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Gambia Gov’t shut down another community radio
Friday, 14 January 2011 23:09
By Pa Modou BojangIn demonstration of its continued hostility towards the independent media and journalists, the Gambian government yesterday clamped down on Teranga FM, a community radio station located in Sinchu Alaji, in the Kombo North district of the West Coast region and ordered its closure with immediate effect.
As at this time the government have not issued any statement why it closed down the station, but sources closed to the station believed that its closure is linked to a daily press review of independent newspapers in the country in local languages, an idea the Gambia government would never tolerate.
Teranga FM, which hits the airwaves in 2009, is based in Sinju Alajie, about 20 km west of Banjul, the capital. It is funded by donations from the local population and advertising and has created employment for the youths of the area.
Reporters without borders condemned the closure of the radio, describing the move on its website as “brutal methods” and urged the government of the Gambia to explain why the station was shut down. They also called on the administration of President Yahya Jammeh to reopen the station for the interest of press freedom.
It could be recalled that a similar thing happened to Citizen Radio FM, a station that was closed during the general elections in 2002 for reviewing local newspapers in local languages as the average Gambian cannot speak or write English. That station was never reopened. This followed the closure of Yiriwa Community radio in Brikama and newly established Standard newspaper.
Just few days ago, the attorney General and Minister of Justice in the Gambia stated that Gambian journalists and human right defenders outside the country writing about The Gambia will be prosecuted whenever they return back to their homeland. In his statement, Minister Gomez threatened exiled Gambians whom he described as “unfortunately evil members of the Gambian society who took refuge abroad putting every nonsensical story on papers and on radios to tarnish the good image of The Gambia government…”
“We will wait here for them to come”, he threatened.
Reporters Without Borders issued a release last month, on the sixth anniversary of late Deyda Hydara, a Gambian journalist who was killed by unknown gunmen, condemning the press freedom situation in Gambia and urging the government to let the media breathe.
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I've come to stay with you again.
To enter in....
The sound of silence.
Shussh now Edu's listening?
Rise up Gambians and take back your country!!!!
It is time. Enough is enough!!!!!!!!! !
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