CAMEROON SPORTS NEWSPAPER 'STADE' HEADQUARTERS SET ABLAZE

National Flag of Cameroon

By Emmanuel Gustave Samnick, President AJST

Please scroll down for French

YAOUNDE, November 26, 2012 - The Executive Board of the Sports Journalists' Association of Cameroon (AJSC) has this morning learned with dismay of the criminal attack carried throughout the night of Saturday 24 to Sunday 25, November against the media house ‘Stade’ – the only sports newspaper in Cameroon, promoted by Fotso Tchamekwen Lambert, a member of the AJSC.

At around 2:00am, six unidentified criminals raided Stade’s headquarters which also host the Pressbook Communications printing company belonging to our colleague.

The criminals wounded and paralyzed the security guard, forced the metal door to the printing machineries open, set fire and immediately fled without taking anything away. This in fact backs the belief that it must have been a well-orchestrated sabotage.

The AJSC absolutely condemns this serious threat against an independent media company which came to enrich Cameroonian journalism through the publication of a newspaper dedicated to sports. This media was also recently responsible of printing the country’s first private magazine, ‘Mutations’.

On the eve of the General Communication meeting organized by the Cameroonian Government, the AJSC wishes to call on the power of the public to throw maximum light on this coward and barbaric attack and all its developments.

Authorities must take all necessary measures to assure the protection of bold and professional initiatives in the private press sector which, as we know, participate in the mission of public service.

Translated by Angela Asante, AIPS Young Reporter