Quand l'Etat est une affaire de famille

Deuxième jour de Conférence au GIJC 2010. Mon émerveillement perdure. Les histoires et anecdotes s'enchaînent. Le nombres de gens que j'ai vu à la télé aussi...

Ce panel a présenté la situation de trois États différents, dont la structure politique semble ressembler à un portrait de famille. Theophilus Abbah du Nigeria, Ahmes Benchemsi du Maroc et le journaliste Ougandais, Frank Nyakairu, ont présenté le fonctionnement politique de leurs pays respectifs. Conclusion de tous: la liberté de la presse est en péril.

Au Maroc, la liberté de la presse existe; c'est même certainement l'une des plus étendue comparée aux autres pays arabes/musulmans. Pour autant, les choses changent. Auparavant, les journalistes pouvaient écrire plus ou moins librement sur le régime autocratique sans trop craindre d’éventuelles conséquences. Par contre, il y a trois sujets que les journalistes ne peuvent pas traiter: Dieu, la patrie et le roi. Si l’on aborde ces sujets dans la presse, il faut craindre certaines conséquences comme des menaces, des procès et même la prison. Benchemsi le sait. Il a été poursuivit en justice, et a même passé quelques nuits en prison. Son crime: d’avoir appelé le roi Marocain un « être humain », au lieu d’un individu « sacré ». Au fur et à mesure que le roi devient plus sûr de lui et de sa position, il rend le travail des journalistes plus difficile. Ceux-ci doivent faire face à de plus en plus de procès, et beaucoup de journaux se voient fermer. Tandis que Benchemsi voit la situation se détériorer, il exprime une inquiétude certaine pour le futur.

Le Nigéria est censé être un pays démocratique. Les histoires d’Abbah disent pourtant le contraire: le gouvernement reste un système clos. Abbah parvient à enquêter pourtant en travaillant avec les politiciens et les membres du cabinet, en s’associant aux proches du gouvernement et de travailler avec les agences anti-corruption. Il ajoute qu’il ne faut pas sous-estimer le rôle des dames de la haute société car souvent, elles peuvent être une source d’information très intéressante.

En Ouganda, c’est clair: tout est affaire de famille. Tous ceux qui sont au pouvoir ont généralement un lien avec le chef; que celui-ci soit sanguin ou par alliance. Nyakairi a présenté au public une charte représentant la structure politique en Ouganda. Cependant, cette charte ressemblait avant tout à un arbre généalogique du président, Yoweri Museveni. Comme l'a dit Nyakairi, « corruption est le mot du jour ».

Ces trois journalistes ont exprimé leur inquiétude pour le futur du journalisme. La liberté de la presse est menacée, et pas seulement au Maroc, au Nigéria et en Ouganda. Pour les trois interlocuteurs, il est important que les journalistes travaillent ensemble et qu’il y ait plus de collaboration entre les journalistes locaux et les médias étrangers.

Article suite au panel "Quand l'État est une affaire de famille" tel que publié sur www.gijc2010.ch

When the state is a family affair

Deuxième jour de Conférence au GIJC 2010. Mon émerveillement perdure. Les histoires et anecdotes s'enchaînent. Le nombres de gens que j'ai vu à la télé aussi...

Today’s conference presented three situations of where different states organisation charts seem to resemble more of a family tree, than anything else. Theophilus Abbah from Nigeria, Ahmed Benchemsi from Morocco and an impromptu contribution from Ugandan journalist, Frank Nyakairu, all discussed the political workings and for some, corruption, of their respective countries. Conclusion from all, the freedom of the press is truly in danger.

In Morocco there is a freedom of the press; certainly the highest compared to fellow Arab/Muslim countries. Yet, that was until now. Previously, one could report on autocratic regimes quite freely, without much fear of consequences or backlash. There are, however, three subjects that journalists should not talk about: God, the homeland and the King. If you do, consequences are guaranteed and they can vary from threats, trials and jail time. Benchemsi should know. He was sued on numerous occasions and even spent a few nights in detention. His ‘crime’: calling the Moroccan King “a human being”, rather than a ‘sacred’ individual. As the King has gained in confidence in his leadership role, he is making journalists’ job increasingly difficult. Unsure as to how to deal with the freedom of the press, journalists are increasingly facing lawsuits and trials, and more and more press agencies are being shutdown. Benchemsi expresses a concern for the future as he sees the situation worsening.

Nigeria is supposedly a country under the leadership of a democratically elected government. Though hearing Abbah’s various experiences and stories, it becomes clear that this is questionable. The government remains a closed system. Abbah goes on to explain methods for journalists wanting to investigate the government: working with politicians and members of the cabinet, associating with close family members of government officials, scrutinising the budget and working with anti-corruption agencies. He also adds that the role of high-society ladies close to government officials should not be underestimated, as they can often be the source of interesting information.

In Uganda, it is clear. It is a family affair and it is a closed system. All those in power are generally related in some way or another with the leader; be it through blood, through marriage, or other family ties. Nyakairi presented a visual map of what Uganda’s political structure, under Museveni’s leadership, looks like. It could be a reconstruction of Museveni’s family tree. As Nyakairi states, “corruption is the word of the day”.

The three journalists expressed their concern for the future of journalism. The freedom of the press is in danger, and not only in Morocco, Nigeria and Uganda. It is important for journalists to work together, and that there be more cooperation between local journalists and foreign media.

Word du jour: Roberto Saviano

Première jour de conférence à la 6ième Global Investigative Journalism Conference, à Genève. Premières rencontres. Première séance. Première fascination…

En Conférence avec l’homme qui fait peur à la Mafia, et pour qui facebook l’a sauvé: Roberto Saviano. A man for whom life is like a prison, wanted for dead by certain Mafioso who have not digested Saviano’s revelations. As he details his experience as an investigative reporter, as an infiltré of the Camorra, as a person whose life has been turned up side down after he sought to tell the truth and expose the presence and power of crime organizations in Italy, one can only be surprised by his oddly optimistic and grateful attitude.

Saviano wants to begin by underlining that he believes in the power of words, be it against the mafia or not. For him, words have given him the possibility to continue living. While he could have had the possibility to disappear, with Finland offering asylum, Saviano chose not to run away. He instead chose police protection, living in hiding and in permanent presences of his seven bodyguards. He has also chosen to face criticism from the likes of Silvio Berlusconi, who recently stated that people like Roberto Saviano damage Italy’s reputation. Nothing more needs to be said as this reflection in itself sums up the nature of Berlusconi’s character and concerns. Roberto Saviano has chosen to stand up for what he believes in, and he believes that talking about the Camorra and exposing crime organisations is the only way to resist these powers… Refusing to be silenced. Refusing to be intimated. After all, the mafia does not merely use arms to kill, but they use defamation and slander to intimidate; they attack a person’s honour and reputation in order to deter those who may so much as consider reporting and investigating on criminal organisations.

Roberto Saviano explains that despite his strange misadventure, he is hugely lucky because the situation in which he finds himself in today, is merely a reflection of the success of his investigation and the threat that he, this young Italian from Naples, poses for these Mafia bosses. After all, had his story created no interest, had he had no readers, there would have been no media-hype, no million sales of "Gomorrah" and no film.

Finally, as he details how fellow investigative journalists can get in touch with him, he adds that facebook saved him. As he can no longer go the pub, Facebook has become his equivalent; a place for him to socialize with others all in the presence of a nice, cool beer.

Cheers to that, and cheers to him for accepting this rare public appearance.

A musical buzz in the air

Few 23 years-olds can say they’ve gossiped with Katherine Jenkins, played cards with Bryn Terfel and sung for Connie Fisher. