The Gambia: Press freedom under siege
Posted by AlexT - 03/09/09 at 11:09 amThis contribution is written by a Gambian journalist living in exile. He was forced to flee his country in July 2007 after being chased by the country’s intelligence services.
The recent imprisonment of six journalists including a nursing mother of eight-month-old baby in the Gambia is indeed a stark reminder to the fact that press freedom is under siege in the tiny West African nation.
On August 6th 2009, a Gambian High Court slammed 4-year-jail term against the journalists after the trial that many people believed was highly influenced by President Yahya Jammeh and his government. The journalists’ only crime was to issue and run a press release that the government argued defamed President Jammeh.
Relations between Gambian government and journalists especially those holding opposing/critical views are not cordial to say the least. President Jammeh and his officials continue to intimidate, harass and persecute such media practitioners leading to climate of fear. Among the many press freedom violations and attacks against journalists are the following:
Unresolved murder cases: The December 2004 cold-blooded murder of Deyda Hydara, the former managing editor of Banjul-based ‘Point’ newspaper, remains unresolved. The killers are still at large and there is yet to be any serious investigations into the matter for over four years now. Another case involving journalist Omar Barrow who was gunned down in April 2000 along with 12 protesting students also remained unresolved.
Disappearance: Chief Ebrima Manneh a reporter with ‘Daily Observer’ newspaper has been missing since July 2006. Rights groups said he was kidnapped by agents of Gambia?s notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Wrongful arrests/detentions: These are now part of the daily struggle for journalists in the Gambia. Scores of them have been arrested, detained and in many cases subjected to torture and degrading conditions. Among those recently arrested and detained are – Pap Saine, (Managing editor) and Modou Sanyang, (senior reporter) of ‘Point newspaper’ as well as Halifa Sallah, of privately-owned ‘Foroyaa’ newspaper.
Exiled Journalists: Many journalists including the author of this report have been forced into exile. In July 2007, I was chased and harassed by agents of Gambia’s notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA) forcing me to flee my home country and thereby joining a long list of Gambian exiled journalists. As a journalist in exile some of us have faced many problems such as lack of security /protection, the risk of being pursued by government agents, as well as all sorts of family problems resulting from disconnect
What the Commonwealth should do: I expect and call on the Commonwealth to do more by intervening in the unfortunate Gambian situation with a view to getting government change its negative attitude and policies towards the media. Commonwealth should further assist in getting Gambian authorities respect press freedom and human rights in general as well as find ways of assisting the many journalists who have been forced into exiled and are suffering as a result of their work and belief in press freedom and freedom of expression in general.
Category : Human Rights, My Commonwealth
Tags: gambia, Human Rights, Journalism
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September 8th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
This is another good example of where the Commonwealth has failed to live out its principles. What is preventing the association from highlighting or, better still, condemning whats going on in the Gambia?
September 24th, 2009 at 2:40 am
Indeed its a shame for the Cth. the short article below from the BBC NEWS/country profile might be of interest.
“Gambia’s private media face severe restrictions, with radio stations and newspapers having to pay large licence fees.
A commission with wide-ranging powers, from issuing licences to jailing journalists, was set up under a 2002 media law. It was seen by critics as a threat to press freedom.
Further legislation introduced in late 2004 provided jail terms for journalists found guilty of libel or sedition. Deyda Hydara, one of the press law’s leading critics and the editor of private newspaper The Point, was shot dead days after the law was passed.
“There is an absolute intolerance of any form of criticism,” media rights organisation Reporters Without Borders said in its 2008 report.
State-run Radio Gambia broadcasts tightly-controlled news, which is also relayed by private radio stations. Radio France Internationale is available via an FM relay.
The government operates the only national television station”.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1032156.stm
it suggests that the country is stable but this stability has not been translated into prosperity. if this is the case then that is the hidden reason behind restricting freedom of media/expression in Gambia? What makes the Gambian government so much sensitive in terms of media freedom?
I would also like to ask Cth same question as asked by FijiBoot “What is preventing the association from highlighting or, better still, condemning whats going on in the Gambia?”