CHAD: CENSORSHIP UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NDJAMENA 000017

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C and AF/PD, LONDON AND
PARIS FOR AFRICA-WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPAO PHUM CD
SUBJECT: CHAD: CENSORSHIP UPDATE

REF: 06 NDJAMENA 01414


1. (SBU) Summary: Nearly one month after declaring a
state of emergency throughout the country, the Government
of Chad continues to talk a tough line vis--vis the national
press. The state of emergency, under which the GOC has
implemented a hard line censorship policy, has been
extended for six months. Both Arabic and French media
contacts have expressed grave concerns for the near term
future of freedom of the press in Chad, and for the viability
of their own media if strong censorship continues. Actual
examples of censorship in newspapers appear to have
diminished somewhat, potentially due in part to self-
censorship on the part of struggling papers. End
Summary.


2. (SBU) As reported in reftel, the GOC considers
censorship justified as long as Chad is in a state of war with
rebel movements trying to destabilize the country. The
GOC asserts that the state of emergency declared in late
November extends to NDjamena due to rebel threats to
attack the capital, as they did on April 13, 2006.
However, because there have been no recent major security
problems in NDjamena as a result of conflict in the east,
several media contacts have reported their suspicion that
the state of emergency was extended to NDjamena to
allow the GOC to control the independent media.


3. (SBU) In a December 11 meeting (reftel),the
Ambassador discussed the censorship issue with Minister
er
of Communication Moussa Doumgor, expressing USG
concerns about the clear threats to the free press in Chad.
The meeting clearly resonated with the Minister, who
mentioned it and the Ambassador on several occasions
during a December 27 television interview. The Minister
The Ambassador of the United States told me what the
impact [of censorship] on Chadian public opinion would
be, stated the Minister. [But] our press is not yet capable
of assuming its national responsibilities; because its not
about pleasing the outside world its about contributing
to making things better in Chad. In the current context,
the minister continued, we can close a radio station. Who
will oblige us to reopen it? Neither France, nor the United
States, nor the UN.


4. (SBU) After declaring a state of emergency in late
November, the government immediately began to require
all media (print and radio) to submit their reporting for
review by the HCC (High Council for Communication, the
tion, the
GOCs press regulatory board) and the Ministry of
Communication. Whole articles on the front pages of
several independent newspapers (both French and Arabic)
were blacked out in early December. Initially, newspapers
covered these black areas with the word censored, but
stopped after a warning from the GOC that censored
material should only appear in black.


5. (SBU) Following a two-week hiatus in protest of
government censorship policy, the independent newspapers
are publishing again. The first run after the hiatus saw
many censored articles. However, the latest editions of the
most prominent independent papers have not been
censored. Several French language journalists reported to
the Public Affairs Section (PAS) that they felt obliged to
return to the marketplace for the good of their papers. They
believed that they would go out of business forever if they
stopped publishing for too long, and would certainly lose
their advertising base. At the same time, French language
ge
media leaders reported to the PAS that they no longer feel

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the content of their papers reflects their editorial line. They
have significantly softened their direct criticisms of the
government, and stopped reporting on events in eastern
Chad almost entirely.


6. (SBU) Journalists in the Arabic-language media also
spoke openly with the PAS about their concerns. The
Arabic-language press stopped publishing for two weeks to
protest government censorship. However, staff at three
Arabic-language papers reported receiving an indirect
message from the GOC, via press officers at the
presidency, that they would be considered as siding with
the rebels if they did not publish. As a result, the
journalists report, at least three Arabic-language papers
plan to publish this week, but not report on domestic
politics or events in the East. Similarly, Arabic-language
programming on RNT (National Chadian Radio) and FM
Liberte (independent) now consists only of social and
d
cultural programs, and Chadian traditional music.


7. (SBU) Al Jazeeras Arabic language service has been
filling the media void in Chad in recent weeks. They now
have a full-time correspondent covering domestic politics
in Chad, and a correspondent on the eastern border region
who has at several points been embedded with rebels.
The domestic correspondent was briefly detained by GOC
security forces last week, then released, apparently without
clear cause. Al Jazeeras correspondent on the border,
meanwhile, conducted a lengthy interview with UFDD
rebel leader Mahamat Nouri, broadcast on Al Jazeera on
January 2 and 3.


8. (SBU) Official censorship has also touched Chadian
musical tastes. Sudanese music, which is very popular in
Chad, especially among Arabic speakers and Muslims, is
no longer played on the radio, nor at official parties or
events, by official decree. According to a close contact
with strong government ties, the absence of Sudanese
ese
music significantly dampened the ambiance at an official
New Year s Eve celebration attended by President Deby,
many cabinet members and high-ranking military, and
former rebel leader Mahamat Nour.



WALL