Gambia: Gambian authorities suspends RFI

Gambia ALERT: Gambia authorities suspend RFI

Gambia authorities on January 15, 2008 indefinitely suspended the broadcast of Radio France International (RFI) in Banjul for airing what they referred to as an “erroneous news story". A release from the Department of State for Communications, Information and Technology, six days after the closure on January 21 in explaining government’s action said the decision was in line with the professional ethics of the media in The Gambia. RFI was taken off air, following its reports that some Mauritanians accused of killing four French nationals have fled to Guinea Bissau through The Gambia. The RFI news bulletins are broadcast in Gambia through, the government-controlled Radio Gambia.

The release also said the Department has issued a rejoinder to the suspended RFI.

MFWA condemns this latest suspension which is a clear manifestation of President Yahya Jammeh’s govermenent’s intolerance of critical media.

Two years ago, it revoked the licence of Sud FM saying that allowing it to broadcast would jeopardize relations between The Gambia and its neighbours.

On February 7, 1998 the government also forcibly shut down Citizen FM and stationed armed guards on its premises. Its proprietor, the late Baboucarr Gaye was arrested together with his news editor, Ebrima Sillah, and detained for several days at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) in Banjul. Gaye was later charged under a 1913 telegraphic law for allegedly operating a radio station without a valid licence. However the proprietor denied this. The 1913 act is an archaic colonial law that was passed before the advent of radio in The Gambia.

Prof. Kwame Karikari
Executive Director MFWA
Tel: 233 21 242470
Fax: 233 21 221084
Email: [email][email protected]
Website: www.mediafound.org