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Journos a 'security threat'
26/02/2004 22:24 - (SA)
Harare - Zimbabwean journalists working for the American government radio station, the Voice of America, pose a threat to Zimbabwe's national security, the state media commission said on Thursday.
"The Voice of America is an arm of the US state department which is on record as seeking to overthrow the government of Zimbabwe through unconstitutional means and
illegal(ly) under the United Nations charter," said the commission in a statement quoted in the state-owned Herald and weekly magazine, The Financial Gazette.
"The... serious problem is that of national interest and national security," said the media commission.
Its statement came after three journalists at the state-owned daily Herald were dismissed for working for the Voice of America. The trade union representing journalists issued a statement condemning their dismissals.
The commission said: "The Voice of America... is among the media houses that have been peddling lies about this country, resulting in the deterioration of the Zimbabwean image.
"It is disturbing for an individual to use a foreign media organisation to destroy his own country."
In Cape Town, meanwhile, deputy president Jacob Zuma said the government would like to see Zimbabwe enjoy the same press freedom as South Africa.
"We believe in press freedom," he told the Cape Town Press Club.
"And if you want to equate to Zimbabwe, take what we say here: that will certainly go for what we would want to see in any other country."
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