Celebrating the World Press Freedom Day with tears [Archives:2007/1048/Viewpoint]
Editor
It is very sad day today that we are celebrating the 17th World Press Freedom Day with many violations against Press and freedom in our country. The denial to give Journalists Without Chains their own newspaper and rejecting their demand after 8 months of following up the Ministry of Media here in Yemen represent repression and oppression against our freedom of speech. What is sadder is that it is a clear violation against the constitution and laws of our country that gave us the right to express our views. Alas, the violators are the governmental officials themselves.
It is also ironic how even after getting access to media tools we are still shy and anxious when writing to express our minds and we call ourselves living in a democratic country. A democratic system that is totally the opposite of what is supposed to be.
The total blackout to what is going on in Sa'adah is another issue and the brave of us who challenge the system and break out the news are threatened and brought to justice as criminals. That is the same like what happened to our fellows in Al-Thawri Newspaper when their Editor of Chief Khalid Salman was accused to publish a photo from Iraq war, claiming it to be in Sa'adah, something that was not true as he presented the evidence.
The press in our country has become a pseudo democratic show of polarization. Direct and indirect oppression policies and actions such as what happened to Al Shora Newspaper by convicting its editor in Chief Abdulkareem Al-Khiwani to serve one year in prison in 2005, prohibiting the publication of his newspaper, and blocking its website in February 2007 is another outraging account.
At the end, the World Press Freedom day becomes a dream in Yemen, however, I still chose this day to honor all fellow journalists who sacrificed their lives for this sacred profession such as my father. Truly, I promise to continue the struggle, wishing for all journalists in Yemen a day in which we will be able to speak up without making a sacrifice.
——
[archive-e:1048-v:15-y:2007-d:2007-05-07-p:view]