swaziland: new censorship policy condemned

IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ACTION ALERT UPDATE - SWAZILAND

16 April 2003

IPI calls on SADC to condemn Swazi government's introduction of new censorship
policy

SOURCE: International Press Institute (IPI), Vienna

**Updates IFEX alert of 11 April 2003**

(IPI/IFEX) - The following is a 15 April 2003 IPI letter to SADC Chairperson
José Dos Santos:

H.E. José Dos Santos
SADC Chairperson
SADC House
Gaborone
Botswana

Fax: (+267) 3972 848

Vienna, 15 April 2003

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media
executives and leading journalists from over 115 countries, calls upon the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) to strongly condemn the recent
decision of the Swaziland government to introduce a new censorship policy.

According to information provided to IPI, on April 13, in a speech before
parliamentarians at the House of Assembly, Minister of Information Abednego
Ntshangase said, "The national television and radio stations are not going to
cover anything that has a negative bearing on government." The minister then
went on to say that media who oppose the government will be prevented from
airing their views.

On the basis of a report from the United Nations' Integrated Regional
Information Networks (IRIN), the ban on negative criticism of the Swaziland
government will apply to both the Swaziland Broadcasting and Information
Services, which operates all of the country's radio stations, and Swazi TV, the
country's only television station. In the words of Ntshangase, it has been
introduced to prevent broadcasters from covering embarrassing stories involving
the country's ruler, King Mswati III.

IPI notes that South African President Thabo Mbeki recently told an editors'
forum that "There is a situation in Swaziland which is of major concern to the
region, some things need to be done." Moreover, Mbeki went on to say, "SADC is
looking at the subject and how to deal with it." But, while IPI is pleased that
the SADC is investigating this current incident, it believes that, aside from a
mere recognition of the problem, something more constructive is needed if
member-countries of the SADC are to uphold press freedom.

In a letter dated 26 November 2002, IPI congratulated the Parliamentary Forum of
the SADC for its decision to call upon member-countries to re-affirm their
commitment to Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and the Windhoek Declaration of 1991, and review domestic legislation in
order to ensure their compatibility with these international declarations. IPI
now believes that it is time for all SADC member-countries, including Swaziland,
to undertake this important step without delay.

Moreover, it is vital that the SADC itself works harder to ensure that
member-countries improve their domestic media environment. There needs to be an
energetic and forthright discussion in the SADC about a new mechanism to
encourage and finally compel countries to uphold press freedom. If this is done,
IPI believes that it would enhance the democratic aims of the newly formed
African Union (AU) and New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Therefore, IPI calls on the SADC to repudiate the statements of the Swaziland
Minister of Information Abednego Ntshangase; to call on member-countries to
uphold international declarations on press freedom; to urge member-countries to
review their domestic legislation; and invite all SADC member-countries to
condemn the repressive activities of their fellow members. By doing so you will
be showing that press freedom is a fundamental element of the SADC.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Johann P. Fritz
Director

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Similar appeals can be sent to:

H.E. José Dos Santos
SADC Chairperson
SADC House
Gaborone, Botswana
Fax: +267 3972 848

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

For further information, contact IPI at Spiegelgasse 2, A-1010 Vienna, Austria,
tel: +43 1 512 90 11, fax: +43 1 512 90 14, e-mail: Michael Kudlak at
[email protected], Barbara Trionfi at [email protected], or David Dadge at
[email protected], Internet site: www.freemedia.at

The information contained in this action alert update is the sole responsibility
of IPI. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit IPI.
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