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Radio presenter receives death threats

(MFWA/IFEX) - Sam K. Le Jah, a presenter at Ouga FM, a privately-owned radio station in Ouagadougou, received death threats on 18 April 2007 for allegedly criticising the administration of President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) correspondent reported that the threat was communicated to the presenter in an e-mail titled: "You will be killed". The email from "firefaso@yahoo.com" ordered Jah to use his programme to support the policies of President Compaoré, whom it claimed was a "divine blessing".

The message stated that the presenter would be killed soon if he continued with his "rubbish".

"Know that you will soon be killed and nothing will happen. We killed Thomas Sankara, former military ruler, nothing happened. We killed Norbert Zongo, newspaper editor, nothing happened. It will soon be your turn. When you go out, just take a look at the cemetery."

Jah hosts a reggae music programme which is very popular among youth and which he uses to criticise the administration. Jah, a musician, also recently launched an album titled: "Thomas Sankara". Sankara, the former leader, was assassinated in a bloody coup d'état on 15 October 1987 led by President Compaoré.

Jah has since reported the matter to the Gendarmerie and the national police.