Free trade needs free media too: Int'l symposium<\/p>\n
By Ati Nurbaiti<\/p>\n
VANCOUVER, Canada (JP): An international gathering on the
\nmedia concluded here Wednesday that improved trade relations
\nwithin the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum would
\nbe impossible to bring about without a free media.<\/p>\n
\"A freer and more balanced media is essential to improved
\ntrade relations within APEC and therefore should be formally
\nincorporated into the official agenda for the upcoming APEC
\nforum,\" said organizer Gordon Floyd of the Canada-based Institute
\nfor Media, Policy and Civil Society.<\/p>\n
The one-day symposium, titled \"Open Media, Open Market\" and
\nattended by about 100 journalists and academics, proposed that
\nAPEC leaders \"recognize that freedom of expression and
\nassociation are conditions for the expansion of trade\".<\/p>\n
As a body, APEC should \"commission an independent study ... on
\nthe relationship between the free flow of information and trade
\nliberalization,\" the participants said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\"It would be in the direct interest of business groups, for
\ninstance, to have full access to information on potential
\ninvestment interests,\" the statement said.<\/p>\n
The symposium also demanded that APEC make all its documents
\navailable to the media.<\/p>\n
Organizers said the agenda of the fifth APEC meeting, which is
\nto be capped off by a heads of states meeting, termed \"economic
\nleaders\", here from Nov. 25 to Nov. 26, has largely been kept
\nsecret for security reasons.<\/p>\n
The symposium's statement also said a dialog should begin with
\nthe APEC Business Advisory Council, chaired by host Canada, about
\nthe relationship between free markets and a free media,
\n\"especially the role of the media in exposing corruption\".<\/p>\n
Floyd said the proposals would be forwarded to Canadian
\nMinister of Foreign Affairs Lloyd Axworthy, who would be \"urged
\nto discuss these proposals with his colleagues from member
\neconomies\".<\/p>\n
APEC, since its first meeting in Seattle, USA, in 1992, has
\nresisted demands that non-trade issues such as human rights be
\nplaced on its agenda. APEC maintains it is a forum aiming for
\ntrade liberalization based on \"voluntary, unilateral\"
\nderegulation measures by each of its 18 members.<\/p>\n
To attract attention to non-trade issues, non-governmental
\norganizations have organized a \"People's Summit\" parallel to APEC
\nmeetings since its third gathering in Osaka, Japan.<\/p>\n
East Timor<\/p>\n
The symposium on the media was one of 17 talks before and
\nafter the formal opening of the People's Summit at the Plaza of
\nNations. East Timor separatist leader and Nobel laureate Jos
\nRamos-Horta addressed the formal opening Wednesday.<\/p>\n
A concert, street theater, rally and march are also scheduled.
\nEvents scheduled for Nov. 20 include a special session on East
\nTimor and a \"public tribunal\" on labor rights presenting, among
\nothers, the detention of labor leader Muchtar Pakpahan.<\/p>\n
The media symposium also raised the need for APEC members to
\nformally address the issue of freedom of expression and the free
\nflow of information via the Internet.<\/p>\n
\"Many APEC nations have censored or are attempting to restrict
\nInternet usage and contents,\" said a joint letter signed by
\ndozens of participants.<\/p>\n
After the symposium, Indonesian journalist Ahmad Taufik who
\nwas released from his two-year prison term in July this year, was
\npresented with an award from the Canadian Committee to Protect
\nJournalists.<\/p>\n
Participants and speakers sharing experiences came from
\nvarious countries, including Mexico, China and Indonesia.
\nParticipants were curious about the notorious \"envelope culture\",
\nreferring to the bribery of Indonesian journalists.<\/p>\n
Discussions attempting to seek models of a free media, and how
\nthey could apply to the Asia-Pacific region, ended without any
\nsuccess.<\/p>\n
Canadians said their media was largely influenced by private
\nownership, and Japanese Yayori Matsui said Japanese journalists,
\ndespite being free from government control, do not reflect
\ncritical journalism and \"promote their self-interest\".<\/p>\n
Participants were divided on how much to expect from
\ngovernments. Kavi Chongkittavorn, the executive editor of
\nBangkok's The Nation, said Thais have little trust in
\ngovernments.<\/p>\n
Frances d'Souza of the London-based Article 19, an
\norganization monitoring freedom of expression, said
\nthe ratification of United Nations conventions, which refers to
\nfreedom of expression, is legally binding for countries.<\/p>\n
But she said this does not mean much to those working in the
\nmedia in certain countries.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/free-trade-needs-free-media-too-intl-symposium-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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