Appeal to President Lula and ruling party chief over media hostile move

2.08.2007

To President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva and Ricardo Berzoini, president of the Workers’ Party.

Dear Sirs,

Reporters Without Borders is concerned about the consequences of a resolution passed by the Workers’ Party (PT) national executive on 31 July encouraging party officials and supporters to oppose “the major offensive by the right and their media allies against the party and government.” Gleber Naine, the party’s communication chief, mentioned TV Globo and daily newspapers Correio Braziliense, O Estado de São Paulo, O Globo and A Folha de São Paulo as “playing the opposition’s game as never before.”
The resolution seems to us ill-conceived and untimely. The privately-owned media criticised President Lula and his government when he came to power but relations have since improved. The media outlets mentioned have also criticised opposition politicians for corruption, abuse of power and fraud.
Just before last October’s general elections, reports of PT members trying to buy forged documents to smear opposition candidates led to reprisals against the media by party activists. Other parties have also been involved in abusing and physically attacking the media. Partisanship cannot be an excuse for such behaviour.
The PT executive’s resolution follows wide media coverage of protests after the 17 July plane crash at Sao Paulo’s Congonhas airport and of the crowd’s jeering of President Lula when he opened the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro a few days before the crash. Is this the same as systematic criticism of the authorities? Should the media have not reported these events? Can it be blamed for the public discontent and anger caused by the crash?
Reporters Without Borders appeals for calm and hopes your wisdom will prevail. The party resolution is ominous, unworthy of a democratic party and can only make things worse. It should be dropped.
Respectfully,

Robert Ménard Secretary-General

Reporters Without Borders defends imprisoned journalists and press freedom throughout the world. It has nine national sections (Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland). It has representatives in Bangkok, London, New York, Tokyo and Washington. And it has more than 120 correspondents worldwide.

© Reporters Without Borders 2007