21/12/2008

Journalism and human rights

CARLOS EDUARDO LINS DA SILVA
ombudsman@uol.com.br

It's not enough for the newspaper to point out lack of respect for these rights; it needs to follow the application of public policies involving them

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which turns 60 this month, while conferring journalism's prerogatives, at the same time it also imposes obligations.

Article 19 guarantees to all "freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas," to prevent the possibility of censorship.

But Article 12 asserts that "no one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family home," or that it also in principle prevents news organizations from invading anyone's privacy, whether celebrity or anonymous.

Since the political opening by the military regime in the 1970s, Folha has been building a good reputation as a news organization which makes an effort to promote human rights; it gave plenty of space in its Dec. 10, 12 and 14 editions to the debate about the Declaration.

It is praiseworthy that it did this. But it is essential that the newspaper maintain and build on its tradition in this area in its daily coverage.

The contradiction between freedom of expression and respect for privacy is far from being the only ones in which journalism is confronted when comparing how it deals with the Declaration.

The news media have social interests inherent in their status. Among them is the one about contributing to guarantee maximum possible compliance with the rights proposed by the Declaration.

The newspaper did a good job last Sunday of pointing out in an editorial, "there is not one point in this historic document that is not disrespected daily in the overwhelming majority of countries in the world," but "to say that they believe that the U.N. charter consists of only a work of fiction would be a subtle way to disqualify deeper feelings."

It is necessary that the relevant entities make an effort to comply with the declaration. And the media in Brazil have done little in this sense. The survey commissioned by the Secretary for Human Rights in the president's office confirmed this, finding that only 20% of the population demonstrates one of three factors most important to guarantee the rights (well below the family, the individual, the government and judicial system, among others).

In general, it associates the actions of the media in this area with complaints about violations of human rights, almost always when undue deprivation of liberty, practices of torture, injustice or physical violence occur.

But this is not the only way to summarize the role that the print media should fulfill. There is a right to work and the rights of workers, health, well-being, housing, clothing, education, leisure, rest, culture, access to public services and a lot more.

For an agent implementing these rights, it is not enough for the newspaper to complain about lack of respect. It needs to follow methodically and competently the formulation and application of public policies that involve them. And it is still far from proceeding the systematic way while eventually it does good work.

Santa Catarina is neither Rio nor Thailand

Reader Marlon Salomon was justifiably irritated with this column, which erred last Sunday when the photo caption said that Joinville was in the Itajaí Valley.

The mistake aroused thinking about journalists in general instead of deepening into a singular problem while relying on ready-made generic formulas "which worked as well for Santa Catarina as they did for Rio de Janeiro or for a disaster in Thailand!"

To show that this is correct, he listed some specific aspects about the floods in Santa Catarina, which were not covered by Folha, but still could and should be.

He argued: "those who have minimal information know that the floods in the 1980s produced knowledge about floods and areas at risk that were transformed into a tool for Civil Defense. There is a geography of risk. German researchers are coming to Brazil to study this issue."

Salomon recalled that "the military built a big dam in the upper (Itajaí) valley to deal with the rains, a true architectural monstrosity, which ruined indigenous communities in the region" and "in the 90s those who wanted to relive these fantasies and be financed by the Japanese."

From there, "a systematic project arose for the whole valley to deal with the floods, small basins, basically a forest recovery project tied to economic and social strategy. A university at Tuebingen is coming with a big team to study the topic."

The reader asked: "Who was at the Institute of Environmental Studies at Blumenau Regional University who brought together all the intelligence about the topic? Journalists criticize the university as being isolated, in its own little world. Can't you say the same about journalism in this episode? The answer fits Folha.

TO READ

"Media Manual and Human Rights," by the University Consortium for Human Rights and Friedrich Ebert Foundation, 2001 (available at www.fes.org.br/media/File/inclusao-social/comunicacao/manual-de-midia-e-direitos-humanos-2001.pdf) - a collection of articles about topics regarding how protection of human rights is treated by the media

TO SEE
"Cry Freedom," by Richard Attenborough, with Kevin Kline and Denzel Washington, 1987 (starting at 19.90 reals, or US $8.30) - good movie, based on the true story of journalist David Woods and his fight to expose human rights violations in South Africa under apartheid

MOST COMMENTED TOPICS OF THE WEEK

1. Education topics
2. AI-5 (a constitutional amendment that limited rights in 1968 during the military dictatorship)
3. Graffiti painter at São Paulo Biennial

WHAT FOLHA DID RIGHT...

DEFENSE
Friday's edition with the announcement of a national defense strategy is an example of precise, critical and educational journalism

CÉSAR CIELO
Excellent photos of the swimmer in Sunday's edition

GRAFFITI PAINTER
Newspaper had good overall coverage of the matter about the graffiti painter at the Biennial

... AND WHERE IT WAS WRONG
TFP (Tradition, Family and Propriety)
Current political importance of the conservative organization does not justify the space dedicated to it last weekend

GILMAR MENDES
The presence of the head of the Supreme Court in the newspaper and highlighting his statements twice in four days was excessive

NOTARIES
Only on the eve of the decision by Congress about the proposed constitutional amendment concerning notaries did the topic get any attention

NEED REMEMBERING
Questions that need answers

1. How is the examination into the death of Congresswoman Ceci Cunha and three other people, which happened 10 years ago?

2. What about the one concerning Dudu Nobre, who was going to file a complaint against American Airlines for racism after an incident a month ago?

3.How are the investigations into the whereabouts of the father of murder victim Eloá Pimentel and his supposed criminal relationship with Lindemberg Fernandes?

-Translation by John Wright