Swaziland: State radio censors trade unions

The Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS), a state radio broadcaster, has banned trade unions from accessing the radio station unless they have been sanctioned by the police.

 

According to a new policy introduced by the radio station, trade unions are now banned from airing their announcements on radio unless these are accompanied by police approval.

 

SBIS Deputy Director, Jerome Dlamini, told the local media that the policy was meant to avoid situations where the radio station might find itself broadcasting illegal meetings called by the unions.

 

 The policy has been condemned by Swaziland three main labour movements – the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU), the Swaziland Federation of Labour (SFL) and the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT).

 

The unions join other civil society organizations including human rights NGOs and political formations which are also banned from accessing the state media including radio and TV.

 

In a joint statement to the media and also copied to the MISA-Swaziland, the three unions labelled the policy as short-sighted and destructive to government’s intentions to promote a good name about Swaziland. They further said the policy was evidence that Swaziland had become a police state.

 

MISA-Swaziland position

 

MISA-Swaziland condemns the action by SBIS as it amounts to blatant censorship and seriously violates the unions’ right to free expression and accessing public media. MISA appeals to the station’s authorities to reconsider their policy and allow the unions and any other civil society organizations unconditional access to the nation radio station which is funded through tax-payers’ money. //End//

 

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Reagan Malumo

Programme Specialist: Media Freedom Monitoring and Research

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Regional Secretariat

21 Johann Albrecht St

Private Bag 13386

Windhoek

Namibia

Phone: +264 61 232 975

Fax: +264 61 248 016

Mobile: +264 81 311 2626

Official Email: reagan@misa.org

Private Email: reagan32002@yahoo.com

 

 

- July 6, 2010 by MISA

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Source: www.misa.org (received via email alert on 06.07.10)