The police of Guinea-Bissau dispersed a vigil of Radiodifusao Nacional (RDN) workers in the capital on Monday, November 11th, in protest of censorship and to challenge the authority of the organization’s new director, Mama Saliu Sane, who took office without being appointed.

“Last Wednesday, Mr. Mama Saliu Sane, former general director, arrived here with police officers and ordered the staff as well as the legally appointed director general, Baio Danso, to leave, adding that with effect from that day, he takes over as the boss at the Radio Nacional,” Filomena Tavares, a member of the RDN board, stated.

According to Tavares, the workers, who included several journalists and technicians, had lit candles as a “sign of mourning.” The workers believe that the presence of a self-appointed director is “an assault on Radio Nacional, a lack of respect for the employees of this radio station who accompanied Guinea-Bissau’s independence process and who are working for the country’s development.”

The anti-riot police dispersed the workers as soon as other media outlets noticed the peaceful demonstration and went to interview their colleagues, even though the vigil was supposed to run the entire day.

It should be mentioned that the Rapid Intervention Police and members of the Economic Community of West African States’ security and stabilization force are on duty at the RDN installations.

The condition of the press in Guinea-Bissau after the invasion of public radio and television was a source of worry for the Union of Journalists and Social Communication Technicians (Sinjotecs), which released a statement last week.

Diamantino Domingos Lopes, secretary general of the union, told Voice of America that there is an apparent calm in the sector and that he has informed international organizations defending press freedom and journalists of the situation.