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Q: The Niger authorities Q: You have won interna- conflict has been written
have blocked access by tional prizes for this about in The Guardian, as
M6decins sans documentary film. Why is well as in several Noi'wegian
Frontiires France to the it not possible to see it newspapers. Swedish
country. Do you have any on other TV channels Television (SVT) made a
explanation? outside Norway? report on this conflict with the
BBC in November 2008
I do not know the specific A major part of the film (Korrespondentarna).
reason for the Niger consists of BBC archive
Government's decision to material, wich we had pur- Q: The film raises a lot of
block MSF France, but it chased from the BBC ahead questions about the
might have something to do of the actual production. media as such, but also
with the situation in 2005. Normally, we produce films about humanitarian aid
MSF was in the forefront of only for the Norwegian mar- organizations. What is
the international media's ket. Thus, we only acquired your view of them after
coverage of the situation in the rights to show this archive this experience?
the counhy. The President and material in Norway.
the then Prime Minister were Immediately after the In my opinion, the media has
labelled as "typical comipt documentary was broadcast in always had a different
African leaders" who did Noi'way, we received requests approach to humanitarian aid
nothing about the suffering of from many countries to buy organizations tlian to other
tlieir people. The Goverent the film. Unfortunately, we subjects that they cover. The
was irritated about the way liad to direct these inquiries to story about Niger in 2005 is
their counti'y was portrayed the BBC so that they could only one case among many
by the media during tlie sum- clear the rights to broadcast others ilhistrating the need of
mer of 2005. Niger is a relati- tlie archived material in each joru'nalists to use fair approa-
vely peaceful country witli an counhy. However, the BBC ches and raise critical ques-
elected President and an elec- ignored these inquiries and tions about the humanitarian

ted Government. thereby blocked all industiy, as aborit any other
distribution of the film. This indushy.

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18 3 2009 Drva

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