The audio clip above reveals what Zimbabweans heard yesterday when they tuned into SW Radio Africa (SWRA) to hear impartial objective Zimbabwean news. It is a further act of censorship, another effort to suppress free speech and the right of Zimbabweans to access information.
SWRA have done an incredible job ensuring news-deprived Zimbabweans still have access to impartial objective information despite the Zanu PF government's passing of repressive legislation like the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). This oddly named piece of legislature has served to deny independent media sources permission to operate newspapers, radio or TV in Zimbabwe. SWRA, broadcasting from outside Zimbabwe on short wave, have managed to provide independent news to parts of the country that email and online news sources cannot reach. As such they have been a lifeline of information to oppressed Zimbabweans. It has also made SWRA a thorn in the side for members of the political elite who feel most threatened by a critical and enquiring press that seeks to expose corruption and human rights abuses. SWRA have been jammed before, but their article on their website about this instance conveys shock at the fact that, this time, the jamming is happening under the inclusive government which includes former opposition parties that have supposedly fought for democratic principles. In fact, just last week, the MDC-T party launched a new party card, describing it as the 'master card for real change'. What's worse, this is the second act of censorship occuring under the unity government this week. Robert Mugabe's regime has resumed jamming news broadcasts from SW Radio Africa, despite the existence of the coalition government with the MDC, that is supposed to guarantee freedom of expression. On Wednesday evening the first half hour of our broadcast featuring Newsreel was drowned out by a heavy noise, sounding like a slow playing record. SW Radio Africa listeners told us that soon after the news ended the jamming noise stopped and the rest of the broadcast featuring current affairs programming could be heard clearly. Information Communication Technology Minister Nelson Chamisa [MDC-T] told Newsreel he was not aware of the jamming. He said; 'We will have to start gathering our facts on the matter before coming up with our position.' Deputy Information Minister Murisi Zwizwai's phone went unanswered the whole day. But a source told us the Central Intelligence Organisation, which falls under the President's Office, is running the operation. It is sad that despite the fact Zimbabwe does have an inclusive government, where two of the parties supposedly whole heartedly support the notion of a free press and Zimbabweans right to information, that SWRA are once again being jammed. In 2005 Mugabe's regime began jamming SW Radio Africa frequencies just before the controversial Operation Murambatsvina. It was reported that the jamming equipment and expertise was provided by China and at the time we spoke to a soldier who says he was sent to China to be trained in jamming techniques. The jamming was then extended to include signals from Voice of America's Studio 7, in clear violation of international laws. In an earlier email today, SWRA wrote: For the past few weeks we have been concerned that jamming tests were being carried out on our broadcasts as various radio hams around the world have been sending us regular reports of a faintly audible music loop. Unfortunately it was confirmed that these were tests, as jamming began in earnest last night (1st September - attached please find an MP3 of the jamming). It appears to be specifically targeting our news bulletin. This could be because there are power shortages/lack of funds to target the entire broadcast. Last time we were so severely jammed only ZANU PF were in power and we had no one to complain to. This time we have a 'unity government' and I do hope the jamming will be a topic for discussion at the media conference in Harare and that all media organisations - such as MISA/MAZ/MMPZ - will take this issue up at every government forum available to them. We will, of course, be relentless in trying to get hold of the various ministers from both the MDC and ZPF to hold them to account for the fact that we are supposed to be moving forward to greater media and information freedom - we hope all other media will do the same and not let the matter drop.(http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/5988) ---[Start Commercial]--------------------- Order your WRTH 2009: http://www.hard-core-dx.com/redirect2.php?id=wrth2009 ---[End Commercial]----------------------- ________________________________________ Hard-Core-DX mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/hard-core-dx http://www.hard-core-dx.com/ _______________________________________________ THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS FREE. It may be copied, distributed and/or modified under the conditions set down in the Design Science License published by Michael Stutz at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/dsl.html
