Africanews

Views and news on peace, justice and reconciliation in Africa

August 1996

ACTION AND CONTACTS

NAMIBIA - In defense of the press freedom

Until recently, headquarters of the rather grand-sounding Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) comprised a desk, computer, telephone, fax and filing cabinet in an office corner. Yet, since its birth in Adjust 1992, MISA has made its mark as an outspoken defender of press freedom and a pillar of support for the region's independent media.

MISA is a child of the 1991 conference of African media professionals in the Namibian capital, Windhoek, organized by UNESCO and the UN to discuss ways of promoting independent and pluralistic media on the continent.

MISA has now published a report on media freedom in Southern Africa. Entitled "So this is democracy", the report give a detailed account of the press situation in Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, that is to say the countries members of SADC (Southern Africa Development Community).

1995 was the second year in which MISA consistently monitored the media freedom and free expression situation in the region. By December 31 the MISA secretariat had on record 144 "alerts" (bulletins) issued on media freedom violations and related issues in the region during the year. Of these alerts, 109 were issued by MISA itself. During 1994, 84 such alerts were issued and documented by MISA. This apparent increase in media freedom activity in the SADC region is partly due to improved monitoring by MISA resulting from the development of the organization's information gathering and distribution network, the MISANET. It is also partly due to a gradually increasing awareness among MISA members and other media workers of the need to highlight media freedom violations.

However, it would be wrong to assume that the increase in the number of alerts issued by MISA on a specific country directly reflects the state of the media freedom in that country. More significant is the nature of the alert issues, and the trends they highlight. In this respect, hostility towards the media from democratically-elected governments is on the increase. The honeymoon which media in many countries enjoyed during periods of democratic transitions is definitely over, while a lack of unity, resources, skills and professionalism within the media has left the profession in poor shape to defend itself.


MISA

Private Bag 13386
Windhoek, Namibia
tel: +264.61.232975
fax: +264.61.248016
e-mail: postmaster@ingrid.misa.org.na

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