Leaders accused of double standards

Press, 21 December 1985, Page 32

Leaders accused of double standards

London NZPA-Reuter, London The International Press Institute (LP.L), watchdog of press freedom throughout the world, accused Western leaders of double standards in calling for curbs on news media coverage, particularly of guerrilla attacks. “It . has been a year when we have heard calls for the oxygen of publicity to be cut off and a year when South Africa moved to starve its own ’terrorists’,” LP.L said in its review of World Press Freedom , in 1985. “It has also been a year of strange double standards. Democratic world leaders who advocated limited reporting raised an outcry when South Africa finally pulled the plug,” it said.

“Should they not both be looking for solutions that get to the real root of the Emblems, rather than kiilig the messenger that brought the bad news?” it asked. - ■

The British Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher, called for a voluntary code of restraint on coverage of terrorist attacks in July. The Reagan Administration voiced support for the idea. The institute, which has its secretariat in London, said restrictions on reporting of guerrilla incidents could force gunmen to even greater excesses that could not be ignored. “Experience has shown that silence builds up mysproves the best breeding ground for violent action. ’ ■ ' . ;

“When it comes down to it, are the hijackers and kidnappers really any different from the Governments who suppress the news? They both deprive us ■ of freedoms: the freedom of liberty and the freedom of speech.” * I.PI groups 2000 editors and publishers worldwide.