”
Asserting narrative sovereignty
For the signatories, this episode marks more than just a dispute with an NGO. It signals the assertion of narrative sovereignty — a refusal to let external actors dictate the moral framing of African realities. In confronting what they see as moral neocolonialism, the Congolese media community is making a broader statement:
They will no longer accept being lectured, intimidated, or silenced in their own continent.
JEK
