Zambia 'deports' British writer over slur
Monday, January 05, 2004 - |
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![President Levy Mwanawasa - Zambia.jpg]()
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| Zambia 'deports' writer over
slur
A British writer based in Zambia is to be deported for allegedly
insulting the president, the authorities say.
Roy Clarke last week
wrote a satirical column in which he compared President Levy Mwanawasa to
a "foolish elephant" and two ministers to "baboons".
He had 24
hours to leave, said Home Affairs Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha.
Mr
Clarke, who is married to a Zambian women's rights activist and has
permanent residency, told the BBC he had not been informed of the order.
He said he was amazed when he read in a newspaper of the decision
and had gone into hiding from the police until the issue was resolved
through the courts.
"As a journalist I look to my newspaper to
protect me," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.
The
article, published in The Post newspaper, was based on George Orwell's
Animal Farm.
He compared Zambia's leaders to animals after Mr
Mwanawasa had visited a game park.
"When you insult the president,
you insult the people he represents. He should go back and start writing
about his own people," said home affairs permanent secretary Peter Mumba.
Fred Mmembe, the publisher of The Post, which has had several
run-ins with the government, said he would take responsibility for the
article.
Story from BBC
NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/africa/3369529.stm
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