The Independent Published Friday, February 15, 2002 I don’t owe any more arrears Citizen FM proprietor declares Email [log in to unmask] Baboucarr Gaye, the proprietor of Citizen FM radio station, has declared that he does not owe the government any arrears. Mr. Gaye whose radio station was closed in October for being in tax arrears said all the arrears and so-called tax evasion have been settled accordingly with the government. He said however that his radio business was being meddled with to prevent him from operating again, and to tamper with his right to information. “ I do not owe them anything now, but they are still trying to stop me from getting back to the air” Baboucarr claimed. Reports have since confirmed that Mr. Gaye has settled all his tax liabilities with the government and was only waiting to start operations pending what was called “the green light from the government to plug on air”. Citizen FM radio station was closed after the October presidential election. Baboucarr Gaye was arrested and detained by the NIA for alleged tax evasion. But he was subsequently released after undergoing some NIA interrogation. According to some reports the decision to close the station was politically motivated. It was reportedly linked to the radio station’s announcement of the election results, which later prompted a statement from the government threatening serious consequences for any media house, which would announce them. Others attribute it to the authority’s displeasure over the station’s review of local newspapers for the benefit of illiterate members of the population. The closure of the station had attracted both international and national outcry, as the government was condemned and accused with interfering with people’s right to seek, receive and impart information as enshrined in article 19 of the UN declaration of human rights. The station was closed in 1998, with its entire essential equipment confiscated by the state, and the proprietor charged for operating a radio station without a valid license. In a courageous legal battle with the government Mr. Gaye won the case and the station resumed operation two years ago. Meanwhile keen listeners of their programmes, and translated review of the newspapers into the local languages are calling on the government to allow the radio station to resume broadcasting, claiming that this is the only way they could be informed about issues around them. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>