**Updates IFEX alert dated 27 March 1996** The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has refused to release video footage to a German television crew which wanted to make a programme on the holding of truth commissions in Namibia and South Africa. On 29 March 1996, the crew, which works for the German television station ZDF, sought […]
**Updates IFEX alert dated 27 March 1996**
The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has refused to
release video footage to a German television crew which wanted to
make a programme on the holding of truth commissions in Namibia
and South Africa. On 29 March 1996, the crew, which works for the
German television station ZDF, sought to obtain NBC footage of a
6 March address on national television by President Sam Nujoma,
in which he launched a personal attack on the author of a book
about human rights abuses committed by the now-ruling SWAPO party
while it was an exiled liberation movement. ZDF also requested
NBC footage of a 13 March press conference by SWAPO
Secretary-General Moses Garoob in which he also ridiculed the
author of the book, and said SWAPO was prepared to go back to war
against those who tried to revive the debate on human rights
abuses committed by the party during the struggle to liberate
Namibia from South African rule. A copy of a current affairs
programme about the controversial book–“Namibia: Wall of
Silence”, by German priest Siegfried Groth–was also requested by
the ZDF crew. The NBC refused to release any of the footage to
ZDF, despite the crew’s willingness to pay for the material in
accordance with an agreement ZDF has with the NBC.
Vitura Kavari, NBC’s acting Director General, stated that he had
refused to release the video footage to ZDF because he was “not
persuaded” by the reasons ZDF gave for wanting to buy the
footage. ZDF said that they had explained to NBC management that
it was making a film on the “processes and progress” of the
establishment of truth commissions in South Africa and Namibia.
Kavari went on to say that the filming of a programme about truth
commissions was not reason enough for releasing the footage.
Besides, NBC was “suspicious” of the ZDF crew, Kavari said. “The
materials are our property and we hold the prerogative on whether
to release them or not,” said Kavari. He denied that the decision
not to release the footage amounted to censorship. “The people in
Namibia have already viewed what is contained in the footage,” he
said.
ZDF claims that NBC Director General Dan Tjongarero told them on
29 March that he could not release the footage because the issue
of SWAPO’s human rights abuses had become “sensitive.” According
to ZDF, NBC Public Relations Manager Cyril Louw further explained
that the President’s television address was not a documentary,
“but the President’s personal speech,” and therefore could not be
released. When contacted by MISA, Louw would neither confirm nor
deny saying this. “This decision (not to release the video
footage) was made by (NBC) management and I cannot answer any
question,” Louw explained.
