THE GAMBIA: UPDATE ON THE MEDIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANJUL 000576

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/16/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KMCA GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: UPDATE ON THE MEDIA

REF: A. BANJUL 465


B. BANJUL 542

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Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD,REASON 1.4 (B AND D)

SUMMARY
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1. (C) The generally negative trend in The Gambia's media
environment continues, despite the enhanced media coverage
accorded the opposition in connection with its Presidential
election campaigning. The National Intelligence Agency
detained a television reporter, who was subsequently fired,
and questioned a radio program manager. following
campaign-related broadcasts seen as too favorable to the
opposition, according to our contacts. Several other
journalists are awaiting trial, remain in custody without
charge, or are missing, and the December 2004 murder of
prominent journalist Deyda Hydara remains unsolved -- amidst
persistent allegations of official involvement. Authorities
reportedly cited the objective of regaining eligibility for
the Millenium Challenge Account (MCA) program in permitting
the recently-established journal, "Daily Express," to
continue publication. It remains to be seen whether, as some
sources predict, President Jammeh, following his expected
re-election September 22, will be inclined to show greater
tolerance for the private media and their criticism; these
sources cite The Gambia's improved human rights situation
following Jammeh's re-election in 2001. END SUMMARY.

OVERVIEW
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2. (C) In the two months since our last report on The
Gambia's overall media environment (ref a),the generally
negative trend has continued, highlighted by the strained
relationship between the GOTG and the country's private media
institutions. In a recent conversation with the Ambassador,
The Editor-in-Chief at the independent daily, "The Point,"
Pap Saine, stated that a climate of fear persisted within the
journalistic community due to President Jammeh's clear
distaste for the private media and their anti-GOTG criticism.
He spoke of widespread self-censorship among journalists,
and cited authorities' March closure of the paper, the
"Independent," known for its diehard anti-Jammeh stance, as
the result of its failure to moderate that stance. .

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND THE MEDIA
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3. (C) The Gambia's restrictive media environment is evident
in the coverage of the campaigning for the Presidential
election scheduled for September 22. To be sure, the
country's several private journals -- in particular, "The
Point," "Foroyaa," and "Daily Express," have been allowed to
provide extensive coverage of campaigning by the opposition
parties, as well as by Jammeh and his ruling APRC party. A
fourth private paper, "The Daily Observer," which actually
serves as the GOTG's mouthpiece, has predictably accorded
considerably more coverage to the APRC's electioneering than
to the opposition's -- notwithstanding a recent agreement by
media institutions on a "code of conduct" for election
coverage that specified equitable coverage of all competing
parties' campaigns. In addition, in accordance with the
GOTG's stated policy, the government-owned and operated
electronic media establishment -- Gambian Radio and
Television Service (GRTS) -- are required to provide each
competing party with forty minutes of television and radio
coverage daily, 10 minutes for a statement and thirty minutes
for political rallies.

GOTG MOVES AGAINST JOURNALISTS
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4. (C) Given the GOTG's media crackdown in recent months, the
media coverage of the opposition's electioneering --
especially by GRTS, which, as a rule, omits any reporting on
opposition activities -- is a noteworthy development.
However, authorities' actions against several individual
journalists -- including two with GRTS -- underscore the
limits of the GOTG's tolerance for media freedom. On
September 8, authorities detained GRTS television reporter
Dodou Sanneh, who was released on September 13, but dismissed
from his job. A radio program manager at GRTS, Serigne Fye,
was questioned by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA),
although not detained or fired. Our sources confirm that the
GOTG objected to a television broadcast by Sanneh and a radio
broadcast -- which Fye failed to edit -- that were seen as
overly favorable to opposition candidates. As previously
reported (ref b),on August 29, NIA officials detained
"Foroyaa" journalist and opposition activist Amie Sillah for
several hours before releasing her without charge.

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5. (C) Meanwhile, a journalist with the now-closed
"Independent," Lamin Fatty, freed on bail after two months in
detention, awaits trial on charges of "printing false
information." A former journalist and head of press
relations at a hospital, Malick Mboob, picked up in May,
remains in detention without charge, to our knowledge. The
whereabouts of another journalist, Ebrima Manneh ("Daily
Observer"),missing since July, remains unknown, amidst
speculation that he is in detention or has fled to Senegal.
As for the December 2004 murder of prominent journalist
Deyda Hydara, it remains unsolved; allegations of official
responsibility persist, and we note recent allegations
reported in other USG channels that a special unit within the
Presidential security apparatus was involved.

THE SAGA OF THE "DAILY EXPRESS"
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6. (C) Among the few positive elements in The Gambia's media
scene of late, the recently-established journal, "Daily
Express," continues to publish. As previously reported (ref
a),there were signs that the GOTG would prevent further
publication of this paper when it first appeared July 1, as
the NIA detained its Nigerian publishers, Sam Obi and Abdou
Gafar. The two were released after several days in custody.
Interestingly, according to a reliable source, NIA officials
told the pair that the GOTG was keen to regain eligibility
for the Millenium Challenge Account (MCA) program --
suspended in mid-June due to, inter alia, the GOTG's
deteriorating record on human rights -- and that, hence, they
would be allowed to continue publishing their twice-weekly
journal. The issues of "Daily Express" to date contain mild
anti-GOTG criticism and evenly-divided coverage of APRC and
opposition electioneering.

COMMENT
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7. (C) While the continued publication of "Daily Express" is
good news, contacts express doubt that the "Independent" will
ever be allowed to resume publication. Moreover, the Gambian
branch of the Senegalese-owned Sud FM radio station has yet
to return to the air following its closure by the GOTG in
October 2005, despite long-standing rumors that the go-ahead
from authorities is in the offing. It remains to be seen
whether, as some sources predict, following Jammeh's expected
re-election September 22, he will be inclined to show greater
tolerance for the private media and their criticism; these
sources point to The Gambia's improved human rights situation
following Jammeh's re-election in the last contest, in 2001.
END COMMENT.

STAFFORD