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DE RUEHNM #0116/01 0430959
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120956Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0002
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NIAMEY 000116 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI KPAO NG
SUBJECT: Government Again Warns Independent Media 
 
REF: 09 NIAMEY 950; 09 NIAMEY 838 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  The Conseil Superieur de la Communication (CSC), 
the Nigerien media regulatory body and its subsidiary advisory 
board, the Conseil de Presse, issued strongly worded warnings 
against the independent media on February 8.  The Counseil de 
Presse recommended that three journalists from Dounia TV, Radio 
Anfani, and Le Canard Dechaine be suspended for three months for 
unprofessional and unethical conduct.  This marks the end of a 
brief period of slightly improving media climate in Niger and 
raises tensions in advance of a planned media summit with the 
Minister of Communications/Government Spokesman later this month. 
End summary. 
 
 
 
The Government Admonishes the Media 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) The Conseil Superieur de la Communication (CSC), the 
Nigerien media regulatory body, issued a public general warning 
against the media in Niger on February 8 claiming that some media 
organizations have been acting unprofessionally and jeopardizing 
the public order.  The CSC included in the press release specific 
allegations from the Conseil de Presse, an advisory group comprised 
of six journalists that reports to the CSC.  While the CSC warning 
is broad, the Conseil de Presse (Press Council) report of February 
5 deplored the actions of specific journalists and called for a 
three-month suspension of their press credentials.  The Conseil de 
Presse wrote that despite calls by the CSC for the independent 
media to improve their performance, recent media reports have 
contained numerous instances of insulting and vitriolic attacks 
directed at institutions and individuals. 
 
 
 
Two Newspapers Warned over Food Insecurity Coverage 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶3. (U) The Press Council criticized the independent newspapers 
"L'Evenement" and "L'Actualite" for what they characterized as 
alarmist and inaccurate reporting on the looming food insecurity 
situation in Niger.  "L'Actualite" also received criticism for 
disseminating an allegedly unsubstantiated rumor of tensions 
between Nouhou Arzika, chairperson of the Patriotic Movement for 
the Defense of the People and the Nation (MPPR), and Prime Minister 
Ali Badjo Gamatie. 
 
 
 
Suspension Recommended for Dounia TV, Radio Anfani, and Le Canard 
Dechaine Newspaper 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶4. (U) The Press Council report singled out Dounia Television, 
Radio Anfani, and the independent newspaper "Le Canard Dechaine" 
for unethical and unprofessional conduct.  Dounia TV received 
criticism for allowing the remarks that high-ranking members of the 
administration of Niger are crooks, made by a journalist with the 
independent newspaper "La Roue de L'Histoire" Ismael Laoual Sallaou 
during a televised journalism roundtable, go unchallenged.  Dounia 
also received a reproach for insulting the President of Senegal by 
calling him "a sicko."  The report censured Radio Anfani for 
allowing a guest on a January 26 program, National Assembly Deputy 
Sanoussi Tambari Jackou, to criticize the Prime Minister and use 
language likely to threaten social harmony and incite ethnic 
divisions.  Le Canard Dechaine's Director of Publication Abdoulaye 
Tiemogo came under fire in the Press Council report for two 
articles:  one from February 2 entitled "Tandja Mocks the People of 
Niger" and another from February 1 entitled "The Unending Folly of 
President Tandja's Personal Power".  The report concluded with the 
recommendation that the CSC issue stern warnings to Dounia TV, 
Radio Anfani, and Le Canard Dechaine and suspend the press 
credentials of Abdoulaye Tiemogo, Ismael Laoual Sallaou, and Zakari 
Alzouma for three months.  (Note:  Alzouma is the Director of 
Publication of the independent newspaper L'Opinions; the report did 
not cite specific justifications for his suspension.  End note.) 
The GON has attempted to reign in Dounia, Radio Anfani, L'Actualite 
(ref A) and Le Canard Dechaine (ref B) before. 
 
 
 
Independent Media Cry Foul 
 
NIAMEY 00000116  002 OF 003 
 
 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) The CSC has not yet decided on sanctions, but sent a copy 
of the warning letter to media organizations in addition to 
releasing it publically.  State-owned and operated national 
television station TeleSahel broadcasted the report on February 8, 
state radio Voix du Sahel did so on February 9, and state daily 
newspaper Le Sahel printed it on February 10.  Ousmane Toudou, 
managing director of Radio Anfani, expressed his surprise and 
indignation during a February 8 newscast and said he would appeal 
any sanctions.  He also claimed that the Press Council violated 
regulations by sending its report directly to the CSC without 
consulting or advising the accused media organizations.  The 
chairperson of the ANEPI, the National Association of Independent 
Press Editors, said on several private radio stations that this 
step "reveals the illegitimacy of the CSC."  Privately, several 
journalists shared their disapproval of the Press Council's actions 
with post, saying that the CSC is trying to choke the independent 
media. 
 
