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Media workers commemorate newspapers closed in 2003
MISA-Zimbabwe
September 13, 2007

Media practitioners from Harare, Zimbabwe) made a call on the Zimbabwean government to comply with the judgment of the Supreme Court and High Court by immediately disbanding the partisan and partial Media and Information Commission (MIC).

The practitioners made the call during the commemoration to mark the closure of the Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ) publications, The Daily News and The Daily News on Sunday, held on September 11, 2007. The two publications were closed on September 11, 2003, after the Supreme Court came up with its infamous "dirty hands judgment".

Andy Moyse, the coordinator of the Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe (MMPZ) hailed The Daily News and The Daily News on Sunday as being among the most vibrant and vocal publications ever to emerge from Zimbabwe. He stated that the publications played a crucial role in conscientising Zimbabweans about their right to freedom of expression and the need for media freedom. He said that since the closure of this publication, Zimbabweans have suffered from an information deficiency. Moyse however acknowledged the role being played by publications such as The Zimbabwean, The Standard and The Financial Gazette which have continued to wage the war of fighting for freedom of expression.

Moyse went on to state that, like mealie meal, bread and other basic commodities, information has disappeared from the shelf. He urged all Zimbabweans to lobby for better policies which would enable access to and the free flow of information.

Dzimbabwe Chimbga, from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights reiterated his organization's commitment to ensuring the creation of an independent and pluralistic media environment. Chimbga stated that the banning of media houses and harassment of media practitioners was done with disregard for Section 20 of the Zimbabwean Constitution which talks about freedom of expression.

Chimbga said whilst Zimbabwe is a signatory to a number of regional and international instruments which promotes the right to freedom of expression, it is surprising to note that the same government is on a mission to muzzle the media and stifle its operation

Participants at the commemoration expressed optimism that The Daily News, The Daily News on Sunday and other banned publications will one day suffice again to counter the propagandistic material being broadcast and published by the state media.

The commemoration was organized by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe in collaboration with Harare Press Club.

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