Press Statement - To Mark World Press Freedom Day.
Embargoed for May 2nd - Issued May 1st 2003

World Press Freedom Day: CREDO warns of link between famine in Africa and lack of press freedom and freedom of expression.

CREDO for Freedom of Expression and Associated Rights warned today of a growing link between famine in Africa and the suppression of press freedom and freedom of expression.

In a statement issued to commemorate World Press Freedom Day marked annually on May 3rd the organisations coordinator Rotimi Sankore stated, “ varying estimates of between thirty million to forty million people are threatened with starvation in several African countries, many with unacceptable records on press freedom and freedom of expression. These countries include Angola, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Between them they account for at least eighty percent of those in danger ”

“In many of these countries it is virtually impossible to voice an alternative opinion to that of the government without reprisals or fear of some sanction against the persons or organisations holding such opinion or media that report them.”

Although natural phenomena such as erratic weather leading to floods, lack of rain and bad harvests for long periods are largely responsible for the food shortages, avoidable environmental degradation, social strife, armed conflict, corruption, poor forward planning and lack of democracy have also played a considerable part in worsening the situation.

Mr Sankore emphasised that “the lack of media freedom and freedom of expression means that the media is not able to freely reflect developments in these countries thereby depriving society as a collective of any early warning system of impending danger. The citizens are atomised and do not have a complete picture of the country as there is no free and efficient exchange of news, information, ideas or media platforms for debate and alternate opinions. It is the political equivalent of blindfolding citizens of a town and tying their hands before a flood engulfs them.”

“The growing link between famine and lack of press freedom and freedom of expression, proves beyond doubt that these rights are not abstract but are tied to real issues including the possibility that suppressing them could result in denial of the right to life. In Eritrea for instance, almost half the population faces starvation while virtually the entire private media has been forcibly shut down and their editors imprisoned. In Zimbabwe any alternate views on solutions to the country's problems is considered to be treason”

“CREDO insists, that the African Union must wake up to its responsibility of holding its member states to account by calling on them to ensure that the media and society are free to respond adequately to the food crisis and other problems facing these countries. Without a free media to help promote public debate and accountability, the governments of affected countries may well find themselves committing genocide by default, if the mass starvation projections of the World Food Programme and other organisations come to pass. If this happens leaders of affected countries are facing a real possibility of being held to account for the deaths of millions of their citizens as a consequence of their polices”

Ends

Notes for Editors: According to the World Food Programme, estimates of those facing starvation in Africa include 14 million in Ethiopia, 7 million in Zimbabwe, 3.2 million in Malawi, 2.9 million in Sudan, 2.7 million in Zambia, 1.9 million in Angola, 1 million in Eritrea, as well as millions more in Swaziland, Lesotho, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Uganda, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, and the western Sahel.

In April 2003 James Morris, the Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme appealed to the UN Security Council not to allow the war in Iraq to distract them from supporting the millions facing potential starvation in Africa. He also accused the west of double standards stating, "how is it we routinely accept a level of suffering and hopelessness in Africa we would never accept in any other part of the world? We simply cannot let this stand. "As much as I don't like it, I cannot escape the thought that we have a double standard." He also revealed that the agency was $1bn (£640m) short of the $1.8bn it needed for emergency food.

For further information, contact our International Office:
Centre for Research Education & Development Of
- [CREDO]- Freedom of Expression & Associated Rights.

73-75 Newington Causeway
London SE1 6BD, UK

Tel: + 44 20 77875501
Fax:+ 44 20 77875502

E-mail: Media – [email protected] , General – [email protected]

CREDO is an International human rights organisation based in Senegal and London and focusing on work in Africa. CREDO believes that freedom of expression and other strongly associated rights, are major platforms on which all civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights stand. CREDO further believes that “without distinction of any kind such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status” everyone is entitled to these rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights, The African Charter on Peoples and Human Rights and other similar documents.

While freedom of expression remains an inalienable right, it is often overlooked that it is in reality, not a stand alone right but is also a ‘gateway’ right to these other strongly associated rights, which are no less important and demand equal attention. These rights include the rights to opinion, assembly, association and so forth. An attack on any of these rights, is more often than not an indicator that other associated rights are not fully assured.

Collectively these rights are infinitely more important than they are individually. Their intertwined nature means that they are best defended and promoted collectively and not in isolation from each other.

While maintaining an international perspective, CREDO’s work focuses on themes in Africa related to: freedom of expression, media freedom, rights/access to information and information resources; freedom of opinion, association, assembly and related rights; and anti-discrimination issues e.g. discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, political persuasion etc.