A group of armed policemen from Monrovia on December 14, 2007 besieged the premises of Stone FM, a community radio station belonging to Firestone Agriculture Workers’ Union (FAWUL) in Harbel, Margibi County 30 miles east of the capital and forcibly shut down the station.
Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s correspondent reported that the police officers armed with pistols, stormed and ordered all employees of out of the station, after which they stopped transmission.
Although, there has any not been any official explanation, the Station’s manager, James King told the MFWA’s correspondent, that the action of the police comes in the midst of on-going labour unrest at the Firestone Rubber Company, which has paralyzed activities at the plantation. It is also not clear if the closure is due to the station’s coverage of the unrest.
A police spokesman, Alvin Jask has since confirmed the closure.
Stone-FM enjoys listenership by Firestone workers and other community dwellers as its programmes focus on issues that affect the community.
MFWA condemns the arbitrary action of the police and is appealing to the government of Liberia to allow the station to resume operation because of the important community service it provides in serving the news and information needs of its listeners.
Prof. Kwame Karikar
iExecutive Director
MFWA
Tel: 233 21 242470
Fax: 233 21 221084
Email : [email protected]
Website : www.mediafound.org