‘We must back free reporting in China’
The Chinese government has not relaxed its hardline policies on media freedom and other human rights in any way, said Kay Shelley of Press and PR branch.
She wanted the union to support moves to allow journalists covering the Olympics the freedom to report on the country and to have colleagues jailed in China released.
“China is closing down dissent in a bid to present a harmonious image for the games,” she said. “A lot of celebrities are boycotting the Olympic opening ceremony but not enough governments.”
The International Federation of Journalists is sending a fact-finding mission to China to draw up guidelines for reporting from China, she said.
Jim Corrigall, for the NEC, said the union would distribute the guidelines widely to British and Irish journalists.
The NUJ has engaged in a dialogue with the official Chinese union, the All-China Journalists Association (ACJA), since 2002.
The union’s New Media Industrial Council has been campaigning against Chinese internet censorship and for the release of dissident online journalists. Gary Herman from the council welcomed Yahoo!’s recent apology to the family of one dissident, who had sued the company in the US courts.
“But more needs to be done,” he said. “We want to carry on to persuade Yahoo! to actively seek their release. And we should be making much wider contact in China than with the ACJA, which is an instrument of the government.”
Union support for Cuba not unconditional
ADM VOTED to condemn the abuse of human rights in Cuba and to campaign for improvements as a condition of its call for the US blockade of the island to be lifted.
The conference has consistently supported Cuba and this year voted that the NUJ should take part in the 50th anniversary celebrations of the revolution next year. Cath Rasbash of Book Branch said the NUJ should reaffirm its commitment to Cuba.
But a debate flared up over press freedom and gay rights that are denied in Cuba. Delegates insisted the union must demand that they are respected.
Deaglan de Breadun from Dublin said 20 journalists were still in Cuban prisons following a crackdown in 2003.
“I am all in favour of small islands holding out against powerful neighbours,” he said, “but the union can’t speak out against the abuse of human rights in China and elsewhere and not say anything about Cuba.”
Jan Fairley of Edinburgh Freelance branch said there were now gay and bisexual people holding official positions in Cuba. “We must support them in their struggle to improve human rights.”
Annie Pike of Book Branch said the criticism was “mean-spirited” and completely out of keeping with a motion about lifting the blockade and allowing self-determination for Cubans.
Irish Secretary Seamus Dooley said the right of free assembly was not extended to gays and lesbians. “We cannot rejoice in change in Cuba unless we engage with the problem.”
Hugh Kerr from Edinburgh Branch said he had recently visited Cuba and it was admitted they had got it wrong on gay rights and things were now improving. The reason for the lack of press freedom, he said, was that if it existed there would immediately be 15 papers financed by the CIA seeking to have the government overthrown.
ADM committed the union to campaigning to make sure that Cuba adheres to international covenants on civil, political and other human rights. Gerry Curran, Dublin, said gays were still beaten up. “At times our friends do behave badly in a manner that is unacceptable and we must say so.”
'Help Zimbabwe'
THE NUJ must help colleagues in Zimbabwe to rebuild their union and a free press in their country, Peter Murray of the NEC told ADM. “Our role when the present crisis is over will be to assist in re-energising the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists,” he said.
WE MUST express solidarity with colleagues resisting censorship and attacks in Pakistan, said Huw Davies from Book Branch. Seven journalists were killed in the country and 13 seriously injured by police charges during the emergency declared by President Pervez Musharraf. Five were abducted or had disappeared. Jim Boumelha, chair of the union’s policy committee and President of the International Federation of Journalists, said that the Pakistan journalists’ union was “a brave and fighting union”.