Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 27 June 2019
Australia media demand press freedom law reforms after raids

By ROD McGUIRK demand for change as
Associated Press “intimidation, not investiga-
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) tion.”
— Australia’s three largest “But there is a deeper prob-
media organizations joined lem — the culture of secre-
forces on Wednesday to cy,” Miller said. “Too many
demand legal reforms that people who frame policy,
would prevent journalists write laws, control informa-
from risking imprisonment tion and conduct court
for doing their jobs. The de- hearings have stopped
mands came after unprec- believing that the public’s
edented raids against me- right to know comes first.”
dia organizations by police Marks said “bad legislation
searching for leaked docu- on several fronts and prob-
ments that some say were ably overzealous officials ...
deeply embarrassing to the in the judiciary, in the bu-
government. reaucracy and our secu-
News Corp. Australia, Aus- rity services have steadily
tralian Broadcasting Corp. eroded the freedoms un-
and Nine Entertainment der which we, the media,
made their demands after can operate.”
raids by federal police on “Put simply, it’s more risky,
consecutive days earlier it’s more expensive to do
this month at ABC’s Sydney In this June 5, 2019, file image made from video, Australia’s Federal Police, top, enter the Australian journalism that makes a
headquarters and a News Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster, during a raid on their offices in Sydney, real difference in this coun-
Corp. reporter’s Canberra Australia. try than it ever has been
home in search of secret Associated Press before,” Marks said.
government documents. week lodged court chal- David Anderson, News to confront sometimes un- The demands come a
The rival organizations want lenges to both those war- Corp. Australia Executive comfortable truths or we week before Parliament re-
journalists to be exempt rants in a bid to have docu- Chairman Michael Miller can protect those who sumes for the first time since
from national security laws ments returned. and Nine Chief Executive courageously promote the conservative govern-
passed since 2012 that The organizations have Hugh Marks addressed transparency, stand up to ment was elected for a
“would put them in jail for called for greater legal the National Press Club on intimidation and shed light third term on May 18.
doing their jobs.” protections for public sec- Wednesday as part of a on those truths to the bene- Prime Minister Scott Mor-
They also want a right to tor whistleblowers as well campaign to gain public fit of all citizens,” Anderson rison has not criticized the
contest warrants such as as reforms to freedom of in- support for reform. said. police raids, but has said
those executed in Sydney formation and defamation “Clearly, we are at a cross- Miller described the police he is open to suggestions
and Canberra. Both the laws. roads. We can be a society raids that have united me- for improvements to Aus-
ABC and New Corp. this ABC Managing Director that is secret and afraid dia organizations in their tralia’s laws.q

Opposition leader: Ethiopia, AU join forces in Sudan efforts

HUSSEIN MALLA ever, refused to agree, say-
SAMY MAGDY ing that the initiative was to
Associated Press pave the way for resuming
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — A talks with the FDFC, “not
leading Sudanese opposi- to offer proposals for solu-
tion figure said on Wednes- tions.” It asked Ethiopia to
day the African Union and present a joint proposal
Ethiopia will present a new with the AU, which it said
and joint proposal for a had handed the military a
solution to the crisis in Su- separate transition plan.
dan, as they renew efforts The leading opposition fig-
to bring the ruling generals ure Sadek al-Mahdi told
and protest leaders back reporters that Ethiopia and
to the negotiating table. the AU were now planning
In recent weeks, Ethiopia a joint proposal to be pre-
and the AU have been me- sented later on Wednes-
diating between the mili- day.
tary council and the pro- A former prime minister, Al-
democracy movement de- Mahdi’s Umma Party is the
manding civilian rule. Talks country’s largest political
collapsed when Sudanese party, and part of the FDFC
security forces cleared a coalition.
protest camp in the capi- The proposal would tackle
tal, Khartoum, earlier this Sadek al-Mahdi, who heads the Umma party, speaks during a news conference at his group the main points behind the
month. The deadly clamp- headquarters, in Khartoum, Sudan, Wednesday, June 26, 2019. current impasse, he said.
down killed at least 128 Associated Press These include the setup
people cross the county, Protest leaders, represent- and Change, said over the posal for a power-sharing of a temporary legislative
according to protest orga- ed by the coalition Forces weekend they had ac- agreement. body. The FDFC has asked
nizers. for Declaration of Freedom cepted the Ethiopian pro- The military council, how- for a majority of seats..q