Commonwealth urged to prosecute those who kill journalists

By Tererai Karimakwenda
24 November 2005

In a statement released on Thursday, Reporters Without Borders urged the Commonwealth heads of government to prosecute people killing journalists so the Commonwealth could become "a true home of democracy and freedom." 15 journalists have been killed in Commonwealth member-states since the last summit in December 2003, and none of the killers are in jail. The statement said: "Drastic steps must be urgently taken to penalise member-states that do not make genuine efforts to ensure press freedom and the safety of journalists."

Commonwealth heads of state begin their summit in Malta on Friday, and many groups will be lobbying for different causes. Leonard Vincent of Reporters Without Borders told us the statement is the beginning of a campaign to pressure democratic countries to take action. As for Zimbabwe, Vincent said since the Zimbabwe government does not respond to them, they have been pressuring South Africa to address the media issue in Zimbabwe. He added that the organisation had also approached Nelson Mandela’s office, and were surprised that he had not responded.

Vincent believes South Africa holds the key to dramatic changes in the Zimbabwe situation. Asked whether the governments they are pressuring resist prosecuting those who kill journalists because they are implicated themselves, Vincent said there was no direct evidence linking government officials to the murders, but suspicions do exist in some cases.

The 15 murders in the last 2 years took place in Bangladesh, Gambia, India, Pakistan, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka. The most recent victim was 28 year old Gautam Das, correspondent of the daily Dainik Shamokal, who was brutally executed just a few days ago on 17 November. He was investigating organised crime and abuses by local figures, and was found dead in his office with an arm and both legs broken.

Meanwhile it’s reported that the Commonwealth Secretary General’s 50 page report to the member states, covering the two years since the last summit does not have a single reference to Zimbabwe. The organisation’s pledge to make human rights one of its corner-stones has been thrown into doubt by the omission. The organisation’s leader Don Mckinnon is reported to have said since the country withdrew its membership there was no need to include it on the agenda. This despite the fact apartheid South Africa was kept on the agenda even when it withdrew from the club. The omission is now being viewed as a victory for Robert Mugabe.