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afrol.com, 23 March - The desicion by the Namibian government to stop advertising in the country's leading newspaper, The Namibian, because it "is too critical" to government policy, has provoked international and domestic protests. Media watchdogs fear the government wants "to shut down a critical voice". The Namibian government has slapped an advertising boycott on The Namibian newspaper, claiming the newspaper is too critical of its policies, the paper reported on Friday, 23 March 2001. According to the report, the decision to ban advertising was taken at a Cabinet meeting in December and some Government departments have as recently as this month been reminded to heed the Cabinet decision "with immediate effect", the paper reports. The Namibian chapter of the media watchdog Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Namibia) reacted to the ban saying it amounted to "economic sanctions" aimed at stifling freedom of the press. The Namibian is in possession of copies of circulars from various Ministries giving the go-ahead for the move. One of the circulars says the Cabinet resolution "compels Government ministries, offices and agencies to refrain from advertising in The Namibian newspaper because of its anti-Government stance and unwarranted criticism of Government policies". Protests have also arrived from the French media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF - Reporters Without Borders). RSF in a letter asked Theoben Jurirab, the Namibian minister of Information, to cancel this measure which could force the newspaper to close. "It is a way for the authorities to jeopardise The Namibian and to shut down a critical voice" said Robert Ménard, the general secretary of the organisation. - Public authorities should accept a high degree of criticism from the press in order to support a national debate on public interests matters and to preserve freedom of expression in Namibia, added M. Ménard. MISA Namibia agrees to RSF's arguments. "The Namibian, as an independent newspaper, plays a critical role in providing an alternative analysis of events in the country. At the same time, the role of the independent press is widely recognised as being essential for the enhancement of the democratic and nation-building processes," a MISA statement of today goes. MISA states it believes that it is "unreasonable for a public institution that is funded by taxpayers, including The Namibian and its staff, to withhold advertising from any media institution. Resources of government come from citizens with diverse political views and inclinations. As such, a political decision to declare an advertising ban on any media institution is unjust," the statement reads. - Recent utterances by ruling party officials calling for Government to stop advertising in The Namibian proves that this recent move is politically motivated and aimed at crippling The Namibian financially, says MISA NAmibia. The government is the biggest advertising client in the country. Several years ago another newspaper, The Windhoek Advertiser, had to face a similar measure. It eventually had to close down because of a lack of revenue. Asked to elaborate on the Cabinet decision, government representative Mocks Shivute today said: "As I said, I don't know the discussions [that led to the ban] but one of the issues could be the position of The Namibian with regard to when it covers Government activities. At times The Namibian functions as if it is the Official Opposition. They [The Namibian] don't see any good in the Government ... This might have offended the politicians [for them] to take such a decision," said Shivute. Gwen Lister, the Editor of The Namibian, said the boycott was a "sad reminder of the days of Apartheid" when the South African government refused to advertise in the newspaper, and even forced private businesses not to advertise. "I didn't think I would live to see this in a democratic Namibia," said Lister. - I would dispute to the death that we are anti-government, she continued. "We fought for people to [have] a government of their choice. We also fought for press freedom. If our 'crime' is being critical, then so be it. Yes, we are critical where and when necessary, and we should just live with that," she said. MISA-Namibia said: "If it is a policy decision ... it is a clear signal that freedom of speech in Namibia ... is in grave danger." Misa Namibia said although the decision has not been made public it "resurrects macabre echoes from the 1980s when the South African government banned critical reports and imposed economic sanctions against certain newspapers". Said Misa-Namibia: "This action effectively bans dissenting opinion from those held by the ruling party. It in no uncertain terms issues a message that dissenting opinion will be punished, as in this case by economic sanctions." Shivute said Government would use other newspapers to advertise, ignoring the fact that The Namibian has the highest circulation figures in the country. The Namibian has grown from an average circulation of 9,000 in 1996 to 23,000 this month, based on sales figures for Fridays. Readership surveys have estimated that up to 17 people read one copy of the newspaper in northern Namibia. "It is the single best source on Namibia, profound and professional," confirms an afrol.com editor, alienated by the Namibian government's attack on press frredom. The ban follows a call from Swapo Youth League leader Paulus Kapia in November for Government to stop advertising in The Namibian and for Swapo supporters to stop reading the newspaper. Government has from time to time expressed its dissatisfaction with what it perceives as critical reporting in The Namibian. Prime Minister Hage Geingob has accused some media organisations, which he did not name, of tarnishing the country's image abroad through their reports. afrol.com recently has reported on how statements by government officials, including by President Nujoma are tarnishing the country's image abroad. "Recent reports from Nambia, including this attack on press freedom, certainly demonstrate that the Namibian government is losing the perspective on how to stay a respected member of the family of nations," an afrol.com editor commented.
Sources: Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA),
RSF, The Namibian and afrol archives
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