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World
Press Freedom Day petition
MISA-Zimbabwe
May 05, 2009
World
Press Freedom Day Petition to the Speaker of the Seventh Parliament
of Zimbabwe, Honourable Lovemore Moyo, The Honourable President
of the Senate, Honourable Edna Madzongwe, on the Urgency of Democratic
Media Law and Policy Reform in Zimbabwe
Cc: Honourable
Gift Chimanikire, Chairman of the Portfolio committee on Media Information
and Technology.
All members of Parliament.
Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity
Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies.
We, the undersigned
journalists and media practitioners, concerned with the continued
intimidation and harassment of members of our profession, cognisant
of the continued lack of diversity in Zimbabwe's print and
electronic media, as well as the continued statutory regulation
of the media hereby petition the Speaker of Parliament to undertake,
on behalf of the media fraternity in Zimbabwe the following interim
and long term measures for democratic media law reform;
Interim
Measures
a) To persuade
and insist that the inclusive government ensures that there is a
cessation of all harassment, intimidation, illegal detention, torture
and criminalisation of the work of journalists, media practitioners
and media houses. This is especially urgent with the ongoing cases
against journalists Andrisson Manyere and Jestina Mukoko who were
initially abducted and have been kept in prison as well as continually
harassed by members of the state security services.
b) To establish
the Zimbabwe Media Commission in terms of the amendments to the
Access
to Information and Protection of Privacy Act of January 2008
with the full knowledge that statutory regulation of the media is
not preferable and that in Zimbabwe's current political climate,
any such constitution of the statutory media council must be viewed
as an interim measure that will eventually pave way for self regulation
of the media.
c) To expedite
the establishment of the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe in terms
of amendments to the Broadcasting
Services Act of January 2008, with the express purpose of ensuring
the introduction of new players in Zimbabwe's broadcasting
industry whilst actively pursuing the need for the establishment
of an Independent Communications Authority to replace the Broadcasting
Services Act as well as the Postal and Telecommunications Act.
d) To actively
seek the reform of the state broadcasting Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Holdings into a truly independent public service broadcaster, that
is free of undue political or editorial interference.
e) To actively
monitor the state controlled print media that it allows for fairer
coverage of all political views, ceases hate language and is affordable
to ordinary members of the public in order to allow for greater
access to information.
f) To actively
urge all media houses, practitioners to be gender sensitive in all
of their operational and reporting practices to allow for gender
parity in terms of media coverage of both men and women.
Long Term Measures
The undersigned
persons and organisations reiterates the resolutions which were
made by the media advocacy mother body, the Media
Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) on the 4th and 5th of December 2009.
MAZ is a media advocacy coalition body consisting of Zimbabwe National
Editors' Forum (ZNEF), the Media
Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe (MMPZ), the Media Institute of
Southern Africa (MISA) - Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe
Union of Journalists (ZUJ) and Federation
of African Women in Media Zimbabwe (FAWMZ). It is therefore
imperative for the Parliament of Zimbabwe to act as a catalyst in
the implementation of the resolutions stated below:
Constitutional
Guarantee of freedom of the media
We hold that
because freedom of expression is a cornerstone of any truly democratic
society and that the media is a key mechanism for its true realisation,
any constitutional reform process must ensure that the right to
media freedom is included in a bill of rights in a final people
driven constitution.
Access to
Information
We hold that
in tandem with universally accepted democratic principles, the right
to access and impart information is an inalienable right not only
for the media but for all of the citizens of Zimbabwe and that is
imperative for the state to ensure the necessary democratic legislation
is enacted. This will entail
Regulation
and Registration of the media
We hold that
the media should voluntarily regulate itself through democratic,
transparent and publicly legitimate voluntary media council. Where
statutory regulation has existed, it has consistently led to the
curtailment of media freedom and access to information and it therefore
is an unacceptable form of control over the media. All laws that
enable statutory regulation of the media should therefore be repealed
in keeping with democratic practice.
Protection
of Journalists
We hold that,
given the narrative of the harassments, arrests, detention, torture
and murder of journalists, the protection of all media workers must
be a priority of any government, parliament as well as all security
services. Where the government or security services have acted with
impunity in curtailing freedom of expression, freedom of the media
or access to information, we hold that these practices should cease
and be replaced by a democratic, peaceful environment in which the
media can operate.
Print Media
We hold that
the print media remains a key component of Zimbabwe's media
diversity, and should be allowed to operate independently without
undue influence from the state or government of the day. We also
hold that the state and any government of the day should not have
any direct stake or interest in the ownership or management of the
print media as this compromises the sector's diversity and
independence. Where the state has had direct control in the media,
we recommend that it disinvests in these print media houses and
allow for independent control of the same.
Broadcasting
Diversity and Independent Regulation
- With the
full knowledge that Zimbabwe has not had any other broadcasters
except the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, and that the Broadcasting
Services Act remains undemocratic and should be repealed, we commit
ourselves to the establishment of a broadcasting industry environment
that is diverse and independent.
We further commit ourselves to a three tier broadcasting system
that is outlined in the African Charter on Broadcasting. That
is to say, we believe in the necessity of public service broadcasting,
commercial service broadcasting and community broadcasting.
- We also hold
that all broadcasting in Zimbabwe must be independently regulated
and free from undue state and political interference through an
Independent Regulatory Authority appointed through a transparent
and public process as well as with the endorsement of parliament.
In this vein, we hold that there should also be the conversion
of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation from a state controlled
broadcaster into a truly independent public service broadcaster
governed by a democratic public service broadcasting law.
Media Professionalism
We hold that
journalists in Zimbabwe are professional workers and should be recognised
as such through all laws that affect labour, as well as through
the formation of a National Employment Council to serve their professional
needs.
We hold that
a professional environment for journalists augurs well for the fair,
accurate and people centred discharge of their duties.
We hold that
all journalists should be committed to practising their profession
in an ethical, fair and balanced manner according to a commonly
agreed to Code of Conduct established after a democratic and consultative
process.
Media Training
We hold that
journalism training institutions are critical for the development
of the profession, and therefore should be supported as far as is
possible to train new entrants to the profession through ensuring
academic freedom of the same, access to technological and relevant
equipment.
We hold that
all media employers should not in any way hinder or interfere with
the training of their employees through seminars, workshops and
press clubs and media centers.
We also urge
media houses and media organisations to actively promote internships,
on the job training to both their employees as well as media students.
New Media
and Information Communication Technologies (ICTs)
We hold that
the use of ICTs is a key component in the development of alternative/new
media and that all efforts should be undertaken to ensure access
to these new technologies. This should be undertaken through enacting
democratic legislation and monitoring access to ICTs by citizens
of Zimbabwe.
Gender and
the Media
We hold that
the fair coverage of both men and women in the media is a key component
of any democratic media and that all media should strive to ensure
that this is an established reality. This should be done through
the establishment of internal gender and the media policies within
media houses both in terms of news coverage as well as employment
policies.
The Media
and Civil Society
We hold that
civil society organisations and community based organisations are
an essential component of any democratic society, and therefore
encourage, as far as is possible, the establishment of progressive
linkages between civil society and the media, for the enhancement
of democracy and good governance.
Media Development
and Support
We hold that
given the underdeveloped nature of Zimbabwe's media, an independent
and free from political interference media development and support
organisation be established by all media stakeholders to ensure
that all necessary technical assistance is given to the latter.
We, the undersigned,
therefore, appeal to the parliament of Zimbabwe for the urgent address
and review of the afore cited grievances in a manner that ensures
that our right to freedom of expression is fully recognized and
adequately protected by the law.
Visit
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