Madagascar
Press freedom violations reported from Madagascar

afrol News, 11 April - Ever since the state of national emergency was declared on 22 February, a dozen radio stations have been plundered or set on fire, and several journalists have been threatened or assaulted. The recent announcement by a private radio station that its news programmes would be suspended indicates that threats and pressures still persist in this country. 

The French media watchdog Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) today requested that the two protagonists in the present Malagasy crisis - rival Presidents Didier Ratsiraka and Marc Ravalomanana - "make every effort to ensure that journalists can carry on their work in the country in total freedom and safety." 

According to information gathered by RSF, on Monday 8 April, the private 'Radio-Television Analamanga' (RTA) network announced that it would drop its news flash because of "telephone threats" and "threats against journalists." According to a press release, the radio station had taken the liberty of "merely providing information and had not slanted it in favour of, or against, any individual, entity or party." 

In addition, on 16 March, some soldiers ransacked the offices of 'Radio Soleil', which is owned by a pro-Ravalomanana member of the Malagasy National Assembly. Two days later, the same servicemen returned to the premises to destroy the rest of the equipment. 

On 27 February, 'Radio Tsiokavao' was set on fire by Ravalomanana sympathizers. The station's offices were totally destroyed by the blaze. 'Radio Tsiokavao' is a Didier Ratsiraka supporter. "We did that to avenge the fire at 'MBS radio' station," declared one of the perpetrators to the French news agency Agence France-Presse. 

During the night of 23 February, a dozen hooded men had attacked Marc Ravalomanana's 'Madagascar Broadcasting Service' (MBS) radio station facilities in Fianarantsoa - Madagascar's third city, 300 km south of Antananarivo, where followers fight to gain control. RSF reports that MBS's offices were set on fire and three night watchmen sustained serious injuries. "We have been hiding inside the station offices for three days because we feared for our lives," an editor-in-chief of a Madagascan daily newspaper stated at the time. 

On 20 February, some high school students cutting classes stoned the offices of the 'Amoron'i Mania Radio-Television' (Art) station in Ambositra les Roses (south of Antsirabe). The students were protesting against what they considered overly partisan news coverage by the station, which is owned by Didier Ratsiraka's Prime Minister. 

Finally, on 2 February, Lieutenant-Colonel Coutiti, the Technical Advisor of Ratsiraka's Information Ministry, confiscated equipment belonging to 'FM 91', a private radio station in Nosy Be (an island off northern Madagascar), and closed down the station. 'FM 91' is owned by a provincial councillor who supports Marc Ravalomanana.

In its appeal, RSF specifically urged Ratsiraka and Ravalomanana to call upon their militants and sympathisers to remain calm and not to interfere with freedom of expression. "The plurality of information sources is primordial in such a turbulent period and both leaders must do whatever is necessary to ensure that all voices can be heard without fear in the country," stated Robert Ménard, the group's General Secretary. 

RSF also reminded the two authorities that "State media must serve the public and not an individual or party. Public press journalists must be free to report the news as they see fit and to cover events occurring in both camps." 

Lastly, the group appealed to the journalists present on the island to "exert extreme care in gathering and verifying information." One local daily in March asserted that "the radios on each side are spreading false information and inciting hatred." 

- Rumours are easily spread in times of crisis and journalists must scrupulously abide by their professional ethics and rules of conduct, Robert Ménard advised his Malagasy colleagues. 

Sources: Based on RSF and afrol archives 

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