EDITORIAL URGES NON-COMPLIANCE WITH MEDIA

UNCLAS HARARE 001390 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR NEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAO ZI SUBJECT: EDITORIAL URGES NON-COMPLIANCE WITH MEDIA CONTROL LAW ¶1. Under headline "Moyo: You have lost the plot" the independent weekly "The Standard" dedicated its June 9 editorial to calling on the privately owned media to "simply ignore the restrictions" of the newly enacted Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA),saying the Act is a "ridiculous piece of legislation." Excerpts: ¶2. "In the tortuous world of Zimbabwean journalism, the ultimate foolishness has to be (Information Minister) Jonathan Moyo's desire to force his deplorable beliefs on the private press and foreign correspondents. It won't happen. No matter how often he resorts to his grotesque AIPPA, and no matter how many lawsuits he files against privately owned newspapers and no matter how many pseudo-journalists on the lunatic fringe he appoints to his media commission, it still won't happen. . . "In his anxiety to control everything, . . . Jonathan Moyo has lost the plot. And for that reason, certain things need to be spelt out plainly so that even he can understand them. Firstly, the independent press will defy him, his crass legislation - and his cronies. Independent journalists will not seek registration because that would mean acceding to the rest of the draconian AIPPA. . . Any journalist, editor or publisher worth his salt will simply ignore the restrictions of the AIPPA. . . In any event, it's impossible in this age of the Internet and satellite communication for governments to control information and to keep information private. . . Someday, Zimbabwe shall again be free, but not before all of us close ranks to fight this absolutely ridiculous piece of legislation - the AIPPA." SULLIVAN