From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS: SIERRA LEONE: CLAMP DOWN ON THE PRE
Originator: barnhart@gagme
Organization: Gagme Public Access UNIX, Chicago, Illinois.
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 14:27:18 GMT

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: SIERRA LEONE: CLAMP DOWN ON THE PRESS


by lansana fofana

freetown, aug 19 (ips) -- the military government of africa's
youngest head of state has issued a new decree which betrays
earlier pledges to protect freedom of speech say journalists and
human rights campaigners.

the national provisional ruling council (nprc) overthrew the
elected government of president joseph momoh last april 29
promising to effect a speedy transition to multiparty elections
in what has been dubbed as africa's poorest nation.

led by 27-year old valentine strasser, the nprc accused the
previous regime of gross corruption and of having no genuine
intention of allowing fair elections. strasser promised
his government would be transparent and tolerant to criticism.

less than three months after taking over, the nprc has
issued decree number six, with new restrictions on what the
media can report backed by a five-year jail term plus a heavy
fine.

the chairman of the national league for human rights and
democracy, paul kamara, who doubles-up as editor of 'for di
people' newspaper, told ips the move is a clear indication that
the new military leaders are becoming increasingly jittery.

''this ominous decree totally defeats their nprc earlier
talk of transparency and tolerance of the press. what are they
hiding?''

kamara like most in sierra leone's media, played a key
role in justifying the military takeover. questions are now
being raised over the wisdom of that earlier support.

only this week the 'new national news paper' resumed
publication after a three week ban for the paper's use of what
the government termed as ''offending military'' information.

decree six places a blanket restriction on any action which
the government believes may adversely affect public order.

the decree states that: ''no person shall endeavour, whether
orally or otherwise, to influence public opinion, the public
tranquility, the maintenance of public order or the maintenance
of supplies of services essential to the life of the
community.'' (more/ips)


sierra leone: clamp (2)

furthermore, it says: ''no person shall do any act, or have
any articles in his possession,'' which might be regarded as a
threat to public tranquility.

section 7 empowers the military government to detain any one
whose activities it views as ''predjudicial to public safety.''

this provision ''tramples on the fundamental liberties of the
individual and leaves one to wonder whether the regime is not
moving to a fascist position'', commented sulaiman banja
tejan-sie, a solicitor and former secretary general of the
opposition sierra leone peoples party (slpp).

journalists' reactions have been sharp and critical. the
president of the sierra leone association of journalists (slaj),
franklyn bunting-davies, condemned decree six as being,
''draconian'' and ''calculated to muzzle the free press in
sierra leone''.

he promised that slaj will fight the decree ''whenever it is
used against a journalist or the press''.

another popular editor, edward jimmy of the 'independent
forum', argued that the decree would ''inhibit press freedom and
hence deny the voiceless the opportunity to help in rebuilding
the nation''. the nprc's aim ''is to coerce the print media into
praise-singing and slogan chanting'', he said.

captain julius bio, a member of the supreme council of state
(the highest ruling body in the country) said the decree was
meant to ''set defined parameters within which the press could
operate, as we are currently in a state of war''.

strasser inherited the destabalisation of cross-border raids
by the national patriotic front (npfl) forces of liberian
war-lord charles taylor, launched in retaliation for sierra
leone's participation in the five-nation peace keeping force
sent to liberia in 1990.

strasser's coup was in-part a consequence of the poor
conditions faced by sierra leonian troops operating against
the npfl.

since he took office strasser's has offered to make peace
with the npfl only to be rejected.

this war plus a desire to ''improve the standard of
journalism'', were reasons why decree six was introduced
explained capt. bio.

the newly appointed secretary of information, hindolo trye
said that ''hard measures'' were needed to ''keep the press in
line''.

however, an angry western diplomat said this latest move of
the military administration had to be revoked. she said the
government's justification on the grounds of state security was
''unsatisfactory''. (end/ips/lf/ro/92)


-- 
Aaron (Barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us) -- posting from Evanston, Illinois
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african