11 June 1999

RSF letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris

(RSF/IFEX) - The following is an RSF open letter to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan reviewing the poor situation of the independent media in FRY:

11 June 1999

Open letter to Mr. Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary General

Mr. Secretary General,

Reporters sans frontières, an independent organisation which defends press freedom worldwide, wishes to draw your attention to the situation of media in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Now that a peace treaty has been signed between the Atlantic alliance and Serbian authorities, bringing an end to the bombing campaign, the international community must meet the challenge of reconstruction and the institution of a true democracy and state of law in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. For this to occur, we feel that a free and independent media is crucial.

The transition to a Serbia which is democratic and respectful of human rights is impossible without the repeal of the Law on Information which was adopted in October 1998. In accordance with this law, three dailies and two radio stations were closed in 1998. All independent press were subject to reprisals for expressing opinions about Kosovo which were contrary to the official government line, while the rebroadcast of certain western media's programmes was banned. Over the last ten years, Belgrade authorities have had almost complete control over the country's principal media, notably television. Since the start of NATO's bombing campaign, no independent media or opposition have dared crticise the regime. The principal independent radio station, B92, was closed. An opposition journalist, Slavko Curuvija, was murdered in front of his residence on 11 April.

Montenegran media are threatened with reprisals by Yugoslav army troops who are stationed in the republic, whose current government opposes Belgrade. Two journalists have been forced into exile, pursued by the military police, which accuses them of writing "unpatriotic" reports on the conflict. At least three radio stations have been threatened with closure for having rebroadcast foreign radio programmes.

Since the start of NATO air strikes, Kosovo-based Albanian-language media and Kosovo Albanian journalists have become the main targets of Serbian reprisals. During the night of 24 March, police officers turned the offices of the daily Koha Ditore upside down, killing the building's guard. The newspaper's printer was burned down. Fearing for their lives, most Albanian journalists took refuge in Macedonia, where they resumed publishing Koha Ditore, with the assistance of the international community. Today, the entire Kosovo media landscape must be rebuilt: printers, distribution networks and, most importantly, the setting up of Serbian and Albanian-language independent audiovisual media.

The international community, under the United Nations' umbrella, should commit itself to ensuring the respect of a free press in Serbia, beginning with asking for the repeal of the current Law on Information, supporting independent media in Montenegro, and contributing to the reconstruction of the Kosovo media landscape. Faced with the urgent need for pluralistic media in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, western democraties have an obligation to launch a true policy of support for independent media and to ensure that such a policy is carried out. The reconstruction programme for Yugoslavia, which your organisation is charged with carrying out, should include a significant level of assistance for independent media in Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo.

Reporters sans frontières believes that it is also crucial that the key role of certain media in spreading intolerance and nationalism be recognised. This has served as a basis for the abuses committed in Yugoslavia.

We hope that you will take our reflections into consideration.

Best regards,

Robert Menard

Secretary General of Reporters sans frontières

For further information, contact Alexandre Lévy or Ludovic Brun at RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: europe@rsf.org, Internet: http://www.rsf.org (fixed 3.4.2003)

The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of RSF. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.

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