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Thursday 31 december 2020

Where’s the protection for journalists and press freedom on the

Dutch Caribbean islands?

have badly: fighting and be transparent about how
quarreling with us. The po- their platforms influence
lice force doesn’t reply to human behavior and can
our queries. The spokesper- lead to violence. These
son for the force is indolent platforms are geared to-
and biased towards their wards profit and not to-
favorite journalists while wards the health of people
neglecting to inform oth- or to protect democracy.
ers”, according to Edmond Which became very clear
By Caribisch Netwerk, the worldwide conference, journalists worldwide. Ad- Croes, director of several during this pandemic.”
Sharina Henriquez & Leoni which thousands of attend- ditionally the Netherlands media outlets including Worldwide more initiatives
Schenk ees attended virtually, re- will allocate seven million Solo di Pueblo. have popped-up to stymie
ORANJESTAD – During the mained unanswered. The euros to help achieve this. Dutch Caribbean journal- the (viral) spread of disin-
World Press Freedom Con- organizing ministry, the Min- With the Shelter City pro- ists have been under at- formation, and where digi-
ference (WPFC) which the istry of General Affairs, has gram, journalists who have tack by both the govern- tal platforms are held ac-
Kingdom of the Nether- not yet responded to the been threatened can find ment and the public since countable. Like the Trusted
lands helped organize, questions. shelter. the corona crisis started. News Initiative which has
Minister Stef Blok stated Next year UNESCO will, Only journalists on Bonaire an early warning system
that the freedom of the Funds for protecting press with funds provided by the seem to have been spared. and a digital watermark.
press has ‘an absolute freedom Netherlands, train police The power of social media The European Union also
priority within the Nether- Female journalists are tar- and other security forces What became clear next implemented a new sanc-
lands’. But questions about geted more often on social on the subject of protect- to that – and one of the tion scheme against coun-
if the freedom of the press is media. ing journalists. On Aruba, main subjects during the tries who violate human
protected on the Dutch Ca- During a Ministerial Round several media outlets have WPFC conference – is the rights (including press free-
ribbean islands remained Table at the WPFC, the stated that the police itself role of social media plat- dom). And even the can-
unanswered. ministers of 56 countries can be a hindrance. “Not forms during this crisis. The cellation of trade agree-
joined in on endorsing a everyone who works for constantly growing popu- ments is on the table.
Multiple questions posed by commitment to better pro- the police treat journalists larity of WhatsApp, Face- Schaake also believes that
Caribbean Network during tect press freedom and correctly; some officers be- book, Instagram, Twitter, conditions should be at-
and other digital platforms tached to development
means that it has become aid; so only invest in coun-
a lot harder for journalists to tries which fight for press
reach their audience. freedom and not in those
They have to compete that don’t.
with all manner of informa- The internet expert does
tion, including fake news, note however: “Countries
disinformation and have that accuse other coun-
to fight off attacks by user tries of violations, have to
WE ARE OPEN TO WELCOME YOU groups. These groups are maintain the highest stan-
deployed by politicians or dards themselves. When
other stakeholders (and I used to be a Member of
paid) because they are European Parlement (MEP)
not happy with being and I would point out vio-
asked critical questions or lations to countries which
independent inquiries by arrested journalists, they
journalists. These groups would always jump to say:
are out to turn public opin- you don’t protect them in
Hotel Riu Palace Aruba & ion against journalists. That Europe either.”
is exactly what happened The Netherlands is a fore-
on Facebook to journalists runner when it comes to
Hotel Riu Palace Antillas wish you from Aruba and Curaçao. press freedom, but at the
Privacy and internet ex-
same time minister Blok
pert Marietje Schaake, (who is also the minister
who is the director of the of Foreign Affairs for the
a year full of blessing and filled with Cyber Policy Center of the Dutch Caribbean islands)
University of Stanford had acknowledges that ‘not
this to say about it dur- everything is perfect in our
a new adventure. ing the conference: “The country’. “Unfortunately
time has come to demand journalists in the Nether-
accountability from the lands also receive threats,
Facebooks, YouTubes, and especially from organized
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new Amazons of the world for crime syndicates.”
landscapes but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust the huge amount of power
they have. They need to Continued on Page 9