SECTOR 1 1.4 Government makes every effort to honour regional and international instruments on freedom of expression and the media. Opinions were divided on the issue of whether Government makes an effort to honour regional and international instruments on freedom of expression and the media. While some panellists pointed out how the government provides a conducive environment for the media to operate, examples were given of how the State was complacent about reforming the media landscape. Under international law, government has the responsibility to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of its citizens. “If government made every effort to do this, they would have repealed the restrictive laws that remain in place,” pointed out a panellist. Some panellists believed that: • Government’s track record shows that Namibia’s conducive media environment was a result of the Constitution, and not of government’s efforts. “Government had an opportunity with the Communications Act to comply with these standards. It was not done.” • The NBC is not included under the act because they (government) want control over it. • Some media in Namibia make a concerted effort not to upset the government, which might be why government is able to honour its commitments to free expression and media freedom. • Others argued that the government honours its commitment of freedom of expression “only on World Press Freedom Day”. • “Government signs up to these treaties, but in practice they don’t honour what they sign.” • “Individual ministers make threats which are taken up by other ministers and it becomes the official stance.” A noted example was that of Justice Minister and Secretary General of the ruling Swapo party, Pendukeni IivulaIthana, who at a rally in Omungwelume in October 2009 reportedly called the editor of The Namibian, Gwen Lister, a “big snake”, and warned that the editor may be taken to task for the “wrong-doings” of her white ancestors if she was not careful about what she wrote3. • Freedom of information legislation has been drafted but numerous opportunities to implement this legislation have not been taken. “We have a media ombudsman, but in public the Minister of Justice castigates journalists because they expose corruption.” 3 See www.ifex.org/namibia/2009/10/13/justice_minister_remarks/ for report on Iivula-Ithana’s comments. 16 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NAMIBIA 2011