Monday, March 26, 2007
Even the American press and army clashed over the coverage of the US intervention in Iraq.
But in this case, the Ugandan authorities' criticism is unjustified. As UPDF has consistently refused to take Ugandan journalists into Somali, we rely on international press agencies like Reuters and AFP, and occasional quotes from spokesman Capt. Paddy Ankunda.
When the first plane, carrying UPDF soldiers and equipment, caught fire in Mogadishu, the Government of Belarus issued a statement saying their plane was shot at. The statement was carried around the world by the press agencies.
When the second plane exploded in mid-air, the Somali government's spokesman said it had been fired at, then retracted his statement, after which the Belarus government came out strongly, confirming that their plane had been fired at. Again, these reports were distributed by the press agencies.
Blaming the Ugandan media for quoting reports accepted as authentic internationally is unfair. And denying the Ugandan public this information is tantamount to censorship.
The media have a role and a duty to give the public all sides of the story and not to withhold information. As The New Vision, we cannot be part of a campaign to deny our readers the facts on the ground, provided they do not reveal information which could endanger our troops.
The suggestion that the media are wishing our boys bad luck is ridiculous. Of course, we want this mission to succeed. Of course, we want Somalia to stabilise and the Ugandan soldiers to come home safely. If anything, by cautioning about the risks and calling for other countries to come in, The New Vision only wishes our boys well.
Source: The New Vision, Mar 26, 2007