A standoff between Chad’s High Authority for Media and Audiovisual Communication (HAMA) and the Association of Media Professionals (AMET) remains unresolved, with neither party nor the N’Djamena tribunal making significant progress.
The conflict began on December 4, when HAMA issued a directive banning media outlets from broadcasting or publishing unauthorised content. AMET has denounced this decision as illegal.
On December 18, 2024, the N’Djamena High Court, approached by AMET, declared itself incompetent to adjudicate the matter.
In a press release, the Union of Chadian Journalists (UJT) called for dialogue between the two organisations, emphasizing that the dispute undermines the public’s right to information.
“The UJT urges HAMA to reverse its decision and end measures that threaten media pluralism. Similarly, we call on AMET to suspend its strike to ensure the population’s access to information,” appealed Gotingar Serge Manasse, UJT’s Secretary General.
As of now, neither HAMA nor AMET has responded to UJT’s request.
Since December 10, AMET has been on an indefinite and total strike. According to its president, Bello Bakary Mana, “This is a fight we must win at all costs.”
CA/sf/te/lb/as/APA