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World
Press Freedom Day
Civic Alliance
for Social & Economic Progress (CASEP)
May 03, 2003
Saturday 3rd
May is World Press Freedom Day. CASEP joins the media community
in commemorating this day.
World Press
Freedom Day was established by the United Nations 12 years ago to
remember and celebrate press freedom and the fundamental principle
that underpins this liberty- the constitutional right of the public
to inform and to be informed.
However, CASEP
notes with concern that this principle, enshrined in the Constitution
of Zimbabwe, and regional and international human rights instruments,
is being suffocated in Zimbabwe's ever-diminishing democratic space.
There is little to celebrate 23 years after the country gained political
independence from Rhodesia.
The realization
of the rights to freedom of expression and access to information
demands commitment from all players (including the media, the public
and government authorities) in the democratic arena.
Significantly,
CASEP has observed that the Government of Zimbabwe has reneged on
this commitment through enacting repressive laws that curtail these
rights. In AIPPA, the media's editorial independence is at stake-
it removes the right of individuals to report freely on events and
issues of public interest and importance. In POSA, the right to
criticize public officials is curtailed. Further, the state's failure
to bring to justice perpetrators of all manner of crimes against
the media and its workers exacerbates the climate of repression
and intolerance that pervades society today.
It is an urgent
and critical necessity that a free and progressive information and
media environment in Zimbabwe be restored. This means:
- Urgent reform
of laws affecting the media and information dissemination, including
the repeal of Access to Information and Protection of Privacy
Act (AIPPA) and the total overhaul of the Broadcasting Services
Act (BSA)
- Recognition
and impartial enforcement of rights and freedoms contained in
Zimbabwe's constitution, and in the relevant regional and international
agreements to which Zimbabwe is a signatory
- Immediate
cessation of violence and intimidation (in all their forms) of
media and information workers and institutions, and of media consumers
- Active encouragement
of information diversity, debate and information flow through
all relevant means and channels
- Immediate
and urgent actions towards reforming the public media, to enable
them to act with impartiality as a truly national information
resource, and fulfill their original mandate to encourage diversity
of opinion and debate, support development and play an active
and positive role in democratic nation building.
For more information,
Tel. +263-(0)4-708835, 705108, Fax: 737220
Visit the CASEP
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.
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