STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY
AMB. DR. RICHARD SEZIBERA DURING THE WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY COMMEMORATION
MAY 3RD-5TH 2013
NAURA SPRINGS HOTEL – ARUSHA, TANZANIA
AMB. DR. RICHARD SEZIBERA DURING THE WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY COMMEMORATION
MAY 3RD-5TH 2013
NAURA SPRINGS HOTEL – ARUSHA, TANZANIA
Chairperson of Media Institute of South Africa Tanzania Chapter, Mr. Mohammed Tibanyendera
Executive Directors of different NGOs & Civil Society Organizations,
Government leaders present,
Members of the Diplomatic corps,
Media Owners, Editors, Journalists,
Stakeholders,
Ladies and Gentlemen
First and foremost, it is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity to welcome you to this beautiful city of Arusha, which serves as the Headquarters of the East African Community.
On this World Press Freedom Day, we pause to assess the state of the freedom of press worldwide, to remind governments to respect their commitments to the freedom of press, to alert the public on the importance of this fundamental right and to encourage a dialogue among media professionals on the issues of professional ethics and freedom of press.
Let me first start off by paying tribute to the media in the East African region, which in the recent years has become more vibrant and diverse and has shown potential of taking lead in the East African region and farther. Let me also pay our highest respect to the media professionals who lost their lives in the pursuit of our collective right to knowledge and understanding and to those who have been and still are subjected to persecution, intimidation and violence.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Our region recognizes the importance of having free, independent and diverse media Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that:“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”
But Freedom is of no value if not balanced by responsibility. In today’s world media have a basic responsibility to help strengthen and support democratic processes and therefore the main subject of my speech today.
Therefore, since the 10th day of December 1948, it was recognized that Governments have the duty to ensure that all people, in particular journalists, media professionals and associated persons, are protected against all forms of threat, intimidation, harassment and violence in exercising the right to freedom of opinion and expression and in carrying out their work.
Indeed, traditionally the realization of freedom of expression consisted of an individual writing down, printing and disseminating views publicly, without unlawful interference or harm. Today, a formidable change is occurring in the media landscape and communications are no longer limited to the traditional media of print, radio and television. In this day and age, the so-called “new media” which is comprised of the Internet and other forms of digital communication such as mobile telephones, email, blogging and social networking. Various studies have shown that the fastest growing trend in the use of digital communication and particularly mobile phones is in Africa. In East Africa particularly, the evolving technology has increasingly given all people from all levels of society the capacity and the opportunity to access and exchange information and ideas covering a wide spectrum of political, social, economic, cultural and religious viewpoints. Even in the remotest places, the forgotten villages in various parts of East Africa, people are able to access and impart information.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Media Responsibility
We have seen the impact that the “new media” is having on countries across the globe. In the East African region, the use of mobile telephones and the widening access to the internet, including the popularity of blogging, tweeting and social forums are ensuring the greater participation by all East Africans in public affairs, hence contributing meaningfully to the development and strengthening of democracy in East Africa. The recent presidential elections in Kenya are a perfect example of this. Through this election we also witnessed how the media brought together the Kenyan people despite the ethnic tensions. I take this opportunity to personally commend the Kenyan media for a job well done.
You will also note that the rapid evolution of the media comes with its own set of challenges in addition to the traditional challenges posed to the freedom of expression and opinion. For example, the legal and regulatory framework in the East African region, is slow to respond to the rapid changes that are taking place. We must not forget the challenges that the new media offers to those who are sometimes left behind by technological innovation or who are traditionally marginalized from having their voices heard, in particular a great majority of women.
EAC AND MEDIA
The role that media play in the development of the EAC and Africa at large can’t be ignored. The recent presidential elections in Kenya are a perfect example. We all witnessed how the media brought together all Kenyans despite the ethnic tensions to participate in a peaceful exercise by preaching peace and harmony.
The Peace and Democracy in Kenya after the general Elections can only be sustained if citizens have access to the information they need to be self-governing. Freedom of the press is, therefore, an instrumental component in the expansion of societal coexistence, stability and democracy throughout the developing world.
Ladies and Gentlemen
As the regional integration process intensifies, the EAC will be challenged more and more to achieve and demonstrate greater efficiency, effectiveness and visibility of its programmes. This strength and sustainability of the EAC crucially hinges on its reflecting value for taxpayer money. Greater ownership of its role and direction is thus important.
Often it is claimed that regional integration, except where sensitive issues arise therein or therefrom, is not a romantic subject that is saleable but we as a Community have many ongoing positive developments taking place that are usually out of “mwananchi’s” understanding and come packaged in terms of protocol’s and treaties.
You my brother and sisters present here today have the capacity and responsibility to synthesize and digest this protocol’s and treaties into user friendly languages that the Common “Mwananchi can understand” and report on this stories that often go unseen by the average person.
As I stand here, I see media as custodians of the truth, or at least that’s what they should be to act as champions of the EAC integration, educate the citizenry on the integration process in order to realize a people-centered integration that will come up with more press freedom. East African journalists have a critical role to play in the EAC integration agenda and to promote the collective interests of the East Africans. Just to echo the words of president Kagame at last years Media Summit “…You the media have both the power and responsibility to get the region to embrace regional integration with passion. And because no one else will do it for us, you have the duty to tell the true story of our region and promote our collective desire for peace, security and development”.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
I am aware that the Media in East Africa is coupled with deteriorating working conditions, result in systematic threats to freedom of information, freedom of expression and the physical wellbeing of journalists.
For many years Journalists in Eastern Africa have had to deal with the rise of informality, short-term contractual employment, and the exclusion from social programs traditionally linked to formal employment. These short-term contractual journalists, known as "stringers" in the industry, are prohibited from exercising their right to freedom of association. They become vulnerable, at the will of employers. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) this trend "may be jeopardizing the media's role as a watchdog for society." Non-union journalists who are untrained, underpaid and hired at-will are more prone to self-censorship and corruption.
I once again echo the words of President Kagame that “When governments build stronger professional and business partnerships with the media, there will be stronger, faster and more factual reporting in our region. In order to nurture a Pan-East African media, the government and private sector have the responsibility to invest in our local media and help raise their professional and ethical standards,” he added.
Conclusion
You have come to Arusha to discuss and deliberate on issues that affect the industry. My appeal to you is to spend the next two days effectively and come up with a clear direction of where media in this region is heading.
I believe that your meeting here will give you a chance to identify innovative ways and means, including structural and overall capacity enhancement of the EAC information, education and communication (IEC) function, to make the EAC story more appealing and compelling in the public domain and thus well worth the attention of the Media. You as the Media should take deliberate interest in the EAC integration agenda and pursue innovative ways and means of presenting it in captivating ways to its audiences. I wish you all a nice stay in Arusha and don’t forget to let peace and tranquility prevail in the region.
Thank you once again for inviting me to part of this occasion and with these remarks, I have the honour to declare the World Press Freedom Day 2013 Commemorations in this part of world officially opened.
I thank for your attention.
East African Community Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
3rd May 2013
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