Casablanca, Morocco, 30 March-: The
third continental congress of the Federation of African Journalists
(FAJ) held on March 30-31 in Casablanca, Morocco, called for organising
journalists, building stronger unions and defending press freedom in
Africa.
The event which is hosted by the Syndicat national de la presse marocaine (SNPM) is attended by 38 delegates from 34 countries in Africa.
Journalists’
trade unions and associations affiliated to the International
Federation of Journalists have formed since 2008 a continental body
representing the interests of their members in all media sectors either
electronic, broadcasting or print, working as reporters, presenters,
producers, freelances or even editors at national, regional and
international levels with the common objective to work to improve the
social and professional rights of their members, be they full time or
freelance.
Delivering the welcome address, Younes M’Jahed, president of SNPM said
the congress is the occasion to consolidate the Federation of African
Journalists.
“FAJ is now a big African organization which has
demonstrated on the ground its force to strengthen journalists’ unions
and fight against all press freedom abuses and attacks against
journalists,” said Younes M’Jahed.
“African journalists’ unions are
mature. They are working in difficult conditions but are resisting and
defending their independence from all powers and foreign interference.
That’s why we consider that the strengthening of union bodies is capital
for our
future.”
Speaking
at the opening ceremony, Jim Boumelha, president of the International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said strengthening the pan-African
solidarity among journalists is a very important objective, because
Africa needs good journalists practicing good journalism, freely, safely
and professionally.
Looking at FAJ’s report of activities and programme
of work, Boumelha stated: “anybody who wants to know what you have
achieved should read your document of work. They will of course realise
the huge challenges you had to confront, from the issue of safety of
journalists and impunity to criminalisation of journalists, the fight
for better working conditions and the implementation of international
labour standards”.
“They will see at the same time, how with very
limited resources FAJ has set out to lift and upgrade its democracy and
structures, to increase its capacity to confront employers and
governments and to break the walls between media sectors and between men
and women”.
He called on FAJ members to consolidate their
work on protecting the free flow of information which is a cornerstone
for the IFJ’s mandate. “Indeed freedom of expression is imperative for
sustaining development, consolidating democracy and initiating dialogue.
And I am proud that you have taken it as a central battle line not only
within FAJ but in many of your respective unions,” Boumelha added.
Everywhere
in Africa there are still many obstacles to freedom of expression and
free press. Boumelha highlighted the issue of censorship, violence,
intimidation and harassment of journalists, pressure and threats, poor
working conditions, lack of financial resources and training as areas where FAJ can make a difference, while assuring them of the IFJ’s unflinching support.
Approaching
the issue of safety and security of journalists, Jim Boumelha said, in
the past decade more than 2000 media professionals have been killed in
the exercise of their profession, most of them victims of targeted
killing and most of them local journalists working in their communities.
“The
murderers of journalists are too seldom held accountable. For both
killings in war zones and under other circumstances only very few cases
are investigated. In even fewer cases the perpetrators are brought to
justice. Indeed, impunity stands in the way of justice in about eighty
percent of these cases, and as long as this pervasive culture of
impunity exists, journalists will remain easy targets.”
On the other hand, the
Minister for Communication of Morocco Honorable Mustapha El Khalfi,
said the country’s commitment is to be a model for press freedom. “Africa’s
future depends on the emergence of a strong, free and responsible
press. This mission involves credible media and respect for press
freedom,” El Khalfi said, highlighting the process in Morocco to
reinforce press freedom and freedom of expression through a new legal
framework provided by Article 27 of the country’s new Constitution which
guaranties the right to access to information.
Delivering
a speech to delegates, Mr. Driss Yazami, president of the national
human rights Council of Morocco, said Africa has to take up two
challenges: respect for human rights and freedom of expression, and the
achievement of a sustainable development and social justice. “The role
of journalists is at the cornerstone to meet these objectives and we
need to join our efforts to better defend freedoms and the expansion of a
human rights culture,” Yazami concluded.
Omar Faruk Osman, president of the Federation of African Journalists said the Federation has
made tremendous gains since 2010.
“We extended solidarity and support
to ever combat ready unions and their members; we strongly campaigned
for the safety of journalists and tackled the culture of impunity in
Africa; we sought justice for victim journalists and their families; we
helped strengthen the voice of journalists at the national regional and
continental levels. Journalists in Africa and their unions are more
organized than ever before. We struggled against all odds in the past
three years. We fought to decriminalize journalism and the entire media
work,” Osman said.
He
nevertheless stated that FAJ is meeting in the middle of unprecedented
crisis for journalists which threaten to undermine all the gains FAJ has
made over the past three years.
“Violent repression and the injustice
against journalists are relentless. The number of journalists detained
in Africa for their work since the last congress has increased. More
than 70 % of journalists are working under precarious conditions. Ethical standards are declining due to external life-threatening pressure and lack of decent salaries”, he stated.
FAJ
has a mandate to enforce trade union development in the media industry
in Africa, to address professional matters, to protect and defend
freedom of expression and information as well as journalists' human
rights, as laid down in the Declaration of Principles of Freedom of
Expression in Africa.
The conference ended on 31 March 2013 and elected a new steering committee.
Ends...
