Tunisian journalists union crisis threatens national press
2009-05-15
The National Union of Tunisian Journalists leadership accused the government of standing behind efforts to unseat it. Some union members countered with a claim that the board is working against their interest.
Jamel Arfaoui in Tunis contributed to this report– 15/05/09
 [Jamel Arfaoui] A National Union of Tunisian Journalists press conference erupted into physical and verbal confrontations between union members. |
Discord continued for a second week between the leadership of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) and other union members over recent allegations of poor representation, raising concerns that the conflict would negatively affect the country's press industry if left unresolved.
The crisis erupted during a SNJT press conference on World Press Freedom Day on May 4th, when the union’s executive board presented the annual report on the state of press freedom in Tunisia. The report criticised authorities for harassing journalists and restricting their work by limiting their access to information. The report also called for improving the working conditions of journalists.
During the conference, SNJT president Neji Bghouri accused the information ministry of stonewalling and failing to address the "miserable" state of Tunisian journalists, even after the Tunisian president vowed to resolve it last March.
Some in the union viewed the report as inflammatory and "resorting to clashes with the Tunisian authorities". The accusations escalated to a verbal and physical confrontation during the conference.
"The current leadership of the union is disappointing," Kamel ben Younes, head of the union’s ethics committee, told Aljazeera.net. "[I]t obstructed the negotiations with the ministry of information to resolve the problems of journalists, instead of opening dialogue."
In a May 12th statement, Younes accused Bghouri of "stalling the resolution of the file of more than 200 temporary journalists in spite of the existence of political decision in this regard." Younes accused the SNJT president of obstructing the negotiations with the authorities because of "political positions towards the presidential election and towards certain members in the government".
Head of the freedoms committee Jamel Kermaoui also accused the union's leadership of siding with the opposition and failing to defend the rights of journalists.
As a sign of protest against the union and its report, three members of the executive board resigned their positions, while a fourth reported resignation has not been confirmed. According to union bylaws, the board will be dissolved if the number of resignations exceeds four. An extraordinary meeting for the union would have to take place within 60 days.
Bghouri defended the report and the union, accusing the authorities and the information ministry of standing behind a petition to discredit the executive board. "The Tunisian authorities have incited certain pro-government journalists to stage a coup against legitimacy," he told reporters.
Samira Ghannouchi, one of the members who resigned, said she did not feel pressured by officials to resign. "The cause of my resignation is clear," she told Magharebia. "It became impossible to deceive the journalists into believing that we’re doing something in their interests."
Ghannouchi accused the executive board of "lying to journalists under the pretext that there are other entities that impede us from progressing. "
"I wonder why we were elected. Wasn’t it to serve the interests of journalists? However, I didn’t feel at any moment that we were doing so, or that we were moving in the right direction."
Meanwhile, journalists are concerned that this problem is going to negatively affect the media in the country.
"I think that the issue has gone beyond the evaluation of the executive board’s work," said journalist Nejla Bensalah, who feared the crisis could result in restriction of press freedom and further marginalise journalists, especially young ones.
"The victims are the marginalized journalists. The new crisis will certainly affect our conditions since the attention will be diverted attention away from the basic issues concerning freedom of expression and opinion, " she said.
Journalist Sofiene Chourabi agreed, saying that this latest crisis is a reflection of the problem that has long plagued unions. "All efforts and energies should have been rallied to improve the conditions of journalists. However, the fears of tutelage and monopoly felt by a number of journalists have impeded such a goal. I call on all parties to bypass marginal differences and to bring their views closer for the benefit of the journalists."
Noureddine Mbarki, a journalist for opposition Al Watan newspaper, defended the SNJT report.
"I think that the report has positively addressed the most important social and financial concerns of Tunisian journalists," Mbarki said. "This was shown through noting the fragile conditions and the lack of respect for labour laws in many press institutions. This is important, especially when we know that the independence of the journalists and their abilities to carry out their mission are linked to the stability of their financial and social conditions."
A statement released by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on May 11th denounced what it viewed as an organized campaign from the authorities to undermine the SNJT, "which is another piece of evidence of the absence of political tolerance and enmity against the defenders of freedom of expression and human rights."
The Brussels-based organisation backed the position of SNJT and its "right to publish independent reports."
"We should stand in the face of this last attack against the courage and integrity of our colleagues who defend the freedom of press," said Aidan White, Secretary-General of FIJ.
