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afrol News, 3 May - The International World Press Freedom Day is celebrated today, with a special UN ceremony in the Namibian capital Windhoek. In Namibia, however, the day is overshadowed by a deteriorating media situation, and President Nujoma demonstratively skipped the ceremony altogether. The UN had chosen to mark the day in Windhoek, as it was the tenth anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration, where African journalists had gathered in the Namibian capital for a regional seminar on promoting independent and pluralist media. It is regarded as a milestone for the African press and historic on the continent. In 1991, one year after Namibia's independence and when the Declaration was signed, signs were all positive for the emergence of press freedom in Southern Africa. Since then, the situation has deteriorated especially in Zimbabwe and Namibia, while the South African media are enjoying unheard of freedom and conquering the sub-region. UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura is in Windhoek to mark World Press Freedom Day. He was supposed to be welcomed by Namibian President Sam Nujoma, who however preferred to spend the day on his farm near Otavi, according to The Namibian. President Nujoma was billed to deliver the official opening at 11h20, but organisers learnt only yesterday that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Information and Broadcasting, Theo-Ben Gurirab, has been delegated to speak in his place. The failure of the president or the prime minister to participate is just another sign of the deteriorating relationship between the government and the independent media in Namibia. President Nujoma's attacks on the free press have hardened lately. Last month Nujoma referred to the Namibian press in general as "very reactionary". The Namibian, the country's most widely-read paper, was placed under a government advertising ban, because it was too critical towards the government. The government is the biggest advertiser in Namibia, and has used this power earlier to silence a critical newspaper. The more aggressive approach towards the media is part of a lowered respect of human rights in general by the SWAPO government ruling Namibia almost without opposition for 11 years. President Nujoma and his government the last year have publicly attacked the judiciary (trying to expel foreign judges), the white minority ("you are not Namibian"), foreigners ("bad influence"), homosexuals ("will be deported") and the media ("more or less criminals"). Nujoma allegedly is planning a fourth, unconstitutional term as president. The worsening media and human rights situation however is not the issue in the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day celebrations in Windhoek, although the point certainly will be raised by worried Namibian journalists. Koïchiro Matsuura will celebrate the progress made since 1991, especially in many African nations, and criticise the worst forms of media repression. "Since 1991, the press in many countries has become more independent and pluralistic. The airwaves have been liberalised," Matsuura said in a statement on occasion of the day. - Yet freedom of expression is always fragile, and can never be taken for granted, Matsuura however warned. "In many parts of the world today it is threatened by political, economic, financial, military, religious or even criminal interests." - On this World Press Freedom Day 2001, we call upon decision-makers at all levels to do whatever they can to ensure that journalists can pursue their work unhindered and undeterred, so that people throughout the world can benefit from the free flow of ideas, said Matsuura, in a message that President Sam Nujoma might have found educational. International journalists covering the Windhoek event already have experienced the Namibian government's attitude towards the media. The Ministry of Information informed them that they were not allowed to report on anything other than the media events. Angered editors told their correspondents to ignore the provision; "If a story breaks, it's a story." A Zimbabwean Press Freedom Award winner, Basildon Peta, protesting the government's decision, argued "it is high time that these governments must be taken head-on." Times of Swaziland Manzini Bureau Chief Muzie Yende answered he was a journalist "anyway" and had "no barrier, even if I'm in prison," according to a report in The Namibian.
Sources: Based on UNESCO, The Namibian and afrol archives
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