May 3: World Press Freedom Day

By Fitsum G.

June 13, 2006

But as media and journalism evolve, certain bedrock principles remain paramount. On World Press Freedom Day, I again declare my firm support for the universal right to freedom of expression. Many members of the press have been killed, maimed, detained or targeted in other ways for pursuing that right in good conscience. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 47 were killed in 2005, and 11 have lost their lives so far this year. It is tragic and unacceptable that the number of journalists killed in the line of duty has become one of the main indicators of press freedom. I urge all governments to reaffirm their commitment to the right to “seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”, as set out in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, on the occasion of World Free Press Day, May 3, 2006

There is no need here to reiterate the importance of the need for the existence of free press in any country; a fortiori, in those where democratic institutions are still unheard of or in their infancy: Africa. Free press is all the more vital in those countries where the leaders have not yet developed the habit of making themselves accountable for what they do, as normal business, or still better, as an integral part of their duties; and yet their decisions could, and often not only affect, but determine every one’s fate in the country they rule. It is vital in countries where constituencies have little or no say in these matters/decisions; in countries where the way leaders come to power or authority is a bit unusual, not conforming to the best democratic practices or traditions, or at least of dubious legitimacy (God knows how many African governments can claim to fulfill such precondition!) transparency, where there are no mechanisms that make the same subjects participants of these moves, measures and decisions.

Well, in all these cases, the only manner for the population to be properly informed is through the free press, the independent press, (and not the one that is under the complete control or spell or influence of the government in power. This might naturally have the mandate of transmitting only things that it is anxious that people need to know, and hence inevitably is bound to restrict information, if not modify/distort it, according to its agenda! ). Such free press is god-send also where there are governments without any opposition whatsoever; no well organized political parties, no independent trade unions (that can listen to the heartbeats of the working class and alert politicians), where civic and professional organisations are not well accepted or let to organise and empower themselves away from government circles or influence; where the judicial institutions remain under the ‘vigilant eye’ of government authority or interference; where hence governments believe that they are the only ones that can possibly have the mandate (some might dare call it ‘the Devine Mandate’) to rule, freedom of expression is definitely threatened if not stifled, and there are no guarantees for the public to know how their government functions, (or dysfunctions) and are therefore deprived of the only means of peaceful and civic protest against potentially unfair, illegal, illegitimate and corrupt measures or policies adopted and implemented.

Hence, in all these circumstances, the existence and role of a strong, free and independent media becomes irreplaceable. It is symptomatic to recall, at this point, what Thomas Jefferson, the famous US statesman once said. If he was allowed to choose between the existence of a government without newspapers or newspapers without government, he would opt for the latter: Newspapers without government! That is how he chose to underline the importance of the press! The free press of course, and more than two centuries ago!

It has often been said, (and we have seen instances of this in many countries), that ‘power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. Human nature is such that if people are allowed to exercise power and authority the way they liked, unfettered, unrestrained, and if they are not made to account their actions to someone, some body, they would not resist being tempted to make a huge abuse of it. The less control and accountability there is, the more their tendency to indulge in arbitrary or corrupt practices. History has shown us many instances of these. It is one of the typical manifestations of dictatorial regimes. Any leader or group of leaders that thinks that they are above the people they govern, above the law, and are hence free to act without checks and controls, are bound to manifest all sorts of intolerance to being transparent and accountable, and hence circumscribed. When Louis XIV is said to have exclaimed: ‘l’état, c’est moi,’ (the State, it is me.), he must have tried to show his ultimate, undisputed authority in the France of that epoch. And yet, after two centuries, there are a few leaders in the world, particularly in Africa, who seem to imitate the ideas of Louis XIV, rather than Thomas Jefferson! Why is this happening? One reason is that there is no strong, independent, free media in those countries. People are let to languish in the dark, even on matters that concern them directly!

