UNESCO NZ urges Pacific to lobby Tonga over press law
Title -- 4088 REGION: UNESCO NZ urges Pacific to lobby Tonga over press law
Date -- 9 June 2003
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- Radio NZ International, 9 June 2003
Copyright -- RNZI
Status -- Unabridged
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UNESCO NZ URGES PACIFIC TO LOBBY TONGA OVER PLANNED CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE
WELLINGTON (RNZI Online/Pacific Media Watch): The National Commission for UNESCO in New Zealand is urging governments in the Pacific to speak out against the Tonga government’s plans to make changes to its constitution.
Commission member Laurence Zwimpfer says they understand the law change would effectively legalise a ban on the distribution of the Taimi 'o Tonga newspaper.
Zwimpfer says the commission feels the move would constitute a breach of press freedom and freedom of expressions.
He says these principles go to the very heart of what UNESCO is all about and for a member state like Tonga to ignore them is a concern for all Pacific nations.
Zwimpfer says New Zealand and other nations work hard to promote the needs of Pacific states and secure resources for the region, but he says the Tongan government’s moves undermine their efforts.
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