IFJ, a Powerful Voice for Journalists with Global Reach- IFJ President at Congress Opening

The President of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Jim Boumelha, told delegates at the World Congress in Cadiz that the IFJ represents a powerful voice for journalists and has grown into a global organisation fit for journalism in the modern world. He made the remarks during his presidential address at the opening ceremony of the IFJ World Congress in Cadiz.

 

‘'The IFJ has proved we can work globally and in unison in defence of journalists' rights,'' he said. ‘'The reaction to the unprecedented massacre of journalists in the Philippines and campaigns to defend journalists in Iran and the Gambia are cases in point.''

 

Boumelha praised to the courage of journalists who are leading the fight back against attacks on press freedom around the world and said their voices needed to be heard.

The challenges facing media are still many and daunting, warned Boumelha. Journalists continue to be brutalised and even killed for doing the work in many parts of the world. More than three hundreds journalists and media personnel have died in the last three years, victims of violence in countries such as Iraq, Russia, the Philippines and Somalia. In other countries such as Iran, Yemen and the Gambia, IFJ members are harassed and jailed.

 

The IFJ President pledged that the IFJ will continue to press the US government on the need for an investigation into the killings of Iraqi journalists at the hands of US forces and to ensure justice for Filipino journalists murdered in November 2009. He called on IFJ members to pursue the campaign to secure the release of Iranian journalists who are still detained and the reopening of the offices of the IFJ affiliate, the Association of Iranian Journalists (AoIJ) in Tehran.

 

The IFJ President reported on successful stories in the journalists' community, including the establishment of the Federation of African journalists (FAJ) which has shown the ability to effectively represent and defend the interests of its members on the African continent. The IFJ affiliate in Russia, the Russia Journalists' Union ( RUJ) is also leading a successful campaign against impunity for crimes against journalists.

 

Boumelha said that the IFJ will remain vigilant to resist media restrictions in developed countries where governments are using the anti terror legislation as a cloak for interfering in media affairs through such means as surveillance, attacks on protection of journalists' sources and profiling on the basis of ethnic background.

 

‘'We must continue to defend journalists as no one else will do it for us,'' concluded Boumelha.

 

The World Congress in Cadiz, Spain, is attended by delegates from 100 countries and coincided with the celebrations of 200 years since the declaration of the first Spanish press law in the country's seaside city.

 

For more information, please contact:

Ernest Sagaga ( French and English) : + 32 477 71 4029 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting         + 30 477 71 4029      

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Paco Audije (Spanish)                        :  +34 671609333 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting          +34 671609333  

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Monir Zaarour( Arabic)                       :  +32 472587690 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting          +32 472587690      

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-May 26, 2010 by IFJ

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Source: africa.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-is-powerful-voice-for-journalists-with-global-reach-says-ifj-president-at-congress-opening (accessed on 26.05.10)