(ANEM/IFEX) – The following is a 21 April 1999 ANEM press release: **Updates IFEX alerts of 21 April 1999** Censorship from the skies NATO bombs broadcasters in Yugoslavia BELGRADE, April 21, 1999 — ANEM, the Association of Independent Electronic Media in Yugoslavia, condemns last night’s NATO attack on the Usce Business Centre in New Belgrade. […]
(ANEM/IFEX) – The following is a 21 April 1999 ANEM press release:
**Updates IFEX alerts of 21 April 1999**
Censorship from the skies
NATO bombs broadcasters in Yugoslavia
BELGRADE, April 21, 1999 — ANEM, the Association of Independent Electronic
Media in Yugoslavia, condemns last night’s NATO attack on the Usce Business
Centre in New Belgrade. This building houses a number of radio and
television stations, among other commercial tenants. ANEM points out that
this building is clearly a civilian facility and can in no way be regarded
as a military target.
ANEM believes that one reason for this attack was that most of the
broadcasters in the building produced and transmitted their programs from
the building itself. In line with its advocacy of the broadest possible
media freedom, ANEM protests most sternly at this destruction of media
facilities.
ANEM has always opposed any form of censorship. Its struggle against the
Yugoslav authorities’ repression of independent news media is well known to
the public, both domestic and international.
The media in Yugoslavia are now in double jeopardy as they face NATO’s
“bomber censorship” in addition to closures by the government.
ANEM will exert any influence it can to avert similar actions by NATO in the
future.
ANEM emphasises that the dissemination of information cannot be stopped by
sheer repression. This applies equally to information which is regarded as
untrue or propagandistic. This ability of information to reach its audience
has been demonstrated by the closures of ANEM affiliates over the past year
and will continue to be demonstrated as NATO bombs media outlets and the
Yugoslav authorities continue to close and take over ANEM’s affiliated radio
and television stations. Far from stemming the flow of information, such
repression and force actually make the information more attractive to the
audience at which it is targetted.
ANEM notes with relief that last night’s attack on the Usce Business Centre
did not result in casualties, but warns that casualties are inevitable if
such attacks continue. ANEM therefore calls for an immediate halt to all
repression of the media, whether it be from local political interference or
foreign military intervention.