General membership in IFEX is open to independent, non-governmental organizations working on freedom of expression. MISA served on the IFEX Council in 2006. IFEX’s website plays an extremely important role in the operation and development of the network. All IFEX alerts and the Communiqué are posted in English, Spanish and French (where available) immediately to the website. In addition, links are being created to sources of important free expression research that exists at many groups around the world. Over 2 million visitors access this information by logging onto the IFEX website (www.ifex.org). Both the Communiqué and the alerts are searchable in English, Spanish and French, making the information much more accessible to all those using the site. 2.6.2 Network of African Freedom of Expression Organizations (NAFEO) MISA is part of a Pan African network of free expression groups which in October 2005 established the Network of African Freedom of Expression Organizations. The network seeks to improve the environment for freedom of expression in Africa over the next decade and has set out an ambitious mandate to tackle a number of the most pressing issues facing African media today, such as working to stop violent attacks and the detention of journalists, putting a stop to the financial pressures exerted on the media and improving the working conditions of media practitioners. NAFEO will also tackle legal and institutional frameworks, such as repealing criminal defamation laws, and will work towards the enactment of democratic access to information laws in all African countries. Training on professional standards and legal issues, especially with respect to privacy and accuracy and avoiding defamation will also be a part of the network’s mandate. 2.6.2.1 NAFEO and the Gambia campaign With regard to its involvement to the network in 2006 MISA took in a consultative workshop with members of the Gambia Press Union (GPU) aimed at devising a programme of support to the GPU and a specific programme of interventions to improve the free expression environment in the Gambia. NAFEO subsequently launched on May 21, 2007, a campaign for an end to the impunity and violent attacks on media freedoms and freedom of expression generally in the Gambia by the government of President Yahya Jammeh. The campaign also demands the release of Chief Ebrima Manneh, a journalist arrested without charge or trial by the political police, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), since July 2006 but whose whereabouts the government and its security deny knowledge of. 2.6.3 Institution and capacity building: Organization des Médias d’Afrique Centrale (OMAC) MISA participated in the General Meeting of the Central African Media Organisation - Organisation des Médias d’Afrique Centrale (OMAC) at the end of 2006. MISA was particularly invited to share its experiences on advocacy and campaigning in the SADC region. More specifically, OMAC members were interested to learn about MISA’s governance processes, organisational structure and programme develop. MISA is committed to rendering future support to OMAC which is currently revisiting its operations and structures in order to better deliver on its mandate. 20 Annual Report 2006