IV

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 415

To promote independent radio broadcasting in Africa.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 29, 1998

Mr. ROYCE (for himself, Mr. MENENDEZ, and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on

International Relations

RESOLUTION

To promote independent radio broadcasting in Africa.

Whereas Africa’s numerous ethnic groups, with an estimated

2,000 languages and dialects, have long been isolated

from each other;

Whereas radio is the primary means of transmitting vital information in Africa and linking African populations;

Whereas poverty, illiteracy, and logistical difficulties make

television and the print media less utilized means of communication;

Whereas radio is not only compatible with Africa’s oral traditions, but has the added benefit of being affordable and

adaptable;

Whereas African radio stations generally are owned and operated by governments, which being aware of radio’s power
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often deny or delay applications for proposed independent

radio stations, harass officials or staff of independent

radio stations, or close independent radio stations;

Whereas 53 independent journalists in Africa have been killed

over the past 8 years, 42 other journalists were imprisoned last year alone, and hundreds of others have been

threatened, harassed, or even physically assaulted;

Whereas standards of journalistic professionalism often are

low in Africa, which causes problems of accuracy in reporting that often lead governments to overreact and

apply repressive legal remedies against the media, including radio broadcasts;

Whereas biased government radio broadcasts have promoted

ruling parties and limited coverage of opposition political

parties, while inhibiting the free flow of information necessary for citizens to effectively exercise their electoral

choices, thus undermining democracy;

Whereas the promotion of independent ownership of local

radio operations in Africa is a useful tool for advancing

the United States foreign policy objective of promoting

democracy and human rights;

Whereas the phenomenon of ‘‘hate radio’’ has fueled genocide

in countries such as Rwanda, in which an estimated half

million persons were killed in a largely ethnic purge in

1994;

Whereas surrogate broadcasting, which consists of locally

generated news on issues of local concern, has been well

demonstrated as a vehicle to promote democracy and

human rights in repressed regions and countries throughout the world;
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Whereas the Voice of America has designed the ‘‘Radio Democracy for Africa’’ project to create a surrogate radio

operation throughout Africa to promote democracy and

human rights; and

Whereas the African Growth and Opportunity Act calls for

the United States Information Agency to use its broadcasts to promote economic reforms in addition to its current promotion of political reforms: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) supports the creation and operation of the

3 Voice of America’s surrogate radio project known as

4 ‘‘Radio Democracy for Africa’’ which includes jour5 nalist training and journalist exchange components;

6 (2) urges the United States Information Agency

7 to expand its economic, political, and human rights

8 programming in Africa to support indigenous efforts

9 aimed at promoting democratization, human rights,

10 economic development, and good governance;

11 (3) calls on the Agency for International Devel12 opment to adopt a comprehensive strategy for the

13 promotion of free and independent African media,

14 especially radio, by supporting journalist and other

15 media training programs, assisting in the develop16 ment of African media associations, facilitating the

17 creation of African news gathering and delivery net18 works, and encouraging the use of radio as an edu19 cational medium on a variety of topics, including but
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1 not limited to democracy, human rights, and eco2 nomic development;

3 (4) calls on the United States Government to

4 encourage local and foreign investment in independ5 ent local radio operations in Africa;

6 (5) urges the United States Government to

7 make freedom of speech and the safety of journalists

8 a priority in discussions with African governments

9 on democracy and human rights;

10 (6) encourages the United States Government

11 to use all reasonable means to help safeguard the

12 operation of independent radio stations and the le13 gitimate activities of journalists in African countries;

14 and

15 (7) urges the United States Government to sup16 port and assist the development of mechanisms and

17 institutions for the protection of independent jour18 nalists and to discourage the now frequent use of

19 draconian laws and government policies inhibiting

20 freedom of speech in Africa.

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