- Title: ZIMBABWE: REACTIONS TO EXPLUSION OF FOREIGN JOURNALISTS.
- Date: 20th February 2001
- Summary: HARARE, ZIMBABWE (FEBRUARY 20, 2001) (REUTERS- ACCESS ALL) 1. MV/CU: TWO MEN PLAYING DRAUGHTS BY A NEWSPAPER STAND/ CLOSE UP OF NEWSPAPERS AS THE PLAYERS CONTINUE THEIR GAME (4 SHOTS) 0.18 2. GV/CU: VARIOUS OF NEWSPAPER HEADLINES/ HEADLINE READING "BBC CORRESPONDENT LEAVES"/ HEADLINE READING "LEAVE ZIMBABWE ALONE: PRESIDENT"/ LARGE HEADLINE READING, "BBC REPORTER FLEES" (3 SHOTS) 0.34 3. GV: SETUP OF WAR VETERANS CHAIRMAN 0.39 4. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) WAR VETERANS LEADER, CHENJERAI "HITLER" HUNZVI SAYING, "Any given country has got its own laws. If someone comes here under the pretext of being a journalist yet he's an agent of some kind and is carrying out some ideas to destroy the government, it is either that chap is arrested as a spy or as anything. So if the expulsion of journalists from this country, I'm quite convinced that officials who might see that these people must leave this country, they've done so because they've seen the dangers, security of this country to be under threat by these journalists. So I don't think the authorities took the decision that they just had to expel or to deport journalists from the country because they portray a certain different thinking but if it's a security risk yes of course every government has to protect itself and if they're agents of some other kind trying to destroy this country they must just leave." 1.43 5. CU/GV: CLOSE UP OF ZIMBANK SIGN IN THE STREET (2 SHOTS) 1.51 6. MV/GV: VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING IN THE STREETS (2 SHOTS) 2.04 7. MCU: (SOUNDBITE)(English) MANAGING CONSULTANT OF LOCAL ORGANISATION, JOSEPH MUJUDU SAYING, "Look, I believe in freedom of expression and in my own opinion, the more you do that the more you actually make the situation worse. As far as I'm concerned, what's supposed to be addressed is not the issue of journalists, it's the economic fundamentals." 2.22 8. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) RECENT ZIMBABWEAN RETURNEE FROM THE USA, GARY EICKLEBURGER SAYING, " I'm certainly concerned and will continue to follow what goes on by reading the press but I hope it's not going to get continuously worse. It's obviously not getting better yet." 2.35 9. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOCAL SECRETARY, LYNN SOKO SAYING, "People need to know the truth about what is happening in a country so if we say that we are throwing out the journalists, I mean, they're supposed to do their job and people need to know the truth so we should not prevent people from knowing the truth. They should know what is happening. Maybe that way we may be able to learn some things, find out some things from them." 3.00 10. GV: VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING DOWN THE STREETS OF HARARE 3.11 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 7th March 2001 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HARARE, ZIMBABWE
- Country: Zimbabwe
- Reuters ID: LVAF11SYPU2ML1WWOGJNG58VFD98
- Story Text: The Zimbabwe government's decision to expel two
journalists has raised concern amongst ordinary Zimbabweans
while the government insists it must protect itself from what
it calls foreign intruders.
On the streets of Harare on Tuesday (February 20) many
Zimbabweans were dismayed by the decision by President Robert
Mugabe at the weekend to expel two foreign journalists.
Mugabe denounced the Western media on Monday for damaging
the country's image abroad, saying reports of violence and
instability were "completely false".
Mugabe did not refer specifically to his government's
weekend decision to expel a British Broadcasting Corp (BBC)
reporter and a correspondent for a South African newspaper.
BBC journalist Joseph Winter flew out of Zimbabwe on
Monday, saying he feared for his family's safety despite a
court order extending his stay.
Mugabe said visitors to Zimbabwe have seen a different
picture of the southern African country than that portrayed in
the international press.
The story dominated the headlines in the local and
national press.
War Veterans' leader, Chenjerai "Hitler" Hunzvi echoed
Mugabe's line, calling the journalists foreign agents.
"Any given country has got its own laws. If someone comes
here under the pretext of being a journalist yet he's an agent
of some kind and is carrying out some ideas to destroy
the government, it is either that chap is arrested as a spy or
as anything. So if the expulsion of journalists from this
country, I'm quite convinced that officials who might see that
these people must leave this country, they've done so because
they've seen the dangers, security of this country to be under
threat by these journalists. So I don't think the authorities
took the decision that they just had to expel or to deport
journalists from the country because they portray a certain
different thinking but if it's a security risk yes of course
every government has to protect itself and if they're agents
of some other kind trying to destroy this country they must
just leave."
Britain has condemned the expulsions and called for
respect of a free press and judiciary in Zimbabwe.
Mugabe's government has stepped up a campaign against
dissent in recent weeks as the country sinks deeper into an
economic crisis fuelled by the seizure of hundreds of
white-owned farms for black resettlement.
But not everyone is towing the government line. Many,
like Joseph Mujudu, a managing consultant with a local agency,
says there are more important
issues to deal with than expelling foreign journalists.
"Look, I believe in freedom of expression and in my own
opinion, the
more you do that the more you actually make the situation
worse. As far as I'm concerned, what's supposed to be
addressed is not the issue of journalists, it's the economic
fundamentals."
Zimbabwe has been going through a difficult economic
period and many experts are
predicting even tougher times ahead with very little relief in
sight.
Lynn Soko, a local secretary echoed his sentiments,
saying the government is trying to hide something by throwing
out the foreign journalists.
"People need to know the truth about what is happening in
a country so if we say that we are throwing out the
journalists, I mean, they're supposed to do their job and
people need to know the truth so we should not prevent people
from knowing the truth. They should know what is happening.
Maybe that way we may be able to learn some things, find out
some things from them."
A High Court judge ordered the government to allow Winter,
a BBC correspondent in Zimbabwe for the last four years, and
Mercedes Sayagues, a correspondent for the South African Mail
& Guardian newspaper, to stay until Friday to wind up their
affairs. They had been ordered out on Saturday.
The order, sought by the two journalists, was issued with
the consent of the government's lawyers, but Winter said
Information Minister Jonathan Moyo and a senior immigration
officer had refused to sign it.
The court also ordered the government not to harass the
journalists before their departure. Sayagues said she was
preparing to leave before Friday.
In his address to the diplomats on Monday, Mugabe said his
government would resist foreign meddling in its internal
affairs.
Mugabe, who turns 77 on Wednesday and has been in power
since independence in 1980, did not mention any country by
name.
But in the past he has accused former colonial power
Britain and the United States of supporting the main
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
