CNC LIFTS BAN ON RADIO POLITICAL DEBATES

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000549 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC GV SUBJECT: CNC LIFTS BAN ON RADIO POLITICAL DEBATES REF: A. CONAKRY 00528 ¶B. CONAKRY 00503 ¶1. (U) On August 31, Guinea's media regulatory body, the National Communications Council (CNC),suspended all political programs and call-in shows in all languages on privately-owned radio stations in the country (reftel A). The Minister of Communication to the Presidency and to the Ministry of National Defense, Tibou Camara, announced on September 9 that the CNC had lifted the ban. According to local media, CNDD President Moussa Dadis Camara charged Minister Camara with resolving the "dispute" between the CNC and the radio stations as Dadis wished to preserve freedom of expression at any cost. ¶2. (U) To reach agreement, Minister Camara held discussions between the head of the CNC, Jean Raymond Soumah, and representatives of the Guinean Association of Private Broadcasters, as well as journalists from the print media. The ban came almost immediately following the suspension of SMS services by the major telecommunications companies and was immediately protested by the media (reftel B). -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶3. (SBU) COMMENT. The "discussions" between the CNC and the journalists seems to have enabled Dadis to conveniently come to the defense of democracy and freedom of expression. Lifting the ban defused one discrete source of conflict, but general unease continues as citizens anticipate Dadis' declaration of his candidacy for president. END COMMENT. BROKENSHIRE