Zim threatens journalists & western media

By Violet Gonda
    23 March 2007

The Zimbabwean government has turned its eye on the media as the crackdown on the opposition and democratic forces continues. The Information Ministry and the state sponsored Media and Information Commission have issued threats to foreign correspondents working in Zimbabwe and also accused CNN of biased reportage on the situation in Zimbabwe.

According to the state controlled Herald: “The Government said the coverage was designed to mislead international opinion and build hostility against Zimbabwe. "It (the campaign) is also meant to build sympathies and garner support for the opposition in its long-thwarted campaign of lawlessness.”

The Media and Information Commission also warned Zimbabweans hosting unaccredited foreign journalists that they faced prosecution in terms of the law. Foreign correspondents, Peta Thornycroft and Jan Raath were mention by name and warned, “to stay clear of the security forces, indeed to shun an opposition politician who has been deep-throating them. Should this not stop, Government may be forced to act against them and the politician."

In terms of the draconian Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, it is illegal for journalists to practice in Zimbabwe without accreditation. This is the legislation that the regime uses to crackdown on the media and control the flow of information in the country.
No independent broadcasters are allowed in the country. The only independent daily newspaper, the Daily News was forced to shut down and experienced 2 bomb attacks before then.

The BBC and CNN are banned from Zimbabwe and most foreign correspondents have been forced out of the country. The country used to have about 40 foreign journalists, which scaled down to about 20 over the years. At present the country has less than 10 foreign correspondents and they are Zimbabwean citizens. The last foreign journalist who was resident in Zimbabwe was UK Guardian reporter Andy Meldrum, who was illegally expelled from the country in 2003.

Meldrum said the latest threats to Raath and Thornycroft are worrying and should be taken seriously. Although they work for the UK Times and Telegraph newspapers they are Zimbabwean citizens. They can’t just be thrown out of the country.

He added: “They are already vulnerable because although they have applied for accreditation they have not been granted it and they have not been refused. So it is a very grey and I would say a very vulnerable place to be.”