Freedom of expression has been rightly included and sanctioned at the level of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (Kofi Annan has mentioned it, Art 19, above), and there could be no compromise on this point, as long as a state is decent enough to feel that it ought to continue to belong to the general community of international order. All modern states we know of have subscribed to the UDHR, and to most of the fundamental conventions of the UN, and its Charter. They have recognized that there are no alternatives to the protection and safeguard of the most inalienable of human rights. Rights that are bestowed up on each one of us, by the very nature of our being human, (by God, if you like), as an expression of our legitimate aspirations, as a recognition of our existence as human beings. It has been universally agreed that there could be no compromise or concession on these matters, without encroaching on the dignity of humans.

Why is freedom of expression included in this list? Simple. It is a right that can affect the existence and respect of other fundamental rights. If people cannot speak their mind, if people cannot avail of a forum where to make known their views, their observations, their comments, their criticisms, their grievances, to what is going on in their world, their country, then the chances are that they might end up having their rights as citizens severely undermined, threatened, curtailed, even by those who may consider themselves ‘enlightened leaders!’ And there could be little bounds to their sufferance. Today, if there are countries that do not subscribe to the principle of free press, at least in theory, these are purely pariah states, failed states, rogue states. States that are always subject to the criticism and at times to the sanction of the international community, if not outright condemnation. And there are quite a few in Africa, and other Third World countries!

Not casually, governments that do not intend to respect the fundamentals of democracy are often seen suppressing the idea and flourishing of the free press. It is strange to see that there are even very big and influential governments in the world where such notion is not considered a priority for application. After all, they say, ‘people cannot eat freedom of press’. There are other more important rights to focus on and respect, rather than the right to free expression. They say, material benefits and comfort would be more urgent than the right to free expression. Say more houses, more clinics, more schools, more roads, better facilities, services etc! But this is a typical autocratic belief or exercise where leaders who come from nowhere, (certainly not freely and openly elected by the governed), decide to fix the needs and priorities of their population. They so claim under the guise that only they have the ‘magical formula’ to resolve the problems of their nations, to meet their aspirations. No sane mind can accept such a proposition! There is today a consensus that there are no alternatives to freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of conscience. Period. That is why it is important to observe ‘World Press Freedom Day’ and sensitize every soul on this point.

In this 21st century, the idea of ‘rationing information’ from just one source seems to be definitely out fashioned. People nowadays crave for total spiritual freedom before they could ask for certain material needs. The mind has become more important than the body, and if the mind is free, all the rest can come relatively easily. There should first be conditions of freedom, if humanity can step one pace ahead towards the pursuit of other ends, one of which could be happiness. This presumes that we should first attain justice for all, equality for all, peace for all, and then the rest follows logically. Definitely, there is no person who can nurture on these freedoms alone, but basic human rights can be respected and promoted only if the prime of all rights, ‘freedom of expression’ is respected and upheld.

However, legal scholars are categorical on one other related factor: Freedom of expression, just as other rights and freedoms, cannot possibly exist in an unlimited manner, in absolute. There is no room any where for absolute rights or freedoms. All rights and freedoms, and hence freedom of expression, have their own limits and restrictions. One’s freedom should not encroach on that of others. One’s rights should not breach the rights of others. Where my rights end, the rights of others begin. The right to free press does not and cannot mean that one can write whatever one has dreamt of. And here there is a lot of space for not only auto-censoring but also for a system of regulation that sees to it that those who avail actively of such right do not abuse of it, either knowingly or overzealously or unknowingly, (and the latter can happen very often). People need to know that the rights of others can be at stake if this right is not used within the bounds of the law. That is why the question of maximum professionalism and abiding by the ethical rules of the trade is indispensable. That is why knowledge/education/training becomes key. The instance of this year’s worldwide controversy over the publication of ‘derogatory’ cartoons of Moslem icons causing several protests, at times very deadly, should be well pondered on. We should learn from that. Where is the line between the sacred and the profane? Which report is just ‘provocative’ and which one ‘offensive’, indecent?! Certain expressions that are published in open disregard of peoples’ religious, cultural and ethnic sensibilities should carefully be assessed before seeing the light of day! Again, however, we should be careful not to reduce such freedom of expression to worthless dimensions, as some African governments seem to recommend, just to suit their agenda. We all know the risks of censorship (that many a totalitarian country has used to stifle the freedoms of people!) Restrictions under the guise of vaguely defined concepts such as ‘public safety’ or ‘security’, ‘morality’, risk to constitute another form of curtailing of these rights.

