(MISA/IFEX) – On 21 and 22 November 1997, the Swaziland Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Swaziland) held a consultative forum to debate the way forward in opposing an imposed government media bill. The forum had representatives from civil society and from international organisations such as ARTICLE 19 and Freedom of Expression Institute. […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 21 and 22 November 1997, the Swaziland Chapter
of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Swaziland) held a
consultative forum to debate the way forward in opposing an
imposed government media bill. The forum had representatives from
civil society and from international organisations such as
ARTICLE 19 and Freedom of Expression Institute. There were also
representatives from Zambia and Botswana.
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 26 November, 17 and 7 October and 17
September 1997**
The following are the resolutions passed by the meeting.
“Considering:
” – That freedom of expression, media freedom, and freedom of
information are fundamental human rights and the cornerstone of a
democratic society,
” – That the Kingdom of Swaziland, as part of the family of
nations, has subscribed to these values by ratifying various
international instruments, including: the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, 1948; the UN Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights; the Organization of African Unity Charter on Human and
Peoples’ Rights; the Fourth Lome Convention; the United Nations
Education, Scientific, Cultural Organization/Windhoek Declaration
of 1991; and the Southern African Development Community
Declaration on the Role of Information and Communication in
Building the Southern African Development Community
” – That the Kingdom of Swaziland has embarked upon a process of
Constitution-making and a search for national consensus on human
rights issues and governance, of which freedom of expression,
including media freedom, is a cardinal principle,
“Recognizing the need for development and maintenance of high
standards of journalism in Swaziland,
“We, the Consultative Forum on the Swaziland Media Council Bill,
1997, convened by the Media Institute of Southern Africa
(MISA-Swaziland), resolve as follows:
“1. That pending adequate consultation with the public, and in
particular all relevant stake-holders, on media development,
especially the means for finding appropriate mechanisms for
preserving and enhancing professional standards in journalism,
the Swaziland Media Council Bill, 1997, be deferred.
“2. That the process leading to the enhancement of standards of
journalism should be undertaken in a manner that does not violate
the fundamental right to freedom of expression, including media
freedom and freedom of information.
“3. That we affirm the internationally recognized principle that
is the responsibility of professionals, including journalists, to
take the lead in establishing mechanisms of self-regulation and
enhancement of standards.
“4. That MISA-Swaziland, in consultation with all stake-holders,
undertakes, as a matter of urgency, to explore the formulation
and realisation of a code of ethics for journalists, and the
establishment of an independent mechanism for its implementation.
“5. That there is a need to develop, in consultation with all
stakeholders, national media policy which addresses such critical
issues as the need to ensure the free flow of information; the
need to appropriately define Public Broadcasting and its role and
impact on freedom of expression and development; and issues of
technological convergence of information technologies and their
impact on socio-economic development of Swaziland in the
information age, and,
“6. That we re-commit ourselves to a process of consultation with
members of the public and the government on all matters of
national importance in the spirit of kukhulimisana.
