Newspaper printing press burned for second time in six months

The printing press of Gambia’s most outspoken newspaper, The Independent, has been burned down by armed men for the second time in six months, employees of the bi-weekly publication said on Friday. The Independent has been a consistent critic of President Yahya Jammeh. Its staff have frequently complained of harassment by the authorities. The arson attack occurred during the early hours of Tuesday morning. Employees complained that it took it took the police five hours to arrive at the scene, even though a nearby police station had been alerted immediately. They told IRIN that six men launched a pre-dawn attack on the newspaper's printing works armed with guns and a jerrycan of petrol. “We were busy producing Tuesday’s edition of the paper when six men suddenly burst into the building and started firing indiscriminately,” explained Namory Trawally, the works manager and senior printer. “Five were armed while a sixth man carried a yellow plastic container with about 20 litres of petrol,” Trawally said. “ We scurried for cover as the five kept firing in all directions.” “The sixth man went straight to the printing machine, doused it with petrol and set it alight,” he added. Trawally said the assailants tried to lock him and his colleagues in the building, but they managed to escape. One of them had to be rushed to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and burns, he added. One of the attackers sustained burns to his arm in the attack, while another dropped a gun as he fled the building, Trawally said. The weapon had been handed over to police as evidence, he added. Trawally complained that it took five hours for Chief of Police, General Landing Badgie, to lead a team security to officials to the site, even though the press is only one kilometre away from the nearest police station and there are another two stations within a two kilometre radius. “When the attack started we called the police and explained what was happening and where we were, but they said that there was nothing that they could do,” said Trawally, who described the behaviour of the police as a “sham”. As Badgie inspected the burnt out press, he denounced the attack as “barbaric” and promised “Every effort will be made to apprehend and bring to book the responsible.” Managing Editor Alagie Yorro Jallow told IRIN that the police had detained a man for questioning but he had seen at liberty on the streets of Banjul a few hours later. The printing press destroyed was only three months old. Last October, three unidentified men set fire to the Independent’s previous press. Police promised a full investigation at the time. However, no-one has been charged in connection with the attack. In September last year, a few weeks before that first arson attack, Abdoulayie Sey, the editor in chief of The Independent, was arrested and detained for four days before being released without charge. Gambia’s newly appointed information minister, Amadou Scattred Janneh condemned the latest attack on the Independent on Wednesday. Janneh, who was appointed less than two weeks ago, said the government was committed to safeguarding the freedom of the press. “Information and knowledge give power and are integral parts of democracy,” said Janneh. Though he also admitted that “democracy is a process.” However local journalists have had frequent run-ins with President Jammeh, a former army lieutenant who came to power in a 1994 coup. The latest arson attack on The Independent came as Jammeh’s government is attempting to set up a controversial National Media Commission with wide powers to licence journalists and regulate the local media. Independent journalists are now barred from covering news events at state house. The state media controls all news concerning the president. Journalists and media workers say privately that the climate of repression is worsening. Most people on the streets of Banjul refused to speak to IRIN about the latest attack on The Independent, frightened that they might get into trouble. However, one young man Lamin Ndure, said: “The only newspaper I can trust is The Independent. It is always telling the truth and that is why the government does not like the paper. They tried to burn it down last year and failed and now they have tried again.” Privately owned Radio 1 FM, has also been the target of a mysterious arson attack. In August 2000, owner George Christensen was injured when men tried to burn down the radio station. Police have so far failed to make any progress in their investigations.