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Gambia News : Gambian authorities ban independent radio station
The Gambian authorities on Thursday shut the only independent radio station in the nation that has continued to broadcast news, according to local journalists.
According to a press release issued by the New York-based media watchdog, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Friday, quoting local journalists, said officials of the state security outfit, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) summoned Ismaila Ceesay, managing director of Taranga FM, a community radio station based in Sinchu Alhagie village, southwest of Banjul, for interrogation and ordered the station off the air until further notice.
Journalists told CPJ the ban was in reprisal for the station’s “news review” program in which local newspaper stories were read on the air in English and local languages. It was however unclear what story or stories prompted the ban.
“With a small independent press corps weakened by years of government intimidation and repression, the Gambia counts only a handful of private radio stations, which mostly cover sports and entertainment, and a few independent newspapers operating under intense self-censorship. The government operates a television and radio network known as GRTS (Gambia Radio and Television services), which broadcasts only officially approved news. Arrests, torture, physical and verbal intimidation, arbitrary closures of news outlets, repressive legislation, and unsolved murder and disappearance of journalists have forced dozens of independent journalists to flee into exile,” the release said.
“With the closure of Teranga FM, the Gambia confirms its status as one of Africa’s most censored countries,” said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. “Radio is a vital source of news in Africa, but listeners in the Gambia can now hear only a government mouthpiece. The authorities should restore Teranga FM and all independent broadcasts to return to air.”
The release adds that several independent news outlets have been shuttered by the government in recent years, including Citizen FM, Radio 1 FM, a local bureau of Senegalese station Sud FM, and The Independent newspaper, according to CPJ research.
The ban on Teranga FM came a week after Gambian Justice Minister Edward Gomez dismissed suggestions of human rights abuses in the country as “mere speculation,” according to an interview published in the private Daily News. In the same interview, Gomez threatened to prosecute any exiled Gambian who dared criticize the government’s actions.
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- Jammeh is a DICTATOR, period!
The people of the Gambia are too much opportunist to even realise this! Nation of morons! That's what every dictator loves! Wake up Gambians before it's too late!
(Posted on November 30, 2011, 5:12 AM Lamin Jobarteh)
- Thomos do u actually believe the crap that comes out of your mouth??are you trying to say that its ok for the govt to feed people with their censored fabricated news but pvt radios arent allowed to publish news they get from sources? u are a BAFOON!!
(Posted on September 11, 2011, 11:39 AM Joe Laverton)
- The Media is the cause of so much of the ongoing violence in the world today and the more we let them within us the more space they hoping to create for theere evil behaviors we should set a better example for our Children. so-called media
(Posted on July 19, 2011, 3:10 AM thomos)
- why jammeh always close the private radio. because he dont want no body againts what he say or do in the nation. but remeber the gambia does not belomg to individual. os for all of us. and no power remain only god.he should think about that .
(Posted on June 25, 2011, 9:10 AM ousuman)
- U feel sorry 4 us gambians, what a pettiful thing 2 say. U r also part of the problem my friend, using incendiary language only adds fuel to the problem, and dats 1 thing we dont need.
(Posted on May 9, 2011, 12:56 PM Abdou Rahman Jobe)
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