World Press Freedom Day by Koïchiro Matsuura UNESCO 11:02am 6th May, 2005   Message from Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 2005.    World Press Freedom Day is an opportunity to remind the world of the importance of protecting the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and freedom of the press, as stated in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Without these rights, democracy cannot prevail and development remains unattainable.    Independent, free and pluralistic media have a crucial role to play in the good governance of democratic societies, by ensuring transparency and accountability, promoting participation and the rule of law, and contributing to the fight against poverty.    UNESCO has decided to pay tribute to this critical role played by the media in promoting democracy and good governance by choosing ‘Media and Good Governance’ as the key theme for this year’s celebration.    Through the Millennium Declaration, United Nations Member States expressed their strong, unanimous and explicit support of democratic and participatory governance and recognized free and open media as one of the tools necessary to achieve this goal. The Millennium Declaration affirms that Member States “will spare no effort to promote democracy and strengthen the rule of law” and goes on to resolve “to strengthen the capacity of all countries to implement the principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights”.    Good governance may be impeded by the blight of corruption, which disrupts the free flow of information, undermines accountability for decisions and discourages greater participation in the decision-making process. Accurate and professional reporting is often the only recourse that society has to combat corruption. Journalists need the support of the larger society to eliminate hindrances to accurate reporting. Furthermore, pledges to increase transparency and accountability in public administration must be backed up with laws granting full access to areas of information in the public interest. The provision of a functioning legal infrastructure encourages independent and pluralistic media to flourish and is one of the preconditions for good governance.    Ensuring the right to press freedom around the world, therefore, should be regarded as a priority. Sadly, all too often, journalists lack the independence required to expose cases of corruption or the abuse of power, to denounce human rights violations and to facilitate an open dialogue between the state and civil society. Government measures to control the media, either directly or indirectly, have many motivations but ultimately they have a common outcome, namely, democracy as a practice or an aspiration is undermined.    Journalists may be exposed to physical danger when pursuing their profession. Some become the victims of violence because they bring into the open what some people want hidden; in other cases, journalists are at risk because they are reporting from areas of armed conflict. A new and disquieting development is the abduction of journalists and turning them into hostages; this, too, is an attack on freedom of speech and media freedom. Journalists and media staff deserve to have conditions of reasonable safety wherever they may be working in the world.    According to professional organizations, 2004 and the beginning of 2005 have been the worst period in a decade in terms of the numbers of journalists killed, with more than 70 journalists and media workers losing their lives.    Hundreds more receive death threats, many are intimidated, and some are held hostage or tortured for exercising their profession. These acts are unconscionable not only because they violate the human rights of individuals but also because they poison the well-spring of good governance and democracy, namely, the flow of accurate and reliable information.    Thus, freedom of the press should not be viewed solely as the freedom of journalists to report and comment. Instead, it is strongly correlated with the public’s right of access to knowledge and information. Given the media’s crucial role in disseminating knowledge and information, it is vital that media outlets and professional associations encourage accurate, professional and ethical reporting. This can be done by establishing voluntary codes of conduct, providing training for journalists and setting up mechanisms of self-regulation.    As we celebrate World Press Freedom Day, let us remember that free and pluralistic media provide a solid foundation for good governance, development and peace. A commitment to removing all obstacles to press freedom and improving the conditions for independent and professional journalism is therefore essential and we encourage both Member States and media professionals to strengthen their efforts in this direction. We pay homage to the journalists who have put their lives or freedom at risk in order to provide the public with accurate and independent information. Their professionalism and courage constitute an invaluable contribution to the defence of the basic rights and freedoms of everyone.    May 2, 2005    World Press Freedom Day, by Thalif Deen. (IPS News)    The Philippines, Iraq, Colombia, Bangladesh, and Russia are the world's ''most murderous'' countries in which to be a journalist, New York-based media watchdog the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said Monday.    