Guerrilla keyboards

Source: Free Press

They were African journalists known as “guerrilla typewriters”. The reason they were called as guerrillas was not because they took up arms to overthrow government, but because they stood up with their pens against the authoritarian regimes in Africa. Guerrilla typewriters gathered at the “Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Media” seminar, which was organized by UNESCO in Windhoek, N

amibia on 29 April-3 May 1991. They undersigned “Windhoek Declaration” calling for free, independent, and pluralistic media in Africa. The declaration spearheaded other regional seminars and became a benchmark for press freedom in the following decades. It also inspired the United Nations to designate 3 May as the World Press Freedom Day.

It is certain that this initiative, at the very beginning of the democratization wave of the 1990s, had an impact on securing and advancing press freedom in Africa. Yet, press freedom suffers from serious problems in African countries. Certain present-day journalists, despite facing defamation attacks, threats, violence, and arbitrary arrest of security forces, persist in doing their jobs in line with professional ethics and honesty. They therefore deserve to be called as guerrilla keyboards, with reference to their predecessors in the 1990s. 

On the other hand, due mostly to the oppression of journalists, most African countries falter in the World Press Freedom Index, which measures media freedom across the world by evaluating among others, pluralism, transparency, independence, censorship in media.

According to the 2021 Index, while 80% of African countries scored as “problematic” or “bad”, none is qualified as “good” in terms of press freedom. In order to better see the picture of press freedom on the continent, it is better to look in detail at two countries; Burkina Faso and Uganda who are in the categories of “fairly good” and “bad” respectively.

Map of Africa in line with the ranking of countries in the World Press Freedom Index 2021. Source: rsf.org

Burkina Faso

While being one of the least developed countries, Burkina Faso is the 37th in the world press freedom ranking, standing out among other West African countries with its dynamic, professional and diverse media. Resignation of Blaise Campaoré who ruled the country for 27 years until 2014, paved the way for improving press freedom standards in the country. Pressure on media outlets and self-censorship declined. Two critical judgements of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the compliance of Burkina Faso with those rulings played an important role in further safeguarding press freedom in the country.

Yet, optimism for press freedom in Burkina Faso also has its limits. For instance, two-thirds of the members of the High Council of Communication, which has the authority to regulate the media sector in the country, are appointed by the government. This leaves the door open for a possible state influence over media. In addition, the ever-worsening security situation in Burkina Faso since 2016, increases the political elites predisposition to security measures to the detriment of democratic standards. In this respect, the parliament adopted in 2019 an amendment to criminal code which paved the way for prosecutors charging journalists for “false information” and “comprising public order”. It goes without saying that these offenses very much depend on the interpretation of the judicial authorities, rather than established facts.

Uganda

Uganda is the 125th in the 2021 World Press Freedom Index. While the constitution guarantees the freedom of expression, journalists constantly face police violence. They are intimidated, arbitrarily arrested and tortured. What is worse is that the offenders of such crimes have almost no concern of being held accountable because the authorities, starting from the President Yoweri Museveni, do not condemn these violations of fundamental rights. The journalists are often accused by politicians of being “agents of CIA” and being “parasites”.

Being in power for 35 years now, Museveni controls not only the politics and economy but also the security agencies and the judiciary. Almost all irregularities or unlawful practices are associated with the President or his patron-client network. Therefore, the limits of press freedom in Uganda ends at the threshold of issues such as corruption, impunity, and illegality. Any journalist who wishes to dig on these problems should take into consideration an eventual arrest or losing his/her job. Those who do not know this “rule” or disregard it, are swiftly given a harsh lesson, first by the security forces, followed by media regulation agencies.

And those who are brave enough to commit themselves to investigative journalism, do not have to commit crimes to be punished. On the other hand, officials and hired gangs who commit blatant crimes against these professionals go unpunished by default.

When a culture of impunity becomes widespread, the rulers reach the arrogance of unrestrained power. Idi Amin, who ruled Uganda with an iron fist from 1971 to 1979, once said that “There is freedom of speech, but I cannot guarantee freedom after speech”. President Museveni stating that Reuters’ reporter James Akena was subjected to police brutality because he was "mistaken for a camera thief"​ arises from the same arrogance. This is an “ideal” circumstance any authoritarian ruler and journalists are punished because they have the potential to shatter this setting.

While we are analyzing the state of press freedom in African countries, it should be mentioned here that other countries and regions are not necessarily doing better. According to the world press freedom 2021 index, the overall state of press freedom in Africa is not a match for that of Europe and it is understandable. However, when it comes to Africa’s rising development partners such as India, Turkey, and China, they are among the countries where press freedom suffers badly. It goes without saying that this does not exonerate African states for their violations of press freedom.

The ranking of some African countries and the continent's emerging partners in the 2021 World Press Freedom Index. Source: rsf.org

To sum up, signatories of the Windhoek Declaration, guerrilla typewriters were warriors who, in the last quarter of the 20th century, put their professional ethics and public interest before their personal concerns. Incurring the wrath of notorious authoritarian regimes did not discourage them. Current challenges before press freedom in African countries are no less punishing than those of the 1990s. In addition, authoritarianism and disinformation put out by the states themselves are on the rise. Therefore, there is a great need in Africa and other parts of the world for guerrilla keyboards who, same as guerrilla typewriters in the last decade of the 20th century, should continue to separate the truth from lies and facts from disinformation, so that the societies will make informed decisions on issues, such as choosing leaders, have a bearing on their functioning.  

Despite being subjected to intimidation, threats and violence, or being held in jail or in exile, guerrilla keyboards continue to be the nightmare of authoritarian governments and leaders who are scared of the truth the most. In this respect, guerrilla keyboards' struggle will be decisive in African peoples getting rid of authoritarian/corrupt regimes and eventually becoming truly free societies.