IPI: Liberian Media Under Attack

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

By Fatoumata Fofana, Guest Contributor VIENNA, 19 Oct. 2011 - As Liberia prepares for a presidential run-off election to be held on 8 November, there have been a series of attacks and threats against journalists -  in the latest incident, a radio and television station were targeted in an arson attack. A month and a half ago, David Kolleh of the FrontPage Africa newspaper was intimidated and physically abused, and his camera and recorder were seized, allegedly by members of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC). The attack occurred after he filmed disgruntled elements of the CDC allegedly assaulting the party’s secretary-general.  Kolleh's digital camera was later destroyed. Also, reporter Boima J.V. Boima of the New Democrat newspaper was attacked, threatened and intimidated by the vice presidential candidate of the CDC after the newspaper's news editor, A. Abbas Dolleh, took a photo of him on a campaign trail in Nimba County, northern Liberia.   In another incident, Robert Clark of Sky FM and Sky TV was allegedly flogged by CDC members for reportedly slowing down the convoy of the party’s presidential candidate, Cllr. Winston Tubman, during campaigning in the southeastern part of the country. Tubman is on record as saying that freedom of the press and civil liberties would not be prioritised by his administration, if he was elected.   On Monday morning, a building housing both Love FM and Love TV was burned to the ground by unknown persons in Monrovia. In response, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) held a mass meeting with practitioners from all walks of the media at its headquarters in Monrovia. The meeting, according to the PUL, was intended  to constitute a collective response to recent developments. Interestingly, Love FM is owned by former Maritime Commissioner Benoni Urey. He supports the opposition Congress for Democratic Change party of Winston Tubman. "While the Union waits for the police to establish the motive behind the attack, PUL condemns all forms of attacks and threats against journalists who are performing their duty, especially during this political campaign," PUL President Peter Quaqua said. There have also been reports of attacks and threats against the home of talk show hosts Smith Toby and Patrick Honnah, respectively, of Truth FM/TV.  The station is owned by businessman Musa Bility, who heads the incumbent Unity Party Campaign Team for Montserrado County. Fatoumata Fofana is an associate editor at Liberia’s Daily Observer newspaper, and an IPI member. The views in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the International Press Institute (IPI). Copyright 2011 by International Press Institute and their affiliate SEEMO. All worldwide rights reserved.