US embassy cable - 02HARARE1390

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EDITORIAL URGES NON-COMPLIANCE WITH MEDIA CONTROL LAW

Identifier: 02HARARE1390
Wikileaks: View 02HARARE1390 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2002-06-10 11:00:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: PREL PHUM KPAO ZI
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


 
UNCLAS HARARE 001390 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KPAO, ZI 
SUBJECT: EDITORIAL URGES NON-COMPLIANCE WITH MEDIA 
CONTROL LAW 
 
1.   Under headline "Moyo: You have lost the plot" the 
   independent weekly "The Standard" dedicated its 
   June 9 editorial to calling on the privately owned 
   media to "simply ignore the restrictions" of the 
   newly enacted Access to Information and Protection 
   of Privacy Act (AIPPA), saying the Act is a 
   "ridiculous piece of legislation."  Excerpts: 
 
2.   "In the tortuous world of Zimbabwean journalism, 
   the ultimate foolishness has to be (Information 
   Minister) Jonathan Moyo's desire to force his 
   deplorable beliefs on the private press and foreign 
   correspondents.  It won't happen.  No matter how often 
   he resorts to his grotesque AIPPA, and no matter how 
   many lawsuits he files against privately owned 
   newspapers and no matter how many pseudo-journalists on 
   the lunatic fringe he appoints to his media commission, 
   it still won't happen. . . 
 
   "In his anxiety to control everything, . . . 
   Jonathan Moyo has lost the plot.  And for that 
   reason, certain things need to be spelt out plainly 
   so that even he can understand them.  Firstly, the 
   independent press will defy him, his crass 
   legislation - and his cronies.  Independent 
   journalists will not seek registration because that 
   would mean acceding to the rest of the draconian 
   AIPPA. . .  Any journalist, editor or publisher 
   worth his salt will simply ignore the restrictions 
   of the AIPPA. . .  In any event, it's impossible in 
   this age of the Internet and satellite 
   communication for governments to control 
   information and to keep information private. . . 
   Someday, Zimbabwe shall again be free, but not 
   before all of us close ranks to fight this 
   absolutely ridiculous piece of legislation - the 
   AIPPA." 
 
SULLIVAN 

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