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Human
rights violations
Media
Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ)
Extracted from Weekly Media Update 2004-17
Monday April 26th - Sunday May 2nd 2004
WHILE the government
and the media it controls have targeted civic society and the opposition
MDC in their campaign to suffocate critical voices, it emerged during
the week that members of the ruling party who hold different views,
are not safe either.
The Herald
and the Chronicle (29/4) reported that ZANU PF’s Mashonaland
Province had suspended its Makonde MP and publisher of The Tribune,
Kindness Paradza, from carrying out party work for allegedly "undermining
party and government programmes and policies by serving foreign
and enemy interests".
His suspension
followed unsubstantiated claims by The Sunday Mail (25/4)
that Paradza was seeking help from Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe
(ANZ), publishers of the defunct Daily News, to get British
funding for the Tribune, which has of late become critical
of government policies.
Despite the
fact that Paradza and the ANZ denied the allegations in The Tribune,
The Herald’s faceless Nathaniel Manheru (1/5) insisted that
he was guilty. Using his typically childish insults, Manheru attacked
Paradza, saying he was "bereft of sound education, principles
and means", adding that he "has never been
a creature of depth and cause". To substantiate the
claims that he was seeking British funding for his paper Manheru
alleged that Paradza had held a "furtive conversation"
with British Ambassador Sir Brian Donnelly during Namibia’s
National Day.
The government
Press merely vilified Paradza and presented his suspension as the
right course of action by ZANU PF. The papers did not explore the
fact that like any other citizen, he has a constitutional right
to associate with any individual including Sir Brian, if ever he
did talk to him.
The Zimbabwe
Independent and The Tribune condemned Paradza’s persecution
and pointed out that he was being punished for criticizing the repressive
Broadcasting Services Act and AIPPA during his maiden parliamentary
speech and suggesting that government should revisit the laws to
encourage investment in the media sector.
The Independent
warned: "ZANU PF MPs should beware. Speak out in Parliament
and you could find yourself deselected…"
However, The
Sunday Mail (2/5) quoted the Department of Information denying
reports that Paradza was being persecuted for castigating media
laws. It said it was not offended "by ignorant remarks"
made by an "ignorant novice parliamentarian."
Meanwhile, the
violent seizure of Kondozi farm in the name of the Agricultural
and Rural Development Authority (ARDA), which resulted in the former
farm workers being denied their basic rights to shelter and sanitation,
continued to attract media attention. SW Radio Africa (27/4) reported
that, "The farm workers from Kondozi have now spent two
weeks in the open." The station interviewed a former
worker, who revealed that they were "…hiding in fear
of their lives…" after being evicted.
Subsequently,
the station (29/4) reported that the police had shot at and arrested
a former farm worker. The police accused him of "stealing
a vehicle belonging to Kondozi", allegations denied
by the worker and his former employer.
The Herald
(29/4) carried the story and quoted a police spokesman saying they
were "investigating the disappearance of assets at the
farm" and fired shots after the worker had resisted
arrest.
The Zimbabwe
Independent reported that ARDA had "confiscated four
vehicles that were used by management plus motorbikes".
In an effort
to counter such reports highlighting chaos at Kondozi, ZTV (27/4,8pm)
carried footage of people working on the farm. Transport Minister
Christopher Mushowe was then quoted claiming that production at
the farm was continuing peacefully adding that, "…what
has been written in newspapers, what has been said by our detractors
has no substance, has no basis at all." The Sunday
Mail concurred in its vitriolic opinion piece, Sellout papers
peddling lies about Kondozi farm, which conveyed a crudely racist
message. Instead of explaining the situation at Kondozi, the article
accused "British mouthpieces" at the privately
owned newspapers of "telling lies" and "selling
out under the mentality that what whites can do blacks cannot do".
Said its faceless
author, Lowani Ndlovu, incitefully: "Zimbabweans need
to stand up against sellouts in the media, business, politics, law,
civil society and the whole works. We must confront the internal
enemy once and for all".
During the week
the private media also exposed the force the police continue to
use to suppress public protests. The Daily Mirror (29/4)
and SW Radio Africa (29/4) both reported that the police had assaulted
and arrested members of the National Constitutional Assembly who
were demonstrating for constitutional reform. The Mirror
carried a front page picture showing police officers beating up
one of the protesters, while SW Radio Africa (29/4) reported that,
"three people…assaulted by the police…are still in hospital."
The station
also revealed that those arrested were released without charge.
In fact, this has become the norm. As Studio 7 (26/4) revealed,
90 percent of the MDC leadership have been arrested and none of
them have been convicted. Most have had charges against them dropped.
Visit the MMPZ
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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