In the decision signed by Pierre Sammy Mackfoy, HCC chairman, on 9 January, and read on government controlled Radio Centrafrique during the 1800 GMT newscast of the same day; the High Communication Council accused Le Citoyen of “disrespect of deontology and ethic of the profession of journalist.

It also accused disrespect of the warning issued in the declaration No 08.001 du the High Communication Council on 26 September 2008, non respect of Article 22 of Ordinance 05.002 dated 22 February 2005 regarding communication freedom in the Central African Republic.”

In an explanatory declaration broadcasted after the publication of the decision suspending Le Citoyen, the High Communication Council recalls that it issued a warning to this daily on 26 September 2008 for treating Central African MPs as “KPANDA” meaning in Sango “stray dogs.”

The declaration states: “As if the warning issued by the High Communication Council did not concern it, the same newspaper called Le Citoyen, after copiously abusing and despising the MPs in total impunity, is attacking now the entire political class, without distinction, by qualifying it again as “KPANDA” or “POLITICAL DWARF” in its editorial of Issue 3069 dated 7 January entitled “Year 2009 is ending on bad note with strikes and funerals.”

“In this editorial, the newspaper abuses, one after the other, the president of the republic, head of state, the prime minister, head of government, and all ministers in terms that are not decent for us to repeat them here. Based on the foregoing, the High Communication Council, met in general assembly, decided to suspend the publication of the newspaper called Le Citoyen for duration of one month starting from 10 January 2009.”

Le Citoyen is privately owned by Maka Gbossokoto, chairman of the Union of Central African Journalists, UJCA. Maka Gbossokotto was the very one who called, on 8 January, for a press free day in protest of the attitude of the government towards the death of Barrister Nganatoua Goungaye, deceased in a strange road accident. In an interview granted to independent Radio Ndeke Luka, Maka Gbossokotto wondered why the country’s authorities did not pay tributes to the memory of Barrister Goungaye who worked a lot for human rights defense and promotion in the country.

Also, it should be recalled that Maka Gbossokotto, in its capacity as UJCA chairman, opposed the designation of certain members of the High Communication Council. He filed a complaint before court in 2006 against the appointment of certain personalities who did not have anything to do with news profession within the High Communication Council.

Maka Gbossokotto’s reaction to this suspension is yet to be known, most specifically when the decision suspending his daily provides for severe disciplinary sanctions in case of its non observance.