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WORLD ASSOCIATION OF PRESS COUNCILS
WAPC
DÜNYA BASIN KONSEYLERİ BİRLİĞİ
Halaskargazi caddesi No:212, Kat:7 Osmanbey-Istanbul/TURKEY
Tlf: (90)(212) 224 95 13 or 15; Fax: (90)(212) 224 95 14
e-mail: baskon@basinkonseyi.org.tr
http: www.wapconline.org
BAGAMOYO (DAR ES SALAAM) DECLARATION
The delegates of the ninth General Assembly of the World Association of Press
Councils hosted by the Media Council of Tanzania from 24-26 October in Bagamoyo,
Tanzania,
Recorded their appreciation to the Media Council of Tanzania, its President,
Professor Geoffrey Mmari, its Executive Secretary, Mr.Anthony Ngaiza and the
staff, for their hospitality and their hard work which led to this successful
meeting. In addition the delegates express their appreciation to His Excellency
Dr.Salim Ahmed Salim for his opening address.
Further:
Recalling age-old struggles of nations, peoples and individuals, for basic human
rights that include the freedom expression, thought, information and the media;
Recalling the diverse international instruments that have adopted the basic
human rights, generally and the freedom of expression, thought, information and
the media may be realized;
ENCOURAGES AND URGES ALL STATES AND OTHERS CONCERNED to promote, guarantee and
respect the following:
That the civil society generally and media in particular have the right to
freedom of expression, and information;
That the media profession has a right to undertake self regulation akin to all
other professions though independent and privately established media councils.
All governments are called to review their constitutions and laws to repeal
existing provisions restricting free media and freedom of information and to
provide for freedom of information. Governments should be duty bound to open
their business to public eye and scrutiny through freedom of information laws
providing for transparency and accountability.
Governments are called to enact constitutional provisions guaranteeing and
protecting free media. The laws should provide for the protection of journalists
practicing in perilous conditions and situations and should protect the
nondisclosure of sources of information;
That developed states should take measures to assist developing countries to
reduce the digital divide that has the effect of adversely influencing the free
flow of information and development processes in developing countries;
That the media world should focus on and never ignore or relegate its duty and
role to act as agent for social, economic and political change and development
and that in this role, the media should take up diligently its duty to speak for
women, children, the rural poor, the oppressed, the voiceless, the dispossessed
and the minorities;
To this end voluntary and independent press and media councils and not state
controlled bodies are required. These bodies are necessary to protect the media
and the public from manipulation, misinformation and disinformation.
Made and declared in Bagamoyo 26th October 2004
Mr.Oktay Ekşi
President
WAPC
Prof.Geoffrey Mmari
President
Media Council of Tanzania (MCT)
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