Six suspended newspapers in Ivory Coast resume publication
BY Godfrey Olukya 18-9-2012
The six newspapers which were last week suspended by authorities in Ivory Coast have resumed publication today.
The suspended newspapers included Le Temps, Aujourd’hui, Le Nouveau Courrier, Lg Info, Le Quotidien d’Abidjan , L’Alternative and Notre Voie. They were reportedly closed down on suspicion that they were acting as mouthpieces of former president Laurent Gbagbo.
‘Some of those newspapers are accused of failing to acknowledge Ouattara’s victory at the polls in 2010.’ said a Jim Mbuku, a journalist in Ivory coast.
He said that the two weeks suspension of the newspapers was announced last Thursday by Ivory Coast’s National Press Council (NPC).
He said,”But yesterday NPC said it had temporarily lifted the suspension of newspapers and hey could start operating today.’
The president of CNP Raphael Lakpe said that they have suspended the sanction after being contacted by some important people who called for a dialogue.
Lakpe said,’ We have suspended the sanction and instead started dialoguing with the concerned newspapers,the association of press
publishers of Ivory Coast and the truth and reconciliation commission. We want to give a chance to these mediation.’
President Alassane Ouattara defeated Gbagbo, who was then the incumbent, in the November 2010 elections but Gbabgo refused to step down. That brought about chaos as supporters of the two contestants fought one another leading to over 2500 deaths.
Several outstanding NGO’s, diplomats, and media organizations criticized the suspension of the papers. They are contented that the
newspapers are back on the streets
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