Editors oppose Swapo decision to regulate media

THE Namibia Editors’ Forum (NEF) yesterday warned that a resolution taken at the 4th Swapo Congress last week aimed at regulating the activities of the media will not be in anyone’s best interest.

The Forum said in a statement that it welcomed the interest in media matters shown by the ruling party Congress, but rejected a view that the media had started to misuse its platform and was going against national agendas such as national reconciliation and the maintenance of peace and stability. “The Congress has failed to define specifically what national reconciliation is, and has failed to provide the Namibian media with any concrete example of how any news medium has supposedly endangered peace and stability,” the NEF said.The forum said it would remain “absolutely opposed” to any Government imposed-initiative and would reject any attempt by the powers that be to regulate the media.The Swapo Congress decided last week to set up a Media Council.The purpose of the body will be to regulate the activities and operations of the media in the country.Calls for the establishment of such a council, the NEF said, had come from various quarters lately, but should not be entertained without the proper consultation and recognition of existing laws and international declarations signed or ratified by Namibia, which guarantee freedom of expression.These include the Namibian Constitution, as well as the SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport; the African Commission’s Declaration of Principles on Free Expression in Africa and the SADC Declaration on Information and Communication Technology.The NEF said its doors would remain open to meet with any individuals, groups or organisations concerned with matters related to the maintenance of press freedom and free speech in the country.”The Congress has failed to define specifically what national reconciliation is, and has failed to provide the Namibian media with any concrete example of how any news medium has supposedly endangered peace and stability,” the NEF said.The forum said it would remain “absolutely opposed” to any Government imposed-initiative and would reject any attempt by the powers that be to regulate the media.The Swapo Congress decided last week to set up a Media Council.The purpose of the body will be to regulate the activities and operations of the media in the country. Calls for the establishment of such a council, the NEF said, had come from various quarters lately, but should not be entertained without the proper consultation and recognition of existing laws and international declarations signed or ratified by Namibia, which guarantee freedom of expression.These include the Namibian Constitution, as well as the SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport; the African Commission’s Declaration of Principles on Free Expression in Africa and the SADC Declaration on Information and Communication Technology.The NEF said its doors would remain open to meet with any individuals, groups or organisations concerned with matters related to the maintenance of press freedom and free speech in the country.