Back to Index

MISA Regional Governing Council Statement
Media Institute of Southern Africa
February 18, 2003

The Regional Governing Council of the Media Institute of Southern Africa ((MISA) at its meeting held in Johannesburg on February 11 and 12, 2003, note with concern the fluctuating state of media freedom in southern Africa.

MISA recognises and celebrates the unique and positive developments recorded over the last eighteen months that have upheld media freedoms and freedom of expression in the region. Unfortunately numerous negative incidents recorded in the same period grossly outnumber the positive developments.

MISA commends the government of Mozambique for concluding the investigation and trial into the murder of journalist Carlos Cardoso. We congratulate the judiciary for the transparent manner in which the trial was conducted and for allowing access to the media and the public at large. However, we urge the government of Mozambique to take urgent measures to bring to book all persons implicated in the matter.

MISA further commends the government of Zambia for the enactment of the Independent Broadcasting Authority and the amendments to the Zambia National Broadcasting Act. We urge the Zambian government to expedite the return to Parliament of the deferred Freedom of Information Bill.

MISA is encouraged, through the registration of the press council in Botswana, by that government's and the media's commitment to uphold professional standards. We applaud both the government and media's acceptance of an independent self-regulatory media council.

While acknowledging the positive developments, unfortunately numerous incidents were recorded that had a negative impact on media freedom and freedom of expression in the region.

MISA is concerned about the continued harassment and physical attacks on journalists in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. We urge authorities to ensure the safety of journalists in executing their professional duties. MISA is particularly concerned about reports of attacks on newspaper vendors by organised thugs and political vigilante groups in attempts to muzzle the media and deny acccess to information.

We wish to express our concern over the withdrawal of citizenship of the chairperson of the Habari Corporation, one of the leading media houses in Tanzania. MISA views the withdrawal of citizenship as an act of intimidation and harassment. We urge the government of Tanzania to speedily resolve the matter by restoring his citizenship.

The Guardian of Swaziland won its case against a government-imposed ban in 2001. The newspaper however remains closed as a result of the government's appeal against the court ruling. We urge the government of Swaziland to retract its appeal or alternatively speed up the appeal process so that the Guardian may resume publishing.

MISA is concerned about the rapidly worsening state of press freedom and freedom of expression in Zimbabwe. We condemn the on-going harassment and intimidation of media practitioners which is further exarcerbated by the continued and selective application of legislation against the private and independent media. The prevailing environment in Zimbabwe is one that does not allow room for independent voices to express themselves freely even though the Zimbabwean constitution guarantees freedom of expression.

We urge the governments of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to uphold the principles of freedom of expression and media freedom as articulated in the Charter of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Windhoek Declaration and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations.

Simphiwe Mdlalose
Chairperson Regional Governing Council

Enquiries:
MISA Regional Secretariat:
Luckson Chipare at director@misa.org
Kaitira Kandjii at kandjii@misa.org

Visit the MISA-Zimbabwe fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP