Regional governments stifling media - Misa

Since Misa began its monitoring of press freedom violations in 1994. The countries it covers include Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Since Misa's inception violations recorded increased by 147%. The latest report shows an increase during 2002 of 0.5% over 2001. During the year 27 journalists were beaten, 4 were bombed, 45 were detained, 38 were threatened and 40 were censored.

In the report Zimbabwe was singled out as having the most oppressive media environment, with a high number of journalists arrested, detained and imprisoned during 2002. The situation in Namibia was also described as worrying, especially with the increased Government control of the public media which came about when President Sam Nujoma took over the Information and Broadcasting Ministry last August. In addition, Misa made a call on the Namibian Government to lift its 2001 advertising embargo on The Namibian and the purchase ban on the paper by Government institutions.

The Institute has prepared an information package that includes its annual publication, So This Is Democracy? which is a report on the state of the media in 11 countries in Southern Africa. This report is a natural conclusion of MISA's flagship activity, i.e. the monitoring of violations of media freedom, freedom of expression and the right to information.

Included in this year's information package is also a report on the representation of women in the media in Southern Africa. The Southern African Gender and Media Baseline Study by MISA and Gender Links (GL) was made public on the eve of the International Women's Day. The study analysed 25 100 news items broadcast and printed during September 2002 by 116 media in 12 southern African countries. It concluded that the media in southern African give very little space to the views of women, and, when it comes to subjects such as politics, economy, sport or agriculture, their voice is virtually unheard.

The individual national reports will be launched in the respective countries on May 3 (World Press Freedom Day). For more information: email , or visit the website, www.misanet.org.