His Excellency President Robert Mugabe
Office of the President
Causeway, Harare
Zimbabwe

Via Fax: +263 4 728 799 / 708 820 / 734 644

Vienna, 24 September 2001

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, leading journalists and media executives, is deeply concerned by the vicious attacks on four members of staff from the independent Daily News.

According to information provided to IPI, on 17 September, journalists Mduduu Muthutuu and Collin Chiwanza, photojournalist Urgurnia Mauluka and their driver were assaulted by so-called war veterans while visiting with other journalists a farm in Wedza, 140 kilometres east of Harare, where the homes of farmers were being attacked.

The three journalists and the driver were apparently singled out by the war veterans and brutally attacked with chains and other weapons. All four suffered from sustained injuries to their faces and bodies. Police, including senior members of the force, were present throughout the attack. On the basis of eyewitness reports, the perpetrators of the attack arrived at the farm in three vehicles, one a government vehicle, one a police vehicle and the third remains unidentified.

These attacks would appear to be part of an on-going campaign to intimidate and harass the staff at the Daily News. Indeed, over the last 18 months, the Daily News has borne the brunt of a number of disturbing attacks. On 22 April 2000 and 28 January 2001, the headquarters of the newspaper was bombed; in other incidents, newspaper staff have been assaulted and the editor-in-chief, Geof Nyarota has been arrested on numerous occasions and forced to answer a number of criminal defamation charges. Furthermore, the newspaper has faced unsubstantiated claims that it is supported by the British government.

Earlier this year, Professor Jonathan Moyo, the minister for information and publicity, was reported as saying that individual journalists would be targeted for unspecified action. Speaking to a Daily News reporter he was quoted as saying, “You ain’t seen nothing yet”, when asked to comment further he said, “We are now going to target individual journalists.” There have also been claims in the media that a government “hit list” exists which is being used to ensure that members of the independent media are silenced.

With regard to these incidents, IPI is deeply worried that the government is failing to do more to ensure the safety of journalists. Indeed, in the opinion of IPI, the government seems intent on exacerbating the situation by failing to condemn the vigilante activities of the war veterans. IPI would remind Your Excellency that the rule of law is applicable to all members of Zimbabwean society and the failure of the police force to arrest war veterans for breaches of the criminal law is furthering a climate of fear and hate which will only serve to fuel the already deteriorating situation.

IPI believes it is the role of the government to govern and not to fall victim to the desire to encourage violent actions by its supporters. The government must work harder to ensure that journalists in Zimbabwe are able to work free of harassment and intimidation and that news, essential to the understanding of the country’s problems, is reported. Without such a commitment IPI is fearful that attacks on the media will increase.

Therefore, with the above in mind, IPI invites the government of Zimbabwe to uphold article 19 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights which states that “everyone has the right to hold opinions without interference”.

We thank you for your attention.

Best regards,

Johann P. Fritz
Director