(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is the full text of a letter dated 19 May 1998, from ARTICLE 19 to His Excellency Colonel (Retd.) Yahya Jammeh, President of the Second Republic of The Gambia: ARTICLE 19 is writing to express our deep concern about continued harassment of the independent press by the Gambian authorities. We […]
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is the full text of a letter dated 19 May
1998, from ARTICLE 19 to His Excellency Colonel (Retd.) Yahya Jammeh,
President of the Second Republic of The Gambia:
ARTICLE 19 is writing to express our deep concern about continued harassment
of the independent press by the Gambian authorities.
We were disturbed to receive reports last month of the arrest on 26 April,
and subsequent detention for four days, of seven members of staff at “The
Daily Observer.” It appears that the detentions were prompted by that
newspaper’s coverage of the trial of Baboucar Gaye, the owner of Citizen FM
radio and the “New Citizen” newspaper, who is currently being tried for
allegedly operating a radio station without a licence (see IFEX alert of 29
April 1998).
Although the seven detained were eventually released without charge, we have
been informed that they have not returned to work at “The Daily Observer”
because they were threatened with further harassment if they did so. Such
threats by Gambian law enforcement officials, if they occurred, would
constitute a serious violation of human rights. They are also an attack on
media freedom. The loss of these media workers has left “The Daily Observer”
seriously understaffed. Two of those detained, and then threatened upon
their release, are Senegalese nationals. The threats against them have
reportedly led another six non-Gambian members of staff to decide that it is
not safe to come into work. The Gambian authorities have a long track-record
of deporting foreign media workers working in the independent press. Once
again, the security of foreign media workers appears to be under attack.
The Gambian government has made no official statement attempting to justify
these actions. ARTICLE 19 believes that there can be no justification for
them and calls for the end to the harassment of “The Daily Observer” and all
those who work for the newspaper.
Further, as the trial of Baboucar Gaye reportedly approaches its conclusion,
ARTICLE 19 wishes to reiterate its concern about the continuing official
harassment of him and Citizen FM radio. Citizen FM radio has now been
forcibly closed by the Gambian authorities from over three months. Even at
this late stage in the trial, we believe that the politically-motivated
charge against Baboucar Gaye should be dropped. In addition, Citizen FM
radio should be allowed to reopen without further delay.
Finally, permit us to express our disappointment at the fact that the
Gambian Government has not yet seen fit to reply to the issues we first
raised privately in our October 1997 Memorandum to the Government and then
publicly in our February 1998 report, “Unfinished Business: Memorandum to
the Gambian Government from ARTICLE 19, the International Centre Against
Censorship.” We remain available to discuss these issues and would welcome
the views of the Gambian Government. In this regard, we would like in
particular to ask the Gambian Government what progress has been made in
agreeing a National Communications and Information Policy (NACIP). We look
forward to receiving your account of the situation as it now stands.