On May 11th, International Freedom of Expression Exchange, Tunisia Monitoring Group (IFEX-TMG), an alliance comprising 18 regional and international organizations, sent a message to President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in which it expressed "deep concern over the steps taken by your government to undermine the independence of SNJT and interfere in its affairs".
On May 3rd, President Ben Ali sent a message to the Tunisian press community on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day in which he expressed his respect for "all the men and women working in this sector".
In his message, Ben Ali said that the Tunisian government recognizes the efforts made by journalists in "performing their noble mission and adhering to the national values and principles, as well as the ethics of the profession".
"We renew our call to them to do more research, creation and diversification of initiatives and efforts in all that would help to lift the Tunisian press to the highest levels," the president said.
Email to a friend
Print version
Anonymous Posted 2009-05-15
"...[The journalist] Nejla Bensalah... feared the crisis could result in restriction of press freedom and further marginalise journalists, especially younger ones." This language expresses the tragedy which Tunisian "journalists" live. Excuse my use of quotation marks, but they are required: the first part of this woman's plea is a first-class journalistic scoop - it tells us that there IS freedom of press in Tunisia!? This ought to make headlines in the international press and televised news. Given that there is freedom, this woman is afraid of having it restricted. It is always the same thing. In democratic countries, where there is freedom, there is fear. It is from this fear of losing the freedom that English and other - the list is long even without Tunisia - journalists keep quiet. Freedom is something we must no use. So, we lock it up to keep the Tunisian press safe and oh so free and vibrant. Now for the second half of this woman's plea: she is afraid of seeing more journalists marginalised. How is this possible in a free country? I am not a psychiatrist - I can assure you that - nor am I a journalist, but I can recognise folly when I run into it. Alas, everything would have us believe that the Tunisians - or at least the journalists among them - suffer from schizophrenia, which, according to the dictionary, means mental disaggregation, ambivalent thought and loss of contact with reality. This is most certainly due to the excess of freedom they have been given ever since they have become "free" men and women, nearly a half century now. Once again, excuse my quotation marks.
Alexander Hamilton Posted 2009-05-15
"A nation which prefers disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one". Alexander Hamilton.
سلمى الجلاصي Posted 2009-05-15
To the colleague Jamal, there are three resignations not three, you should confirm first.
سلمى الجلاصي Posted 2009-05-17
To Mrs the editor-in-chief of Magharebia site. The press law and its charter stipulate the necessity to confirm the accuracy of news and information which we provide to readers. What you wrote in the above article is not accurate. There were only three resignations. The statements of the national union of journalists and its sites deny any fourth resignation. Therefore, we ask you, colleague, to correct this error which can have negative impacts causing disturbance in the Tunisian media milieu. The union of journalists might sue you for publishing false news which could have negative effects especially because your site is not a party. As a news site, you should be impartial without bias to any side. Thank you.
BEN Posted 2009-05-18
You can say what you want, but so long as the Tunisian journalists are placed under the tutelage (no quotes) of the Ministry of Information, which was inherited from our colonial past, then there will always be something fishy in the muddy water (again no quotes), whatever the goodwill may be of its namesake. Yet, the Tunisian journalists do not say a word in praise for the president when they chose to defend subjects that are truly modernist. This is to say: it is necessary that we let them mature at their own rate, giving them autonomy and, above all else, the means to conform to their noble ambition.
سمــــــراي Posted 2009-05-18
For the observer of the situation of brothers in Tunisia, this something unfortunate under the repressive bodies practiced by the government over all civil actors in the Tunisian society including association, human rights associations… Even the sisters who wear Hijab weren’t spared from this fierce campaign practiced by the repressive body. However, history records and life writes down. The day will come when the president and his surrounding group will pay. I ask from this platform from associations based abroad, advocates of human rights and all brothers who are concerned about human principles to resist to the last breath.
Thomas Jefferson Posted 2009-05-19
The only security of all is in a free press. Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press. If it were left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate to prefer the latter. Thomas Jefferson, American president.
سلمى الجلاصي Posted 2009-05-19
When you say that the news of the fourth resignation from the Union of Tunisian Journalists « hasn't been confirmed », this shows that you are a party to the issue while you aren't. You should just say that the news is not true and not has not been confirmed as if you are expecting it to be confirmed any time. And you haven't yet corrected the news???
