Monday, May 21, 2007

Zimbabwe Minister urges Africa Commission to shut down radio stations

SW Radio Africa reports: At a summit in Ghana on Thursday the Minister of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Patrick Chinamasa, launched a blistering attack on radio stations broadcasting into Zimbabwe and called on the African Commission to help close them down. Speaking during a session on the status of human rights in Africa, the government minister went on a propaganda campaign claiming media groups and non-governmental organisations have a western agenda that is pushing for regime change.

Chinamasa said there is a massive misinformation drive by SW Radio Africa, Voice of America’s Studio 7 and Voice of the People (VOP). He then asked the Commission to put pressure on the countries hosting these radio stations to shut them down.

Arnold Tsunga the Deputy Chairman of VOP [which broadcasts via the Radio Netherlands Madagascar relay station], said it was clear that the regime was trying to play psychological games to try and win the sympathy of Africans but delegates were not fooled but actually shocked. He said: "It is not surprising that a minister from Zimbabwe can come before the African Commission and stupefy and make a complete mess of himself in terms of attacking the rights to freedom of expression in Zimbabwe which is enshrined in the African Charter of Human and People’s Rights."
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)