**For background, see IFEX alerts dated 30, 24, 1 September, and 24 August 1994 A freelance photographer was arrested and fined for trespassing in the early hours of 18 August 1995 when attempting to photograph the clubbing of seals during Namibia’s controversial annual seal harvest. Photographer John Liebenberg was held for several hours at Cape […]
**For background, see IFEX alerts dated 30, 24,
1 September, and 24 August 1994
A freelance photographer was arrested and fined for trespassing
in the early hours of 18 August 1995 when attempting to
photograph the clubbing of seals during Namibia’s controversial
annual seal harvest. Photographer John Liebenberg was held for
several hours at Cape Cross seal colony, on Namibia’s Atlantic
coastline, by Ministry of Fisheries officials. He was then taken
to the coastal town of Swakopmund, where he had to pay a spot
fine of N$ 100 (U$ 30) for “trespassing.” According to
Liebenberg, the fine was levied by officials of another ministry,
the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.
Liebenberg told MISA that the Reuters news agency applied to the
Namibian government on several occasions for permission for him
to photograph the clubbing of seals, but all applications were
rejected. In one letter to Reuters, dated 3 August, Permanent
Secretary of Fisheries and Marine Resources Dr. Jan Jurgens said,
“My ministry has no objection to the filming of seal colonies,
but it is our policy not to allow photography or filming of seals
being harvested.” Liebenberg questioned the legality of the
Fisheries Ministry’s “arbitrary” rulings on who could and could
not photograph the cull. “If the Fisheries Ministry can declare
that it is not their `policy’ to allow this or that, what is to
stop the army from suddenly declaring it is not their policy to
allow photography in conflict zones, or the police from banning
photography in unrest areas,” he said.
In his letter to Reuters of 3 August, Jurgens said “the
processing (of seals) is done on private property over which we
(the government) have no jurisdiction.” However, Liebenberg
argued that Cape Cross was a nature reserve situated on state
land. “State land cannot be the private property of a
concessionaire,” said Liebenberg. “It is clear (the Ministry of)
Fisheries had no legal foundation for charging me, which is why
they called in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to charge
me with trespassing.”
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the Namibian Minister of Fisheries and Marine
Resources:
is of public interest and debate
Appeals To
The Right Honourable Hifikipunye Pohamba
Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources
Private Bag 13355
Windhoek, Namibia
Tel: +264 61 240201
Fax: +264 61 233286
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
