The government on 25 June suspended the accreditation of the British Broadcasting Corporation following what it said was a series of distortions of events in the country.
Information Minister Jonathan Moyo said the distortions and misrepresentations were unacceptable and would not be allowed to continue.
“The time has come for the BBC to follow and uphold in Zimbabwe the same professional and ethical standards it follows in Britain. That is the bottom line, nothing less or more,” he said.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE2271, MEDIA REPORT GOZ BANS BBC JOURNALISTS; HARARE
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
271024Z Jul 01
UNCLASSIFIED PTO1782
PAGE 01 HARARE 02271 271025Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00
EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00
NSAE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00
SAS-00 /003W
——————0AC4AC 271025Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9383
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON
UNCLAS HARARE 002271
SIPDIS
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR,
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
E.O. 12958: N/A
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT GOZ BANS BBC JOURNALISTS; HARARE
¶1. THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) HAS SUSPENDED THE
ACCREDITATION OF BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION (BBC)
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 HARARE 02271 271025Z
CORRESPONDENTS BASED IN ZIMBABWE. ACCORDING TO AN
ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE JULY 26 EDITION OF THE
GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY “THE HERALD,” THE
SUSPENSION IS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. UNDER HEADLINE
“BBC CORRESPONDENTS’ ACCREDITATION SUSPENDED,” THE
PAPER CARRIED THE FOLLOWING STORY ON PAGE ONE:
¶2. “THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY YESTERDAY
(JULY 25) SUSPENDED THE ACCREDITATION OF BBC
CORRESPONDENTS IN ZIMBABWE FOLLOWING A SERIES OF
ALLEGED DISTORTIONS OF EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY. THE
MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY,
PROFESSOR JONATHAN MOYO, SAID DISTORTIONS AND
MISREPRESENTATIONS WERE UNACCEPTABLE AND WOULD NOT BE
ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. ‘THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE BBC TO
FOLLOW AND UPHOLD IN ZIMBABWE THE SAME PROFESSIONAL AND
ETHICAL STANDARDS IT FOLLOWS IN BRITAIN. THAT IS THE
BOTTOM LINE, NOTHING LESS OR MORE,’ SAID PROF. MOYO IN
A LETTER TO MILTON NKOSI, BBC NEWS BUREAU CHIEF IN
JOHANNESBURG. .
HOOKS
UNCLASSIFIED
>
(72 VIEWS)
