afrol News, 29 August - Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade has issued a decree dismissing the country's anti-press minister and chief propandagist of the ruling party from the government.

Farba Senghor, minister of craft, transport and aviation, has been accused of orchestrating recent attacks on the independent media.

It was not confirmed whether Mr. Senghor would maintain his post of the propaganda director of the Senegalese Democratic Party. President Wade is yet to name a replacement for Mr. Senghor.

Senghor's dismissal came almost two weeks after unidentified men raided the offices of 'L'As' and '24 Heures', two privately-owned in Dakar. The attackers sprayed mace at employers and destroyed reporting and printing equipment on 17 August.

The newspapers pointed accusing fingers at Senghor of ordering the destardly attacks. Senghor vehemently denied the allegations.

Prior to the attacks, the newspapers were engaged in a bitter dispute with the government over the beating of two Senegalese journalists during Senegal/Liberia football match.

The two papers have been adamant that the police officers accused of mistreating Baboucar Cambel Dieng and Karamokho Thioune, reporters of RFM and West Africa Democratic Radio, should be put on trial.

As the dispute became tense, the terrorised newspapers decided to run stories on Mr. Senghor's private life, prompting him to call on the government and the party to cut off their advertising contracts with the papers.

Senegal, one of Africa's major democracies, has had frequent push and push with the press for reporting critical and sensitive issues.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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