MISA national chapters were critical to the success of the initiative as they were tasked with arranging series of press conferences and interviews, as well as meetings with, among others, media organisations, press clubs, ministers of Information, Foreign Affairs and other ministries of strategic importance. The visiting Zimbabwean delegations also addressed a number of public discussion forums. Alongside this activity, the regional secretariat coordinated the production of hard-copy and online resource materials. The site provides a one-stop-shop for information pertaining to: • The application of the repressive Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act in conjunction with the Public Order and Security Act • The subversion of the judiciary • Misinformation campaign on Zimbabwean land reform • Use of hate speech in the media • Registration of journalists • Harassment of private media workers • Subversion of the public media’s responsibilities • Need for broadcasting reforms This regional publicity/lobby tour is seen as one of MISA’s major successes in 2003. There was tremendous interest and coverage of the tour at national, regional and international levels. MISA learnt a great deal from the experience and intends to follow it up with similar activ ities. 5.3.2 Zimbabwe Media Sector Plan development On October 30 and 31, 2003, the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ) and MISAZimbabwe hosted a meeting of international, regional and national media freedom, freedom of expression and human rights organisations to develop mechanisms that free expression groups in Zimbabwe could use to bring regional and international pressure on the Government of Zimbabwe. This meeting, aptly entitled ‘Let the People Speak’ addressed the government of Zimbabwe’s direct and calculated assault on civic liberties including freedom of expression and information. Following the ‘Let the People Speak’ meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, MISA Secretariat (as part of its SADC Journalists Under Fire campaign) was requested to assist in the development of a media sector plan for Zimbabwe. Participants of the meeting, especially those from media organisations, recognised that the polarisation of the media was negatively affecting lobbying and advocacy attempts. MISA Secretariat was entrusted with the responsibility to fundraise for and facilitate the media sector meeting which took place in Nyanga, Zimbabwe in January 2004. Since then, the programme manager has been working closely with the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ) and MISA-Zimbabwe to finalise a strategic plan and funding documents for the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ), which consists of the MMPZ, MISA Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists ZUJ) and the Independent Journalists Association of Zimbabwe (IJAZ). The alliance will shortly sign a memorandum of understanding and produce the guiding principles for future collaboration. An important aspect of the alliance is that it seeks to support ZUJ and IJAZ to formerly set up professional national secretariats to oversee their work. MISA Annual Report (April 2003 – March 2004) 39