No forgiveness for enemies of media freedom - Raymond Louw

As a veil of darkness and oppression continues, slowly but surely, to envelop the SA media space, Louw slams those who wield their power to imprison and torture journalists for sticking to their principles.

Across the world, at least 39 journalists have already been killed and 148 imprisoned this year, according to a latest tally compiled by the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres.

Fierce campaigner of media freedom

The former Mail and Sunday Times journalist, who was shot at while reporting on riots and who later worked for British newspapers - in Sussex, Sussex, Cambria and London for six years - is a fierce campaigner of media freedom in SA and Africa. He is now the chairman of the SANEF media freedom committee and a member of the Press Council.

Deputy press ombudsman Johan Retief said yesterday, Monday, 5 September 2011, that the Press Council is tremendously proud of 'Oom Ray' and believes that he richly deserves the honour that has been bestowed upon him.

Louw told Bizcommunitiy.com yesterday that he was overwhelmed by such a high honour that has now placed him alongside a formidable pantheon of brave men and women who have raised the standards of journalism through their courage, bravery, professionalism and dedication.

He will formally receive the award during a special ceremony to be held at the IPI annual World Congress (24-27 September 2011) in Taipei, Taiwan's capital city, the Vienna-based press freedom organisation announced in a statement.

"Not in a thousand years"

Louw, whose thoughts and prayers are with the journalists who are suffering torture and harsh treatment for their work, said he most certainly did not expect to be bestowed with such a vital accolade.

"Not in a thousand years," he said. "My fight for press freedom was that of a foot-soldier journalist, hardly meriting such a high honour.

According to Louw, being named World Press Hero means that the fight for press freedom will never end, and will always require intense vigilance and effort.

"It provides enormous encouragement to all of us to keep up the fight for press freedom and the right to gather and publish information in the public interest.

Proud to join others honoured

"I am proud to join former Rand Daily Mail editor Lawrence Gandar; former City Press and The World editor Percy Qoboza, and former Namibian editor Gwen Lister, among others, who were honoured by the IPI in this way for the fight for press freedom."

Pearl, an US investigative journalist who uncovered his government's massive wrongdoings on the 'war on terror', was brutally murdered in Pakistan in 2002 while on the trail of the so-called shoe bomber Richard Reid. He was working for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) at the time of his death, having been appointed WSJ South Asia bureau chief in 2000.

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