 
 
The Press Council 
 
----------------- 
 
¶6. (U) The Press Council is a body of six press representatives 
appointed by the CSC in an advisory capacity.  The current Council 
is composed of:  Harouna Niandou, President of the Council and 
independent journalist; Illa Kane, Director of Publication of the 
independent but pro-government newspaper "La Griffe"; Abdoulaye 
Issaka, freelance journalist and media consultant; Aboubacar Kiassa 
and Habou Hadi, journalists with state radio Voix du Sahel;  and 
Fatouma Ide, journalist with the state newspaper organization ONEP. 
Several journalists have told post that the Press Council is 
pro-government and is not representative of the private media. 
 
 
 
The End of a Warming Trend 
 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) The CSC and Press Council report put an end to a short 
period of slightly improving press freedoms.  The Public Affairs 
Section held a series of lunches and visits with independent media 
in Niamey and in the interior of the country (Dosso, Maradi, and 
Zinder) over the last two weeks.  The journalists consistently 
opined that government intervention has eased somewhat in the last 
few months due to the EU's insistence on press freedoms during 
meetings in Brussels in December 2009, the ongoing ECOWAS mediated 
Inter-Nigerien Political Dialogue, and consistent pressure from the 
international community, particularly the USG.  The Director of 
Publications for the independent newspaper "Le Republicain" told 
the PAO that during a recent meeting of media organizations, the 
media association singled out the U.S. Embassy as the primary 
supporter and defender of press freedom in Niger through workshops, 
public statements, and financial support. 
 
 
 
¶8. (SBU) The journalists stressed that despite the recent warming 
trend, not long ago they were subject to harassment and 
intimidation, including direct threatening phone calls from the CSC 
to avoid granting coverage to the Opposition during the run-up to 
the referendum and local elections.  One publisher of a major 
independent newspaper told the PAO, "There is still no press 
freedom in Niger.  We all know where the line is and that we are 
not to cross it." 
 
 
 
Min. of Comm's Conference on the State of the Media 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶9. (U) Another sign of formerly improving relations between the 
media and the GON was the Minister of Communication and Government 
Spokesman Kassoum Moctar's plan to convene media organizations to 
assess their needs and discuss ways to support them.  During the 
first meeting with major media organizations on December 29, 2009, 
Moctar said he would hold a general meeting with media 
representatives and the CSC to discuss the recreation of the Maison 
de la Presse, government grants to support the independent media, 
and decriminalization of media infractions.  He also said he wanted 
to hold a "Media Evening" to celebrate the role of the media in 
 
NIAMEY 00000116  003 OF 003 
 
 
Niger. 
 
 
 
Maison de la Presse 
 
------------------- 
 
¶10. (U) The GON established the Maison de la Presse in 2005 after 
the Francophonie games as a center for conferences, training, 
internet access, and filing stories.  The GON donated the building 
and equipment, and the media association paid for salaries, 
utilities, and supplies.  The GON closed it in June 2008 after 
accusing the international community of subverting it to influence 
the independent media and criticize the GON.  Independent 
journalists are eager for its re-establishment. 
 
 
 
GON Financial Support for the Press 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (U) The "fond d'aide a la presse" is an annual GON grant to 
support independent media.  The previous amount was 200,000,000 CFA 
(approximately 417,000 USD), distributed to independent print and 
broadcast media via the CSC, which controversially kept 70,000,000 
CFA (approximately 146,000 USD) for "training for community radio 
and training the trainers."  Post's contacts in the independent 
media say that they have requested that the CSC not control this 
fund.  In mid-2008, the GON accused former Prime Minister Hama 
Amadou of embezzling 100,000,000 CFA (approximately 208,000 USD) 
from this account, granted in 2001. 
 
 
 
Decriminalization of the Press 
 
------------------------------ 
 
¶12. (U) The "depenelisation du delit de presse" stems from a 
campaign pledge of former Prime Minister Hama Amadou in 2004 to 
decriminalize inadvertent reporting errors and enhance protection 
for journalists in cases of accusations of slander and libel.  The 
independent media has decided to push for this stalled legislation 
again, and the Minister of Communication and Government Spokesman 
has said he would revisit the idea. 
 
 
 
Comment 
 
------- 
 
¶13. (U) The recent lessening of restrictions on the independent 
media appears to have been a false start.  Unwilling to garner 
negative international attention during the Inter-Nigerien 
Political Dialogue, the GON appeared to relax its prior campaign of 
harassment and intimidation, with a resulting noticeable uptick in 
stories critical of the Government.  Increasing coverage of a 
serious deficit of food resources, however, appears to have hit a 
nerve and the Government has decided once again to intervene and 
control the media.  The targets of the Press Council report, 
representing independent radio, television, and newspapers, appear 
carefully chosen to send a warning signal to all independent media. 
This step will raise tensions and make the upcoming meeting with 
the Minister of Communication and Government Spokesman even more 
pivotal.  End comment. 
 
 
 
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