NAMIBIA/ZIMBABWE: TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS VERBALLY ATTACK MISA

High-ranking government officials in both Namibia and Zimbabwe have lashed out recently against the
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA).

MISA reports that, on 14 August, Namibian President Sam Nujoma launched a verbal attack against the
organisation as well as "The Namibian" newspaper and its editor, Gwen Lister. The president
condemned MISA, which he said was only out to insult him and other heads of state, and accused "The
Namibian" and MISA of being "unprofessional" and "reactionary." Nujoma also instructed reporter
Andreas Frai of the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) not to work with MISA anymore.

Following the president's remarks, the government cancelled its planned participation in the
Namibian Media Awards scheduled for 20 August, reports "The Namibian." An Information Ministry
official denied speculation that this apparent snub of MISA illustrated growing government
intolerance of the organisation and the independent media. MISA-Namibia has recently criticised the
way NBC is regulated and called for changes to the draft Communications Bill.

Meanwhile, MISA reports that Zimbabwean Minister of State for Information and Publicity Jonathan
Moyo accused the press-freedom organisation on 20 August of promoting "misunderstanding" between the
government and the private media. Moyo alleged that international donors are using MISA to promote
reports that Zimbabwe's private media are operating in a hostile environment. MISA says the Public
Order and Security Act (POSA) and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA),
both enacted in 2002, are "forcing the media in Zimbabwe to operate in a very restrictive
legislative environment".

In an earlier incident on 8 August, a group of young men, including members of the ruling Zimbabwe
African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), brutally assaulted journalist Flata Kavinga,
report MISA and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The men accused the "The Midlands
Observer" reporter of supporting the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) because he was
wearing a MISA t-shirt. After being discharged from hospital, Kavinga went into hiding to avoid
further reprisals, reports CPJ.

Follow these links for more information on:

Namibia:
- IFEX: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/53069/ [2]
- IFEX: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/52875/ [3]
- "The Namibian": http://www.namibian.com.na/2003/august/national/03EE92C156.html [4]
- CPJ: http://www.cpj.org/attacks02/africa02/namibia.html [5]

Zimbabwe:
- IFEX: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/53124/ [6]
- IFEX: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/53068 [7]
- CPJ: http://www.cpj.org/news/2003/Zim21aug03na.html [8] and
http://www.cpj.org/attacks02/africa02/zim.html [9]