The
board and staff of the Gambia Press Union on Thursday paid a courtesy visit to
the Inspector General of Police to discuss the safety and security of media
practitioners in the country.
The
meeting with the police senior management was prompted by the recent rising
incidents of attacks on journalists and media practitioners by political party
supporters and the police.
The
most recent attack was an assault, allegedly, by the former ruling APRC
security and supporters, on the GRTS news crew during funeral proceedings of
late Asombi Bojang, the mother of exiled ex-president, Yahya Jammeh.
Saikou
Jammeh, secretary general of GPU, said the experiences and records of the
Gambia media during the 22 years of the former government was written in blood.
“The
expectation was that with the change of government, the narrative would be
different but so far, the experience is nothing to write home about.”
Mr
Jammeh said the rising spate of attacks on media practitioners is of grave
concern to the GPU, and urged the police high command to launch full
investigation into these ugly incidents and take proactive measures to avoid
future occurrence.
IGP
Mamour Jobe commended the leadership of the GPU for engaging the police senior
management on the security of journalists, saying the work of the police is to
protect the lives and properties of everyone, including journalists.
The
IGP said he and the other members of the police senior management were
regretful of the recent attack meted out to the GRTS news crew. He assured that the police were assiduously
working on the case and will bring the perpetrators to book.
On
the case of Pa Modou Bojang, a Brikama-based journalist who was allegedly
manhandled and beaten by men of Police Intervention Unit during the recent
Faraba incident, the police chief said it has been transferred to the Faraba
Commission.
“The
police were working on it but with the establishment of the Faraba Commision,
the case file has been transferred to the commission,” he said.
He
explained that journalists should know that if any of them is attacked by
either political party supporters or the police or anyone else, the first thing
to do is to lodge a formal complaint to the police so that investigation can be
open into the case.
As a way forward, he said, any deployment of
police to any place that would require media coverage, the personnel will be
briefed about how to engage with the media.
He
advised that journalists should make sure they have their press cards with them
on any coverage where the police are present and also journalists should avoid
any confrontation with police on duty.
The
IGP said his office is open to media fraternity for any engagement with a view
to better the police-press relationship.