Say no Evil: Freedom of Press

Freedom of press. As westerners liberty of speach is a phenomenon that we tend to take for granted. We are so used say, write and voice what we think, feel and want that we don’t realize that in other countries journalists end up in jail, being arrested, tortured, maimed, or even getting killed for doing the same. Or less.

Take Africa for instance. In African countries as Zimbabwe and The Democratic republic of Congo not a week goes by without the press and media being threatened. Over the years, reporters, journalists and other media people have vanished, were locked up, tortured, maimed, killed and arrested for having certain opinions.

Also in Madagascar, Guinea, Kenya, Chad, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Gambia, Eritrea, and Ethiopia freedom of press hardly exists.

But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. As stated by the international journalists organization Reporters Without Borders, many African countries have improved their situation regarding freedom of press.

Based on their 2005 report on 167 countries, Reporters without Borders concluded that many African countries are improving when it comes to freedom of speech and press liberty. Benin and Namibia (both 25th place) score better than Australia (30th place, together with South Africa) and the situation on press freedom in Mauritius (34th place) and Mali (37th) is better than in for instance Israel (47), Italy (42), or Spain (40).

Or the United States (44th). The nation that proclaims to be the world's freedom defendor and democracy deliveror tumbled down over 20 places.

Mozambique moved from 64th to the 49th place and the Central African Republic jumped from the 104th to 82nd place. Also Angola improved its freedom of press rankings (76th).
This does not by far mean that Africa is a paradise for the press and media. It just means that there is improvement. And that is simply great news from a continent that has build a negative image news and freedom wise.

Miriam Mannak / Cape Town