The African Editors Forum, TAEF, has condemned the ban on the BBC and indefinite suspension placed on the Voice of America by the President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza.
In a statement signed by the President of the body Jovial Rantao and Makan Kone, which was made available to the Next Edition, the Editors called on Nkurunziza to immediately lift the ban and suspension on the media outfits.
They described the President act as “a serious blow against media freedom,” saying “it should be corrected immediately.”
The statement read in part: “The President of Burundi has gone from the crazy to the ridiculous.
“Pierre Nkurunziza, started with sending to jail, primary school girls who doodled on his face.
“He has now banned the BBC and indefinitely suspended the Voice of America. The African Editors Forum (TAEF) is shocked by the latest tricks from a leader of government who continues to fashion himself as an enemy of the media freedom.
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“TAEF calls on President Nkurunziza to rescind the BBC ban and allow the VOA and all media to operate freely in Burundi. It is important for the Barundi that all voices in the media, including those critical of the current government, should be heard.”
TAEF president further noted that “The ban on all radio stations in Burundi as well that on the BBC and the Voice of America must be lifted immediately. The act by the President of Burundi is a serious blow against media freedom and should be corrected immediately.”
Rantao said it was ridiculous to the extreme that the government of Burundi would also ban from communicating with BBC or VOA adding that silencing the media would never provide a solution to the bigger problem faced by Barundi, “which is the murder, torture and detention of hundreds by the President Nkurunziza’s security forces.”
Burundi ranks 159th out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index 2018, compiled by the advocacy group Reporters Without Borders.
