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afrol News, 6 September - Today, the weeklies 'Misamu' and 'Gabaon' were suspended for three months by order of the National Communication Council (Conseil national de la Communication, CNC). The regulatory body has accused the two newspapers of publishing news "that undermines confidence in the state and the dignity of those responsible for the republic's institutions." The weekly 'Misamu' was suspended for reporting on the "disappearance of 3 billion CFA francs [approx. 4.5 million euros] from the public treasury." The newspaper also announced the possibility of "non-payment of civil servants' wages during the month of September 2002." These reports had undermined the "confidence in the state," CNC held. Meanwhile, the newspaper 'Gabaon' was punished for "violently" criticising Senate President Georges Rawiri in its 9 August edition, according to a CNC communiqué. 'Gabaon' therefore had not respected the "dignity" of this high official. Finally, two other publications, 'Le Nganga' and 'La Lowé', were "given notice" by the CNC for articles undermining the Prime Minister's dignity, according to the authority responsible for regulating the media. Reporters sans frontières (RSF), a Paris-based organisation promoting press freedom, has protested the harsh reaction by CNC. The organisation in a letter to Prime Minister Jean-François Ntoutoume Emane asked him to intervene to ensure that the CNC measure is cancelled and do everything possible to expand press freedom in Gabon. - Once more, the CNC and the Gabonese authorities are attacking the private press, RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard said in a statement published today. "In Gabon, as soon as a newspaper denounces the misappropriation of funds or criticises the state's highest-level officials, it risks being censured or suspended," Mr Ménard added in the letter to Prime Minister Emane. Reporters sans frontières further noted that in 2001, the newspaper 'La Griffe' and its international version 'Le Gri Gri International' were also suspended by the CNC. The regulating authority also prohibited the publication director and editor-in-chief from practising their profession as journalists. According to RSF's 2002 annual report, the situation of the press in Gabon is "highly politicised and most titles serve as propaganda for one of the political parties." The report further says the government "tries to censure the few existing independent newspapers. President Omar Bongo is particularly sensitive to criticism of himself or those close to him."
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