Press groups banned from accessing the palace of Ambohitsorohitra01/12/2009 | 16:35:15
Some of the capital city's press groups have been denied access to the palace of Ambohitsorohitra when Andry Rajoelina gave a press conference concerning his position in face of international mediation and the setting up of the Transition's new government.
Midi Madagascar simply named it the way it had to be: "censorship" because its reporter was part of those denied access to the palace, apparently by the transitional presidency's communication protocol
The Matv TV channel also reported the access denial addressed to its reporters within the palace. Various other newsgroups have been banned in the same way from entry inside Ambohitsorohitra, part of which are the Express, Taratra and Gazetiko.
It is a second to none event in the presidential palace. It was basically a press conference, meant to be widely live broadcasted.
The political crisis definitely divided the Malagasy press. A certain number of press groups is supposed to be close to Andry Rajoelina, others are famed for their proximity to Marc Ravalomanana. Midi Madagascar and Ma-tv are considered by Ambohitsorohitra as being part of the opponent's camp. The Express, owned by Edgard Razafindravahy, the current capital city's special delegation's president, one of Rajoelina Andry's close collaborator, did not necessarily deserve the same fate.
Reporters have been especially invited together with artists and Malagasy sport figures to greet the president of the High Authority of Transition. Rufin Rakotomaharo, the latest president of the Journalists´ Order, produced a speech on behalf of his colleagues, in which he called upon more press freedom, the authorization to reopen TV and radio stations closed by the ruling power and the ending of the so called press crimes[See]
The TV PLUS private media station received an official warning letter. A reporter is being wanted by the state police, and not any of the stations silenced in the aftermaths of the year 2009´s putsch have been allowed to broadcast again. Hard days for the press.[See]
A number of reporters are currently in the communication ministry´s sight in the run of its intention to restore “order” in the press. The ministry´s ethics commission is so far being acting since some weeks. Minister Harry Rahajason met some of the capital city´s reporters and declared that sanctions are likely to sanction any violation of ethics and laws.[See]
Poor first step in for the Communication Ministry´s Ethics Committee. The election of the committee´s president supposed to endorse the Journalists´ order´s leadership, had to be postponed, for some members defected[See]
The minister in charge of communication is considering the erection of an ethics committee deemed to temporarily overtake the journalists’ order’s prerogatives up to the election of a new board[See]
