President of the Maldives Journalist Association Ahmed Zahir spoke to Asian Tribune on a host of issues related to the press.
Zahir, a prominent journalist and also the Executive Editor of the Maldives Daily “Haveeru” faulted the Nasheed administration over trying to suppress the media “one way or the other.”
However, President Mohamed Nasheed has been widely seen as a champion of the media when in the Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, despite allegations of trying to gag the press now.
Moreover, the country has been favourably positioned in the annual ranking of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a media watchdog, in terms of press freedom.
But, Zahir, who himself was contacted by the RSF for feedback before coming out with the index, said he is at a loss to know as to how the ranking improved for the Maldives.
He also spoke of the predicament of the Maldives print media, now finding itself difficult to survive, in the aftermath of a government decision to stop advertising in private newspapers.
Following are excerpts:
Q-How would you assess the level of media freedom under President Nasheed as opposed to ex-president Gayoom? Has it improved or worsened?
A- It has not improved yet. One way or the other president is trying to suppress the media. The press release which we recently issued (regarding police trying to stop the live coverage of the opposition DRP protest by Dhi FM) is one of the clear examples. As you know during early years of Mr. Gayyoom there was no press freedom but his last five years, we enjoyed tremendous freedom.
Q-However the Reporters without Borders ranked the Maldives favourably compared to last year in its media freedom index. Your comment?
A- I don't know why the Reporters without borders has given such high index to Maldives, but what I know is compared to last five years there was no improvement at all.
Q- Yet, the Reporters Without Borders got your feedback too before preparing the index for the Maldives. Don’t you think your information has been rightly used?
A-Yes you are right. Before preparing the Maldives index they have got our feedback and I have told them it is worse than the last five years. But they have given such a high index to Maldives. I wonder what made them feel that Maldives standards are so high. Not at all I think they have rightly used our information.
Q-Despite a request for an allocation of MRF 6 million for the print media, Parliament only approved MRF 4 million. Can the print media survive on this amount? What are the obstacles for the print media’s inability to stand on its own feet financially?
A-Even 6 million is also not enough for the survival of the print media. As you know the Maldives business market is very small to raise enough funds to sustain the papers. Somehow some papers have closed down. And others are up for sale.
Q- Don’t you think that media’s inability to be financially viable and independent without being at the mercy of a parliamentary allocation finally will pose a threat to the freedom of media?
A-There is no question about it. When there are no papers in the Maldives then it is the most direct and dangerous threat to the media.
Q- Of late there has been a string of austerity measures like slashing salaries of public servants and downsizing the civil service due to a crisis in the government budget. At a time like that do you think a MRF 6 million subsidy for the media is a priority?
A- Despite all those issues I think the media subsidy is important to sustain democracy.
Q- How do you think the Right to Information Bill being debated in Parliament at present could improve media freedom?
A-When the Right to Information bill is passed, there will be a huge improvement for the media, specially for the investigative journalism. But as you know this government will not give information easily. Still, when there is a law, journalists can always fight for their rights
Q-Whilst commending the Bill on Right to Information, the Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party however has expressed doubts over its implementation. Your comment?
A-I agree with the Opposition. If the government is genuine, even without any laws they can provide information, but they don't. Not only they don't, they block information.
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
its in fact true that,
its in fact true that, Maldives Media has step backwards since the fall of former regime. But organisations like RSF reports it without knowing the real ground. RSF could know if one of their staff visits Maldives and investigate free from all means.
I believe RSF indexed Maldives based on the reports and saying from the Government officials, specially officials who wanted to cover-up the wrong doings of this current regime.
I was being told there is a representative of RSF in the Maldives and no one knows about him or her but as a rumor we knows. I think RSF should reconsider this representative issue as she (as rumor) is from ruling MDP and does cover-up real picture and situation arises in the Maldives relating to media.
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