Guinea-Bissau: concern at radio station closure

**We apologise for any cross-posting - The following is being forwarded exactly
as received**

To: IFEX Autolist (other news of interest)
From: World Association of Newspapers (WAN), [email protected]

His Excellency President Kumba Yala
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
C/o Permanent Representative to UN
Email: [email protected]

28 February 2003

Your Excellency,

We are writing on behalf of the World Association of Newspapers and the World
Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications in 100 countries, to express
our serious concern at the government's closure of Radio Bombolom.

According to reports, on 13 February police shuttered Radio Bombolom's offices,
forcing the broadcaster off the air. The Ministry of Information accused the
station of 'broadcasting false information that could jeopardise national
sovereignty and the stability of the country'. Radio Bombolom is known for its
news and discussion programmes, during which participants frequently criticise
the ruling Social Renewal Party.

Reports suggest that the closure might be related to a 28 January broadcast of a
debate, during which João Vaz Mané, vice-president of the Guinean Human Rights
League, called Your Excellency a 'source of instability' in the country and
accused you of mismanaging national resources. Mr Mané was arrested the
following day and detained by police for three weeks without charge.

We are seriously concerned that the government's closure of Radio Bombolom, the
country's main independent news broadcaster, may be the latest attempt to
silence critical voices in the run-up to general elections scheduled for 20
April. Radio Bombolom's closure follows the arrests of several opposition
members and outspoken critics of the government and seems to be a part of an
ongoing effort to stifle independent media that question or criticise
government.

In early December 2002, authorities banned the Portuguese radio and television
broadcaster Radiotelevisão Portuguesa (RTP) after the station aired a programme
about an unsuccessful coup in November 2000 and reported on an Amnesty
International report calling for an inquiry into the coup-leader's death. RTP
bureau chief João Pereira da Silva was expelled from the country.

We respectfully remind you that the closure of Radio Bombolom constitutes a
clear breach of the right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by
numerous international agreements, including the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. Article 19 of the Declaration states: 'Everyone has the right to freedom
of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions
without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas
through any media, regardless of frontiers.'

We respectfully call on you to ensure that Radio Bombolom is immediately
permitted to resume broadcasting and that the campaign of censorship is halted.
We urge you to do everything possible to ensure that in future your government
fully respects international standards of press freedom.

We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Seok Hyun Hong
President
World Association of Newspapers

Gloria Brown Anderson
President
World Editors Forum

**The information contained in this autolist item is the sole responsibility of
WAN**