The New Africa Hotel Agreement for Safety and Protection of Journalists in Tanzania “The New Africa Hotel Agreement” The New Africa Hotel, Dar es Salaam 15 May 2013 WE, Media Owners of Tanzania under the auspice of Media Owners of Tanzania (OAT), and the Tanzania Human Rights Coalition (THRDC), met at the New Africa Hotel on 15th May 2013 in Dar es Salaam and chatted out security strategies for journalists in Tanzania. GUIDED BY the purposes and principles contained in the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania 1977, Declaration on Human Rights Defenders of 1998, the UN Resolution to Protect Human Rights Defenders 2013, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, the International Covenants on Human Rights of 1966 and other relevant instruments. DEEPLY CONCERNED at the escalating cases of killings, illegal arrests, arbitrary, harassments, expulsion, torture, banning of news papers and confiscation of equipment of journalists and human rights defenders in Tanzania. CONCERNED FURTHER about the many infringements of freedom of expression and access to information in Tanzania, including through the use of restrictive legislation such as the News Paper Act of 1976 and the National Security Act. MINDFUL that lack of knowledge on security management and risk assessment for journalists in Tanzania is a contributing factor for the state of their insecurity. EXPRESSING solidarity with all journalists, individuals, and groups of human rights defenders who have been subjected to attacks, threats and harassment, including those forced into displacements and NOTING the need for greater collaboration between journalists and human rights defenders in this Country. ACKNOWLEDGING efforts at the international and regional levels to introduce measures to ensure the safety of journalists and human rights defenders, such as UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders of 1998, UN Resolution on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Established offices of Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights Defenders and on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information , European Guidelines For Human Rights Defenders the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. Now therefore, Unanimously, RESOLVE to: AGREE to form solidarity between Media Owners Association of Tanzania, and the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition in carrying forward the agenda of security for journalists in Tanzania. Then the established solidarity will also bring together other key stakeholders to implement established security strategies for journalists in their employment. SIMPLY BECAUSE a joint action between the Coalition, Media Owners and other media institutions is vital towards the creation of a free and safe environment for journalists and media workers in Tanzania IN AGREEMENT, the Coalition jointly with Media Owners to develop a Plan of Action for safety and protection of journalists in Tanzania to effectively enable them improves NETWORKING with the rest of the world and access available international mechanisms and opportunities for most at risk- journalists. In this regard Media Owners are hereby advised to allocate some funds for safety and protection of journalists when planning for their annual budgets. Investing on security management and protection for journalists within media houses would be more cost effective for media owners in the long term as preventive measure rather than waiting to invest on ad hoc responses to emergencies such as actual attacks and injuries. Call all Journalists to diligently exercise professional ethics and high level of integrity when carrying out their responsibilities. THIS IS BECAUSE; personal behaviours, lifestyle and the way a journalist does his/her work can sometime put him/her at risk. STRONGLY ENCOURAGE, media owners, editors, journalists, human rights NGOs, the community and the government to seriously take security and protection issues for journalists and human rights defenders as everyone’s responsibility. URGE the governments of Tanzania to amend legislations and policies that restrict the work of journalists and human rights defenders to be in line with regional and international human rights standards. LIKE OTHER COUNTRIES, Tanzania should therefore enact national legislation that promotes and protects the rights of journalists and human rights defenders. PUSH FOR the government of Tanzania which has the primary role of protecting human rights defenders including journalists as provided by Article 12 of Declaration on Human Rights Defenders to refrain from, and ensure adequate protection from, any act of intimidation or reprisals against journalists and human rights defenders in Tanzania. STRESSING that security management and risk assessment trainings be extended to other journalists as best approach to prevent further risk and threats. AND IF POSSIBLE to be taught in schools of Journalism. Hence the development of a Safety and Protection Teaching Manual for use in journalism schools is necessary. REMIND Media Owners to consider improvement of journalists’ welfare as part and parcel of preventive measures for their safety. UNDERLINES that the access to and use of information technologies and the media of one’s choice, including radio, television and the Internet, should be promoted and facilitated at the national level. AND THEREFORE calls the government to recognize and protect Social Media in the country and avoid using the signed Internet Censorship Protocol to suppress Freedom Online. INVITE members of the international community and development partners such as European Union, Regional and International Organizations, AU and UN Agencies and Embassies to provide concrete support to measures taken to ensure safety and protection of journalists and human rights defenders in Tanzania.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 19:03:48 +0000
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