After five years of investigations beginning Jan. 2000, CPJ concluded that the vast majority of journalists killed on duty did not die in crossfire or while covering dangerous assignments.    Instead, 121 of the 190 journalists who died worldwide since 2000 were 'hunted down and murdered in retaliation for their work,' the organisation said in a study released on the eve of World Press Freedom Day, which falls on Tuesday, May 3.    In more than 85 percent of these slayings, the killers have gone unpunished, the study added. 'By failing to investigate and punish the killers, the governments in these five countries embolden all those who seek to silence the press through violence,' CPJ executive director Ann Cooper said in a statement.    In most cases, journalists were murdered in retaliation for reporting on government corruption, crime, drug trafficking, or the activities of rebel groups.    'The problem is enormous but not intractable,'' Cooper said, adding that ''governments must recognise what's at stake is not only justice for those murdered but also the collective right of society to be informed.'    Journalists cannot do their job in a climate of violence and impunity. 'Governments, particularly those in the five most murderous countries, must devote the resources and exercise the will to solve these crimes,' she added.    In the Philippines, 18 journalists have been slain for their work since 2000. All had reported on government and police corruption, drug dealing, and activities of crime syndicates. Many were rural radio commentators or reporters ambushed in drive-by assassinations, the report said. Philippine journalists attribute the violence to a nationwide breakdown in law and order, the wide circulation of illegal arms, and the failure to convict a single person in the murders, CPJ said.    In Iraq, crossfire was the leading cause of death among journalists. But even in this war zone, where U.S. and coalition forces have battled a growing insurgency since Mar. 2003, 13 of the 41 work-related deaths of news personnel were murders.    More than half of those murdered were Iraqi journalists targeted by insurgents because of their affiliation - real or perceived - with coalition forces, foreign organisations, or political entities. Several of the slain journalists had been threatened beforehand, according to CPJ.    According to some news reports, even U.S. forces have been accused of deliberately targeting journalists, particularly those critical of the U.S. military occupation of Iraq. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in late January, Eason Jordan, then chief news executive of Cable News Network (CNN) caused a stir when he reportedly said he believed that U.S. military forces had deliberately aimed at journalists and killed at least 12 of them.    Following a firestorm of criticism by right-wing groups in the United States, Jordan backtracked on his statement by saying: 'I never meant to imply that U.S. forces acted with ill-intent when they accidentally killed journalists.'I apologise to anyone who thought I said or believed otherwise,'' he added. Even so, his 23-year journalism career ended when he was forced to resign from CNN.    The New York Times said there was 'some uncertainty' over his precise language because the Davos Forum, which videotaped the conference, refused to release its tape.    Meanwhile, in Colombia, where reporting on drugs, paramilitary organisations, and local corruption has placed reporters at great risk, 11 journalists have been murdered since 2000.    All of the journalists murdered in the last five years reported on at least one of those sensitive topics. At least eight received death threats and warnings before being gunned down, according to CPJ. The murders took place in regions of extreme lawlessness, with competing groups fighting for territorial control.    In Bangladesh, nine journalists have been slain since 2000, eight in the lawless southwestern Khulna district, which is rife with criminal gangs, outlawed political groups, and drug traffickers. Seven had received death threats. 'Bangladesh has long been a violent place for journalists; they are routinely beaten, harassed, and threatened while carrying out their work' the report said. A CPJ delegation traveled to Bangladesh last year to urge the government to prosecute those responsible.    In Russia, contract-style killings pose a grave threat to journalists. CPJ said that at least seven journalists died in contract-style slayings in direct reprisal for their work. The group continues to investigate the motives in four other contract killings that may have been related to the victims' work. Most of the victims, according to CPJ, were print journalists investigating organised crime and government corruption, while a few were broadcast journalists who had criticised the policies of influential local politicians.    'A politicised criminal justice system, crippled by corruption and mismanagement, has perpetuated a climate of impunity in Russia,' CPJ said.    Asked if the United Nations could 'name and shame' these countries, Abi Wright of CPJ told IPS: 'It is an interesting idea.' But she pointed out that CPJ reports are not dissimilar, for example, from U.N. reports which have condemned countries and rebel groups by name for recruiting child soldiers.    She said that CPJ reports were part of the advocacy work the organisation does 'to pressure governments and make them very uncomfortable. We spotlight these cases and try to hold governments accountable,'' she said
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