A formal complaint has been lodged against Swaziland’s Times Sunday and its writer Qalakaliboli
Dlamini after the newspaper published an article encouraging hatred of gays.
The Times
readers’ ombudsman has been asked to investigate a complaint that Dlamini broke
the Swaziland National Association of Journalists’ code of ethics.
Prof Richard Rooney, former head of the department of
Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Swaziland, has written
to the ombudsman to ask for a formal investigation.
The ombudsman adjudicates on complaints readers have
against articles published in the Times
group of newspapers.
Rooney wrote, ‘The article contained a lengthy attack on
homosexuals and included the phrase, “I hate homosexuality with every fibre of
hair or flesh in my body.” Dlamini also wrote homosexuals performed “satanic
deeds” and were an “abomination”.
‘Dlamini’s article contrives Article 13 of the Swaziland
National Association of Journalists code of ethics which states, “Hate speech:
‘Journalists shall avoid by all means the publication of speech that might
promote hatred, spite and conflict amongst the Swazi or any other nation.”
‘Hate speech is a type of speech or writing which can do
any of the following: deliberately offend, degrade, intimidate, or incite
violence or prejudicial action against someone based on their race, ethnicity,
profession, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. It
can be aimed at an individual; or racial, ethnic, religious or other group.
Such speech generally seeks to condemn or dehumanize the individual or group;
or express anger, hatred, violence or contempt toward them.’
Already many readers have lodged complaints against the
article on the Times’ website and the Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations has asked Times Managing Editor Mbingo
Mbongeni to take ‘positive action’ against Dlamini.
See also
READERS ATTACK ‘TIMES’ FOR GAY HATE
NEW ATTACK ON ‘TIMES’ HATE SPEECH
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