Anonymous Posted 2009-05-20
Until now I only knew of repressive regimes taking steps against journalists. But this is a real scoop: Free Tunisian journalists threaten also to take steps against the media. The virus of repression is more widely spread than I thought in the country of press freedom which takes a very low position in the Press World Ranking of Freedom House. It comes behind Saudi Arabia but just before North Korea. A little bit more effort in the right direction and Kim Yong-Il will loose from his Tunisian colleague.
Anonymous Posted 2009-05-23
Correction to my comment: Due to a typing mistake, it should rather read: "A little bit more effort in the right direction and Kim Yong-Il will overtaken by his Tunisian colleague", instead of "...Kim Yong-Il will loose from his Tunisian colleague." The latter expression makes no sense in terms of conforming to the original comment.
Thomas Jefferson Posted 2009-05-24
Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either of one.
عبد القادر بنعثمان Posted 2009-05-26
If some reporters have reached the level of wisdom and maturity with which the government processes its files, we wouldn’t have needed to present the issue of media freedom at all. I think that the keenest sides which follow with seriousness and responsibility everything which is published in the media are the state institutes. I was fascinated these days by a distinct attitude of the government. I read in the magazine “L’observateur” in its number 836 an article by the colleague Faouzi Azzedine under the headline “Freedom of Muzzling”. It is about a letter from Tunisia transport company in which it informs them that it has cancelled its subscription to “L’observateur” magazine in its Arabic and French editions. This was a reaction to an article written by the colleague in which he exposed the secrets of continuous accidents of the yellow buses. But instead of blaming its officials who caused the accident, the company punished the magazine. However, a few days later on Tuesday, May 26, I read in “Assarih” daily news about the dismissal of the general director of Tunisia Transport company and appointment of a new general director. Of course I don’t think that this change came in anyway under the pressure of journalists union because such events pass in spite of their importance unnoticed for many…The news warmed my heart. I considered this one of the important symbolic achievement some of which I noticed on the regional level with some officials who deal with inflexibility and tensions with the criticising work of the media. Hence, I found myself very objectively defending the performance of the government in the press field even if I was and I am still one of the people who mostly prejudiced by the anarchic situation of sector at the level of the press as a result of the prevalence of personal aspects and personal interests for some journalists over the sanctity of the profession, requirements of professionalism and media objectivity. Therefore, journalists union which is an important national achievement must hire respectable and honest competencies in this sector so that it can properly diagnose its problems and elaborate a global vision in order to come out gradually out of these difficulties without any polemics, blurred visions and the tunnel of speculations while respecting the social mentality which still suffers even for the elite a difficulty in accepting criticism. Events have proved through the attitudes of some associations including the association of lawyers that the media truth is a secondary demand in the face of interests. Some of them are ready to practice exclusion and expel if truths touch their interests…
عبد الستار العياري Posted 2009-08-15
The situation of Arab media is still staggering and tottering. It has neither been fortified and strengthened thanks to the resistance of journalists working in it, their common insistence to impose their rights, freedom of expression, holding in to them, nor has it totally fallen as a result of points recorded by Arab authorities in their rounds against this important sector which reflects the true image of the progress of peoples and governments or the backwardness of their general situation. This is the wish of those who have no aspiration to a free media which will be a sword against corrupter and abusers of rights of people. Through silencing mouths, breaking pens and freezing minds, they live and linger without controller in gloomy darkness in which they want us to live in without acting...
أبو إيهاب Posted 2009-08-20
Those who say there is freedom of the press in Tunisia are wrong and want to misinform the public opinion. Everyone knows that in our country there is no freedom of opinion, no freedom of the media and no freedom of parties. Authorities have fastened their control over all components of civil society: Tunisian General Union of Labour, associations, parties, unions of students, the judiciary and so on. When it fails, it resorts to other methods including sieges, coups and judiciary example: the Association of judges, Union of Journalists and others.
عبوالغني Posted 2009-10-06
International policy.
We welcome your comments on Magharebia's articles.
It is our hope that you will use this forum to interact with other readers across the Maghreb. In order to keep this experience interesting, we ask you to follow the rules outlined in the comments policy. By submitting comments, you are consenting to these rules. While Magharebia.com encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. Magharebia.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published.
Magharebia's Comments Policy