· ALERT Date: November 11, 2005. Persons/Institutions: Media in Lesotho, international media Violation: Expelled (accredition) The hosting of the Southern African International Smart partnership dialogue by Lesotho, November 9 to 13, 2005, has raised media accreditation as one of the major issues to be brought to the fore for scrutiny, as most media practitioners and media houses view this as suppressing the role of the media in the country. Local and international media practitioners were unable to exercise their duties before prior accreditation by the police department since the beginning of and during preparations for this international forum. The licensing/accreditation of journalists to practice their profession as opposed to licensing publications and broadcast stations remains unacceptable in any democratic dispensation that aspires for the absolute attainment and enjoyment of fundamental rights of freedom of expression as well the public’s right to access information. In that regard, MISA Lesotho maintains that there is no single entity, other than that decided by the media itself, that has the right or jurisdiction to decide who can or cannot practice as a journalist. Quoted in the daily newsletter of the smart partnership dialogue in Lesotho, ‘Lehlaahlela’, the director of information in the ministry of communications, science and technology, Mr. Thabiso Makintane, was adamant about media accreditation: “Only expatriate journalists require security clearance for journalistic practice in the country.” · ALERT Date: November 7, 2005. Persons/Institutions: Public Eye Violation: Sentenced On November 7, 2005, Justice Kellelo Guni passed a judgment in the High Court of Lesotho against the English-language weekly newspaper “Public Eye”, the largest publication in Lesotho. The ruling, which awarded the plaintiff Lebohang Thotanyana 1.5 million maloti (approx. US$222,000) in damages for alleged defamation, was passed in the absence of legal and management representatives from the “Public Eye”. In its edition of July 15 to 21, 2005 (Volume 9, Number 28), “Public Eye” published an article entitled “Bank and club at each others’ throats.” The article reported on a financial audit that the Central Bank of Lesotho had conducted on the accounts of Facilities Management Company, which had been awarded a tender to administer the Central Bank’s Lehakoe Cultural and Recreation Centre. According to sources at the recreation centre, the report indicated that the audit had revealed “a tug of war going on between the Central Bank of Lesotho (CBL) and its subsidiary, Lehakoe Cultural and Recreational Centre, which had been growing in intensity.” The audit reportedly exposed improper accounting of the centre’s finances by the four-person board of directors. The board comprises Thotanyana, who won a tender to operate the centre, and three South African citizens. The plaintiff, Thotanyana, claims defamation on the grounds that his company’s reputation has been damaged and he has also suffered damage in his personal capacity. · ALERT Date: October 31, 2005. Persons/Institutions: Media in Lesotho Violation: Victory MISA Lesotho has acted decisively to ensure that public and private media have equal access to public information about the upcoming Commonwealth Speakers’ Conference in Lesotho starting on November 2, 2005. So This Is Democracy? 2005 -57- Media Institute of Southern Africa