Free French and Moland!

They’ve interviewed someone who’s in possession of the “evidence” and they say its new picture evidences. And then they show pictures that have been shown in Norwegian press about 25 000 times before. The only new pictures were one of them each taken with a pygmy! Where is the new picture evidence? Doesn’t VG quality proof their journalists at all? Hasn’t the two journalists Brandvol and Helgesen followed the case at all, and know that the picture from the jungle, the one from their camp and the blood picture has been shown in Norwegian press about 25 000 times?

The only new pictures we see are the ones taken with a pygmy. Is that new evidence? What does it prove? That they normally ate pygmies? How stupid can it be?

I didn’t think it was possible to present as much nonsense and crap and pure fantasies that has been presented in this case. This case will probably be a topic at the journalist academy for many years to come. I think a lot has been because the papers have sent journalists far away, and it’s expensive. They need a headline every day. That isn’t easy! The Congolese understood a long time ago that there is money to get here, and the journalists have been more than willing to pay. I wouldn’t be surprised if Brandvol and Helgesen had to give some to the police captain who is in charge of the “evidence” as well.

But unfortunately Brandvol and Helgesen, there will hardly be a journalist award for this article!

The violations from the press the families have endured in the Congo-case I think top the most! A journalist called me the day before the first verdict and said: “they can get the death penalty, what do you think about that?” I thought: how stupid people can they use in a paper! To ask a father a question like that! Another paper had Tjostolv’s face in deep psychoses over the whole front page. Is this OK? Pictures and videos that have been seized by the police and military in Uganda and Congo have been shown in Norwegian press. Is there anyone in Norway who doesn’t believe that these items aren’t bought and paid for?

On the other hand, the interest from the press has kept up focus on the case and that is a good thing. And there has been skilled journalists reporting from this case as well.

Now it appears that the case may come to an end. Will the boys be prosecuted when they come back to Norway? I don’t think so. There is no evidence that they have committed any crime! In Norway the prosecutors have to present evidence to the court that an actual crime has been committed to get someone arrested. Then they need evidence. It doesn’t exist because a crime hasn’t been committed! In Congo people get arrested and accusations are thrown around, we don’t do that in Norway! In addition no one can get sentenced twice for the same crime, even if they had evidence.

The Congo-case should be a wakeup call for a lot of people. Many has “seen” how things work in a country like Congo, and may understand a little better why Africa is as it is.

Many will understand the driving force behind some of the actors in this case. Some of the worst are the so called “experts” that hasn’t paid attention to the case; just out to promote themselves has made statements about guild and punishment! Most to them has at least demonstrated their lack of knowledge, both about this case and Africa.

It will be exciting to see if VG’s Brandvol and Helgesen will come up with “new revelations” or “new Congo evidence”.

Knut Moland, December 2nd 2010