A national roundtable at Freetown’s Miatta Conference Centre on Friday, 16 March, brought together Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) delegates from all regions with high-level representatives from the United Nations, the National Electoral Commission (NEC), the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) and Civil Society Organisations to consolidate the findings from regional seminars in a final Electoral Code of Conduct for Media.
One day later, on Saturday, 17 March, the document was ratified and signed by regional executive members of SLAJ, newspaper and magazine editors, radio and TV station managers. The national signing ceremony at the Miatta Conference Centre was witnessed by Cabinet Ministers, leaders of political parties, senior members of NEC, the PPRC, the United Nations and diplomats, as well as by activists of national and international non-governmental organisations. The two-day event attracted also distinguished participants from across the country including traditional and religious leaders, civil society organizations, women and youth groups, trade unions, local councilors and members of the Armed Forces and Police.
The Executive Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and UN Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, Mr. Victor Angelo, emphasized the historic importance for the entire sub-region of this decision by Sierra Leonean journalists to adhere to self-regulatory factual and objective reporting that should be matched by a strong personal and collective commitment to uphold and observe the principles articulated in the Media Code of Conduct.
"The United Nations is engaged in this process, because we recognize the maturity and professionalism of the journalists in the country", Mr. Angelo said while he reiterated the determination of the UN to ensuring credible and transparent Presidential and Parliamentarian Elections set for 28 July 2007.
The Media Code of Conduct for the elections resulted from a collaborative effort between SLAJ, the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The compliance of media with the Code is to be observed by a Monitoring and Refereeing Panel which will include members of SLAJ, NEC and the United Nations Country Team.
Alhaji I. B. Kargbo, President of SLAJ, said his Association’s formulation of a code of conduct is “part of a general goal to make sure that the elections do not get out of hand”.
"The media has a key role in the upcoming elections, especially in informing voters about the main messages of the political parties. Journalists will be most effective in assuring successful elections if their contributions are within a self-regulated framework," Mr. Kargbo added.
In Sierra Leone the 2007 elections are widely regarded as a watershed in democratic development, because the country is still recovering from an eleven year long civil war.
The Media Code of Conduct, therefore, timely complements the Political Parties Code of Conduct which was a collaborative effort between the UN in Sierra Leone and the Political Parties Registration Commission. The Political Party Code of Conduct was signed by eight active political parties on 20 November 2006.
(For the full text of the Sierra Leone Electoral Media Code of Conduct, please see:
http://www.uniosil.org/images/unct/CodeConductText160307final.pdf)
Photo: J. Victor Angelo(centre), UN boss in Sierra Leone.
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