The call is part of the resolutions passed at the end of the two day’s conference to mark the World Press Freedom Day marked at national level in Morogoro.
Other resolutions were on a call for media owners to pay journalists deserving wages, ensure security and provide training to staff on digital security and other professional matters.
Another resolution, according to media stakeholder is for media outlets to come up with an archive on current issues for future references as well as for veterans to come up with a platform which will allow them to provide training to members of the press as well as to issue statements on professional matters.
The UN System Resident Coordinator in Tanzania, Alvero Rodriguez has called upon the law enforcing organs to take measures to protect the lives of journalists and news media personnel during their exercise of the profession. “The state has a duty under international human rights law to provide adequate protection to all media persons”, he said.
Rodriguez who was among the key speakers at the World Press Freedom Day celebrations held in Morogoro yesterday said the UN system in Tanzania condemns the acts that are clearly aimed at restricting the exercise of journalists of their right to freedom of expression.
He had urged the country to carry out prompt investigations into the killings and attacks of journalists in Tanzania.
Every year, 3 May is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
Over 100 national celebrations take place each year to commemorate this Day. UNESCO leads the worldwide celebration by identifying the global thematic and organizing the main event in different parts of world every year.
The international day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the 26th Session of UNESCO's General Conference in 1991. This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration on media pluralism and independence.
Under Articles 6 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Human Rights Law, it is the duty of the State to provide adequate protection to all media persons.
The theme for this year is: “Media Safety in the Digital Age: Better Reporting, Gender Equality and Privacy.’’
“It is the duty of the state to protect media personnel,” Rodguez said calling on President Jakaya Kikwete to review the Cyber Crime and Statistic bills for further consultations with media stakeholders so that the country can come up with laws which adhere to international standards.
In the same vein,Tanzania Editors Forum Chairperson Absalom Kibanda said the country had for the past ten years seen some of the worst incidents of human rights violations against the media fraternity coupled with the passing of some of the worst draconian media laws in history.
“There has never been a bad season as bad as this era where laws are used to suppress the media on account that they are instigating chaos. The media may have its flaws yet there is no evidence that any of the outlets has ever been involved in creating chaos,” said Kibanda.
“I call upon donor communities to speak up in defence of the freedom of the press in the country,” said Kibanda calling upon the president to spare the nation from yet more draconian media laws.
In his address, Simon Berege, Chairperson for the MISA-Tanzania Chapter said that at least 69 journalists in the world were killed while conducting their duties in 2014 with 14 of them being from Africa. Berege noted that 24 journalists in the world were reported to have been killed in the line of duty as of April 2015.
Berege said that Tanzania may have not had any journalist killed in 2014 however threats and violations leveled against members of the press were reported to have been increasing with beatings reigning supreme.
He said statistics according to a report by ‘Reporters without Borders’ had indicated further that 158 journalists were imprisoned worldwide in 2014.
For her part, Pilli Mtambalike from the Media Council of Tanzania said the commemoration came as journalists struggled to tackle a myriad of challenges especially security in the line of duties.
“Press violations at the MCT’s register are now more rampant with journalists frequently beaten while on duty. Threats and intimidation in terms of emails and text sms against journalists are also on the rise. Tanzania has not done well in terms of freedom for the press,” said Mtambalike, who made a speech on behalf of the MCT’s Executive Director.
Ernest Sungura who is the Executive Director for the Tanzania Media Fund shared a story over how his organization had been under siege due to providing funds to support the media fraternity in the country.
“You can never fund investigative stories and remain safe from threats. TMF has been under siege as I have personally been questioned at least three times by law enforcing organs let alone of the visits by the same. TMF has always maintained neutrality as its protection,” said Sungura. He said passing of the Statistics Bill will kill the journalistic profession in terms of investigative journalism and data.
“The freedom of the press and ethic issues will be part of the law and breaching the same will be subject to the law and not under arbitration as was the case thus killing the role played by the Media Council of Tanzania,” said Sungura. The WPFD is marked to reflect over how states protect or suppress the freedom of the press, safety issues of media personnel as well as outlets, and to honour journalists all over the world who have lost their lives in the line of duty as well as veterans for their outstanding journalistic work.
Tanzania is endowed with draconian media pieces with the Newspaper Act of 1976 being frequently used to ban newspapers at the discretion of the minister.
This year’s event brought together 250 people being media personnel from mainstream and community media, veteran journalists, representatives from embassies, UN agencies as well as media stakeholders.
The organising committee comprised of UNESCO, TMF, MCT, Union of Press Club of Tanzania, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, UN, European Union, MOAT, TCRA, Tanzania Media Women Association (Tawmwa) as well as the Tanzania Editors Forum.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
No comments :
Post a Comment