Union of Madagascan Journalists: The reopening of stations silenced by the HAT on schedule16/04/2010 | 08:57:01
Media stations closed or burnt down by supporters of the High Authority of Transition have definitely vanished for one year. Now they are, however, likely to be on their way to recovery. the madagascan journalists' union members addressed the issue onto Nathalie Rabe, the HAT communication minister.
The unexpected run of events has made Evariste Ramanantsoavina's recent fame. He became, in 2009, the first Malagasy journalist jailed by the High Authority of Transition directed by Andry Rajoelina. At the time of a meeting between journalists, politicians and civil society members, Evariste Ramantsoavina asked the HAT communication minister to reopen the Radio Mada radio station as well as all of its counterparts banned by the HAT.
"One regime has been ousted for having closed one media station, Andry Rajoelina's supporters claimed democracy, so why is the HAT doing the same thing to several stations at a time" protested Evariste Ramanantsoavina, reporter for the late Radio Mada station from 1999 to 2009. This station was purchased by Marc Ravalomanana in 1999, shortly before communal elections in Antananarivo. It was the station's first step into the political ring.
In 2009, soldiers loyal to the High Authority of Transition stormed its facilities, seized its hardware and closed the station. In the run of these events, Ramanantsoavina Evariste ended up behind bars. Although he was freed three weeks later, another couple of reporters underwent the same fate by the beginning of the year 2010.
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]
