Repressing Journalists In Africa Historically

Since events in much of Africa usually haven’t gotten much Big Media coverage, historically, many people in the U.S.A. may not be too familiar with the way some African journalists were treated in the 1990s by some governments in Africa. But in an article titled “The Press Versus The Law In Africa,” which appeared in the May 1993 issue of its Censorship News publication, the London-based Article 19 human rights organization reported the following:

“As the world marks Press Freedom Day on May 3, governments throughout Africa continue to employ direct repression to censor their independent critics…Janvier Africa, a Rwandese journalist, has been detained since September 1992, apparently for identifying security officials responsible for political killings. Another journalist, Stration Byabagambe, was murdered by a para-military death squad in October 1992.

“In March 1993 more than 30 security agents invaded the offices of a Nigerian magazine, The News, and seized 30,000 copies which were due for sale the following day…Earlier the same month security officials closed down the Kaduna-based newspaper, The Reporter, and detained its editor, Mallam Hayatu…

“A journalist in Siera Leone, Roy Stevens, the former editor of The Chronicle, has been detained without charge since July 1992…

“Since presidential elections in September 1992, eleven independent publications in Cameroon have been suspended…

“Thirteen journalists currently face charges of sedition in Kenya. They include Pius Nyamora, editor of Society magazine, which has been repeatedly seized, Njehu Gatabaki, editor of Finance, who was held for 23 days in February 1993, and two editors of The Watchman charged in February with inciting `hate, contempt and dissatisfaction’ towards the President. On April 8, 1993 a group of more than 20 men identifying themselves as police raided the offices of Finance, armed with pistols, swords, knives, whips, axes, chisels and ropes. They seriously injured the computer operator, destroyed the computer and stole documents and cash.

“On April 15, 1993, members of the Togolese presidential escort raided the printing planat of the independent newspaper, La Tribune des Democrates, beating one of the printers who was later taken away by the police. Earlier the same day members of the presidential escort had stopped the paper’s main distributor from collecting his copies and abducted five vendors. In February, opposition journalist Leopold Ayiui was shot by unidentified assailants and went into a coma…

“…In Angola, South Africa, Liberaia, Somalia, Chad and elsewhere journalists continue to operate under the most extreme conditions of physical danger.”

(Downtown 6/23/93)

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