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Statement
on MDC's assault of journalists
Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition
November 21, 2007
The Crisis in Zimbabwe
Coalition notes with disappointment the assault of two journalists,
Frank Chikore and John Nyashanu by youth's alleged to be affiliated
to the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Sunday 18 November
2007. The duo was rounded up and assaulted whilst carrying out their
journalistic duties at the party's headquarters in Harare.
The incident marks a
sad and unfortunate chapter in the history of Zimbabwe's democratic
struggle since it defeats the principles on which the opposition
party was founded upon of proffering a democratic alternative to
the incumbent government led by the ruling Zanu PF party. It is
also unfortunate in that it goes contra to the constitutional provisions
of Zimbabwe as captured in section 20 of our constitution, and article
19 and 20 of the Universal declaration of human Rights, and Article
9 of the African charter on human and people's rights, which
speak on the right to freedom of expression and opinion.
Since its formation,
MDC has been consistent on calling for an alternative media framework
to the current media legal environment, which is heavily regulated
and censored by nefarious laws such as the Access
to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Broadcasting
Services Act (BSA), Public
Order and Security Act (POSA) and Interception
of Communications Act among others.
The party has gone as
far as tabling the repeal of such laws at the ongoing SADC initiated
negotiations. The party is calling upon the ruling party to open
up media space and allow journalists to execute their duties with
minimum government intervention as a fundamental ingredient for
Zimbabwe to return to democratic rule.
However, the attacks
on the journalists suggest other wise on the part of the MDC. They
fly in the face of the very same principles of democracy which they
are supposed to pursue. It is a reflection of its commitment or
lack of it to freedoms of expression and the media at large.
Journalists are protected
by constitutional provisions to undertake social, political and
economic surveillance on behalf of the society above political party
divides. An attempt to blockade this watchdog role is a declaration
of intent that some institutions are above the reach of media scrutiny,
a notion which is highly cherished at the Zanu PF headquarters.
When such behavior manifests
itself, it becomes a threat to the fundamentals of the struggles
for a democratic country, more so when journalists face physical
assaults in the backyard of a democratic opposition, which seeks
to offer a democratic alternative to authoritarian rule by a Zanu
PF led government.
We therefore, call upon
the MDC leadership to come out in the public deploring the cancer
of violence which befell journalists and effect disciplinary action
on the culprits, if they are sincere about the struggle for media
freedoms and the democratization of the country.
Visit the Crisis
in Zimbabwe fact
sheet
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