30.11.10 ACP/EU Press Release on Media Freedom

 

 

The recent
deterioration in media freedom in both developing and developed countries –
with journalists being imprisoned or even murdered and media outlets
concentrated in a few multi-national companies – was condemned by MEPs and
members of African, Caribbean and Pacific parliaments on Tuesday.  

 

The vote on the resolution was subject to controversy
on whether or not to specifically mention European and African countries as
good or bad examples in respecting press freedom. The German MEP Rainer Wieland
threatened to withdraw his name as the co-rapporteur "if the report stayed
at this level of vagueness just to avoid being controversial". He
requested his colleagues to reconsider, ahead of the plenary vote on Saturday,
on the fine line existing between economic or political pressure and real censorship.
"Political interference is unacceptable except in those cases when the
journalist is not saying the truth. If I don't agree with the editorial line of
a newspaper, I buy another one", he concluded.

 

Representing the co-rapporteur Mr. Jean Rodolphe Joazile
(Haiti), Mr. Donald Ramotar
(Guyana) stressed the need
to address the legal and moral responsibility of the media, quoting as a bad
example the role played by Mille Collines radio during the genocide in Rwanda.

 

Finally, Haiti,
Guyana, Papua New Guinea, Ghana,
Tanzania, Djibouti and Lesotho were congratulated by the
Political Affairs Committee of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, in the
draft resolution, for improving the situation of their media "despite
difficult conditions". However, the
delegates voiced concern that only 10 of the 78 ACP countries were in the first
50 positions in rankings for freedom of the press, and "one EU Member
State is outside the top 50".

 

There has been "an overall regression in terms of
freedom of expression in the press" in both regions, said committee
members, who also deplored the often unpunished criminal offences against
journalists by organised crime or people working under orders from political
authorities.

 

It is also unacceptable to see journalists sometimes
forced to live confined for having addressed religious issues, and to have
religious figures pronouncing statements which in practice restrict journalists'
activities and even puts their live in danger, stressed the delegates.

 

Double
standards for trade policy

 

The draft resolution also criticises the lack of
effective instruments for enforcing respect for human rights in the application
of international trade agreements and calls for a more explicit reference to
freedom and independence of the media in international agreements. The attempt
by Mr Ramotar (Guyana)
to delete this last sentence was rejected by several members of the European
Parliament who stood up against.  

 

The draft resolution as approved today by the
Political Affairs Committee will be put to a final vote by the plenary of the
Joint Parliamentary Assembly on Thursday.

 

 

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/intcoop/acp/60_20/default_en.htm

Link to website of the ACP/EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly