Misa condemns attack on press freedom

THE Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) has demanded that a motion tabled in the National Council on Monday to regulate two newspapers by legislation be withdrawn.

“Misa Namibia has learnt with shock of media reports on a motion tabled in the National Council this week, which calls for stricter laws to regulate the media,” the organisation said yesterday. “Experience elsewhere has shown that such laws are repressive and constitute a most brutal attack on fundamental rights of freedom of expression, association and assembly, witnessed in our region in many years,” Misa said in a statement.”Suppressing information can therefore never be the solution.”Swapo Chief Whip in the National Council Jhonny Hakaye tabled a motion to restrict the Windhoek Observer and The Namibian with regard to what they report on.Hakaye argued that the two papers gave a lot of coverage to the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), which has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to probe former President Sam Nujoma for the disappearance of more than 4 000 people under the care of Swapo during the liberation struggle.Hakaye lashed out against the NSHR and its boss, Phil ya Nangoloh, for having dared to tarnish the reputation of Nujoma at the ICC.”Don’t we have a law to regulate the NSHR, the Windhoek Observer, The Namibian and the likes?” Hakaye asked the National Council.In its statement, Misa Namibia said media freedom was a condition for good governance, sustainable development and a voice for the voiceless.”Press freedom is a cornerstone of human rights and a guarantee of other freedoms.Apart from encouraging transparency and good governance it also ensures that, over and above the mere rule of law, society enjoys the rule of true justice.””Misa Namibia is horrified that there are still citizens of Namibia who continue to question the value of freedom of speech to their societies.Those who argue that freedom of the media threatens stability and endanger progress have got it all wrong.”In 1999 the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press was launched, which held Namibia up as a model democracy.That declaration clearly states that the media must be free of restrictions related to materials and infrastructure essential for the production and dissemination of news.It also adds that the media environment needs to be pluralistic to create the space for the greatest possible number of media outlets, reflecting the widest possible range of opinion within the country.”Therefore, we appeal to the National Council to withdraw the part of the motion which includes the media forthwith,” the media watchdog demanded.”Experience elsewhere has shown that such laws are repressive and constitute a most brutal attack on fundamental rights of freedom of expression, association and assembly, witnessed in our region in many years,” Misa said in a statement.”Suppressing information can therefore never be the solution.”Swapo Chief Whip in the National Council Jhonny Hakaye tabled a motion to restrict the Windhoek Observer and The Namibian with regard to what they report on.Hakaye argued that the two papers gave a lot of coverage to the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), which has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to probe former President Sam Nujoma for the disappearance of more than 4 000 people under the care of Swapo during the liberation struggle.Hakaye lashed out against the NSHR and its boss, Phil ya Nangoloh, for having dared to tarnish the reputation of Nujoma at the ICC.”Don’t we have a law to regulate the NSHR, the Windhoek Observer, The Namibian and the likes?” Hakaye asked the National Council. In its statement, Misa Namibia said media freedom was a condition for good governance, sustainable development and a voice for the voiceless.”Press freedom is a cornerstone of human rights and a guarantee of other freedoms.Apart from encouraging transparency and good governance it also ensures that, over and above the mere rule of law, society enjoys the rule of true justice.””Misa Namibia is horrified that there are still citizens of Namibia who continue to question the value of freedom of speech to their societies.Those who argue that freedom of the media threatens stability and endanger progress have got it all wrong.”In 1999 the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press was launched, which held Namibia up as a model democracy.That declaration clearly states that the media must be free of restrictions related to materials and infrastructure essential for the production and dissemination of news.It also adds that the media environment needs to be pluralistic to create the space for the greatest possible number of media outlets, reflecting the widest possible range of opinion within the country.”Therefore, we appeal to the National Council to withdraw the part of the motion which includes the media forthwith,” the media watchdog demanded.