Many governments are hence engaged in not only restricting these rights under these pretexts, but they even resort to throwing in jail those who have not been even given the chance to defend themselves in courts of law. That is why we need to watch legislation that give legitimacy to so many heinous acts of certain governments in many countries, particularly in Africa. The list that CPJ, Committee to Protect Journalists, says it eloquently. And just go through the list of such countries and you will be surprised to note that there are a few traditionally considered the ‘cradle of free speech, free press’! That is why there is the need to mark and uphold the World Free Press Day, every May 3, and transmit and enhance its spirit, its significance, expose and condemn the violators.

'Media, Development and Poverty Eradication’ has been chosen as the theme for this year’s World Free Press Day'. It draws particular attention to the role of the media in eradicating poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). If free and independent, with unhindered access to the free flow of information, media can help to inform and educate the public and to check corruption and mismanagement, thus contributing to the process of development. We have emphasized that press freedom is intrinsically related to human rights and democracy. The UN General Assembly has recently made important decisions in these areas, acknowledging its due importance. In December of last year, the Peace Building Commission was set up whose main function will be to support the rebuilding of democratic institutions in countries emerging from conflict. In March, the General Assembly created the Human Rights Council which is a new human rights mechanism signalling a new beginning for the promotion and protection of human rights every where.

Undoubtedly, believing that marking World Free Press Day by itself can achieve freedom of expression in the world would be naive. But it definitely brings to focus the problems that abound in this sector, and stimulates further efforts to resolve crises, wherever they erupt. It brings to light the plight of journalists languishing in jail, often guilty only of having done their duty brilliantly; being brave enough to report what they saw, resisting dictatorial warnings, defying restrictions! For these journalists, freedom of peoples is of paramount importance, and fear does not make them refrain from the call! They know that there are sacrifices to pay and that is what they do. On this day, we advocate for the liberation of imprisoned journalists. We call for the easing of certain draconian legislation in some countries applicable to the free press. Kofi Annan’s message above testifies to that. The marking of the day serves to underline once again that freedom of expression is not one that we can do without, and that hence, we all have to fight for it.

The flourishing of a strong, free and responsible press can be instrumental in bringing about development and the alleviation of the suffering of millions. It is also one of the means of bridging the gap between the advanced world and the disadvantaged one. It is a vital instrument of enhancement of knowledge that can serve to help communities help themselves. It can play a decisive role in the birth, growth and development of an open, democratic society. It is one vital instrument that serves to promote and advocate for the end of all forms of arbitrary rule, totalitarian moves. As the ultimate watchdog that is often more efficient even than courts of law verdicts, its effects are immediate and overwhelming. Asserting hence that without a free and independent media, it would be at least difficult to imagine that good governance could reign and be sustained is fair. It has been proved many times.

We can conclude, a free press that has the confidence and trust of the population is an irreplaceable asset in today’s world and we should jealously guard it from attempts of suffocation. Forget the idea that people do not care about a free press, or that they would rather opt for some service or facility that governments are ready to barter with! Keeping peoples eyes and ears under the control of any government is simply an unsustainable proposition in today’s world, and African governments are advised to act consequently. The world, having reduced itself to one big village (thanks to high tech), what happens here influences what is bound to happen in far off communities and vice-versa. And this is now seen happening in a blink. How long can Africans, and some other countries elsewhere, still resist in these rough waters and continue to deny the evident facts?!