For almost a week, “Jeune Afrique” has been one of the topical subjects in Senegal. The so-called Pan-African media published, on April 28, an article entitled: “Jihadism: Is Senegal in the viewfinder of Jnim? ». The newspaper, taking over a report by the Timbuktu Institute of Dr. Bakary Samb, says that the support group for Islam and Muslims (Jnim in its English acronym) has started an infiltration process in Senegal.
Since then, the reactions have been linked, whether on social networks or through press releases. The front for an anti-imperialist, popular and Pan-African revolution (FRAPP) whose figurehead is the deputy Guy Marius Sagna of Pastef, is among the first to signal. The organization finds in this article from “Jeune Afrique” and RFI an attempt at media manipulation in a very particular context.
“We firmly condemn the disturbing coincidence between the announcement of the gradual withdrawal of French troops and the recent publications in ‘Jeune Afrique’ and on RFI, which suggest that Senegal could be the next target of the terrorist group Jnim. There is no doubt that it is a strategy perfectly orchestrated by imperialist powers to maintain their grip on the African continent, under the guise of ‘fight against terrorism’, “takes off.
After FRAPP, it is the turn of the framework of democratic and patriotic reflection CRDP-50 to go up to the niche. This entity “solemnly requests from the Government of Senegal to suspend all the distribution media from the French media ‘Jeune Africa’.
This time, not because of the article on terrorism, but because the media led by Marwane Ben Yahmed “published on his online site a tendentious and deliberately unbalanced article to try to question the quality of the report on the situation of public finances produced by the Court of Auditors of Senegal”. The authors of the note find that there is a “violent, ignominious and unacceptable” office of “JA” against the Court of Auditors.
While it was believed that it is a matter of organization of civil society, the director of communication, Hard Dia, reveals that in reality, it became a state affair. DIA maintains that a formal notice will be sent to “Jeune Afrique” following what the government considers a series of defamatory articles, including jihadism publications, the report of the Court of Auditors or the dismissal of thousands of people from the public service.
“We have documented everything. All these elements were gathered in a report and the minister asked us to act. The sanctions will be graduated that can range from the expulsion of the local media representative in the event of recurrence until the prohibition. I am not saying that we will arrive at this stage, I do not wish it elsewhere, but it was necessary to bring clarification, ”explains Habibou Dia.
Now, it is apparently the media relays of Pastef that take over. On the limit of without limit, one of the columnists thinks that “the time has come to get rid of ‘Jeune Afrique’”. On this set, the media as a fumist (Rambaaj) is described. Today, it is the turn of “Yoor-Yoor”, the Pro-Pastef newspaper, to put on the front page: “JA, the big ship of a manipulator media”.
If the newspaper is targeted at this point, it is because the geopolitical context is particular in the sub-region. Currently, the French media are the subject of suspicions. Everything they publish is seen as entering a global manipulation or destabilization strategy. It is true that there is something. We heard the French president demand from these media that they relay the positions of the Élysée.
Even if journalists from France Médias Monde have denounced this outing, the fact remains that it is the reason for being of the media like RFI, France 24 or TV5. Moreover, in fact, we note that the French press has become very critical of the countries of the Sahel Alliance currently in difficulty with Paris.
In the specific case of “Jeune Afrique”, he has a singular history with the continent. The media is regularly accused of blackmailing governments in order to pay for advertising. But he is also suspected of being among the armed arms of the old colonial power.
In any case, the role played by “Jeune Afrique” in the 2010 Ivorian crisis is still fresh in the memories. This media literally fought Laurent Gbagbo presented as the devil in person. When we later see the relations between Ouattara and France, we cannot fail to have a certain look at “JA”.
This situation is not unique to Senegal. “Jeune Afrique” was suspended in Burkina in August 2024. Before, Burkinabé President Ibrahima Traoré said that “Jeune Afrique” offered to restore the image of the country “in exchange for strong sums of money”. In Mali, it was the “JA” correspondent who was expelled in 2022.
Admittedly, “JA” is not the only one, since many media, some non-French people (BBC in particular), have been suspended or threatened with suspension either in Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina.
But beyond what is the geopolitics of the media in West Africa, there is a kind of discomfort “Jeune Africa”, often considered as a particular media by acts attributed to it.
Seneweb
