Call for more press freedom

Ligue Iteka, the Burundian human rights organisation, has called on the Burundi government to allow the local media more freedom to operate. In a statement to mark International Press Freedom day on Wednesday, Iteka expressed concern that neither the government nor political parties had come up with a “serious alternative” for the development of responsible and free press accessible to the masses. The statement stressed it was up to civil society to try and redress the balance as no Burundian government would voluntarily take the initiative. Iteka hailed the fact that the BBC and Radio France Internationale were able to broadcast on FM in Burundi, giving easier access to more objective information about the country. The Burundian media should also be given the chance to be objective so that the people could obtain their information “from a Burundian point of view”.