Resolution on the state of the media in Swaziland from the Southern Africa Journalists' Association

Southern Africa Journalists' Association First Annual General Meeting, July 18-19th 2002 Mbabane, Swaziland Resolution on the state of the media in Swaziland. The first Annual General Meeting of the Southern Africa Journalists' Association (SAJA) noting: 1. That there is clear political interference by the Swazi Government in the media. 2. That inter alia this has manifested itself in: Unfair and unlawful dismissals of employees at the national television station, The Swazi Observer and the Guardian newspapers. Interference with broadcasting programming by politicians. The continued existence of pieces of legislation inimical to the existence and development of a free and independent media. The continuing harassment of journalists by police, state security forces and politicians. Therefore resolves: 1. To condemn in the strongest terms possible, the continuous harassment of journalists, 2. To call for the immediate unconditional reinstatement of those unfairly and/or unlawfully dismissed under conditions no less favourable than existed before their dismissals. 3. To call on the Swaziland Government to scrap all media-unfriendly legislation and to consult with all media stakeholders with regard to appropriate and acceptable media laws, including in particular, the self-regulation of journalists and their profession. Swaziland July 19, 2002