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------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date:          Thu, 8 May 1997 17:21:59 -0400 (EDT)
From:          ifex@web.net (IFEX)
To:            allaction@web.net
Subject:       Swaziland alert
Cc:            safricaactions@web.net

IFEX- News from the international freedom of expression community
_________________________________________________________________

ALERT - SWAZILAND

8 May 1997

Media union claims political interference in non-coverage of May
Day celebrations

SOURCE: Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Windhoek

(MISA/IFEX) - The Swaziland Media and Printing Allied Workers
Union (SMEPAWU) claims that Swazi Television (STV) failed to
cover May Day celebrations in Mhlambanyatsi area due to "possible
political interference." SMEPAWU president Lwazi Hlophe stated
that it was strange that STV failed to cover the event when there
had been earlier indications that it would be covered. "I spoke
to the news editor on the eve of [May] Day and he assured me that
he would personally cover the May 1 celebrations after finishing
a recording with the minister of information, Muntu Mswane,"
Hlope told MISA, adding: "I don't know what happened later,
whether the minister told the editor not to go, or the editor
decided this on his own."

STV management has denied this. STV acting manager Mike Cornwell
told MISA the failure to cover the event was due to the May Day
holiday itself. "Neither daily newspaper was published on May 1
and [does] not publish on any public holiday...whereas STV
journalists generally fill the news gap left by the print media.
Workers Day seemed an appropriate public holiday to allow them
[time off]. At STV we do not have a large news department and the
few who man it work long shifts and enjoy few privileges,"
Cornwell explained. He further denied press reports quoting him
as blaming some journalists for the failure to cover the event.
"I was misquoted when the `Times of Swaziland' said I did not
know where our journalists were. I knew they were at the [May]
Day celebrations and were attending as workers as is their right
to do so," he said.

Previously, in February, Swaziland cabinet ordered a blanket ban
of the state-controlled radio and television broadcasters from
covering a country-wide labour strike. The ban had reportedly
been effected under Section 12 of the Criminal Procedure and
Evidence Act, 1997, which bans all materials likely to "incite
the public against the government". Workers at the state-owned
Swazi television told MISA that, on 22 January and 5 February,
live talk show programmes related to the strike were prevented
from being broadcast on Swazi Television (see IFEX alert dated 13
February 1997).

As well, on 21 April, the Swaziland government announced it was
in the process of designing an editorial policy for all
government-controlled media. However, the media said that the
government's decision came shortly after reports that authorities
had criticised Swazi Television for its full coverage of
opposition Swaziland Democratic Alliance (SDA) demonstrations.
The SDA demonstrated on 12 April against the 1973 Proclamation
banning free political activity (see IFEX alert dated 2 May
1997).

For further information, contact David Nthengwe at MISA, Private
Bag 13386, Windhoek, Namibia, tel: +264 61 232975, fax: +264 61
248016, e-mail: research@misa.org.na.

The information contained in this alert is the sole
responsibility of MISA. In citing this material for broadcast or
publication, please credit MISA.
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___________________________________________________
Bruce Girard             Agencia Informativa Pulsar
Email: bgirard@pulsar.org.ec
http://www.web.net/amarc/pulsar.html
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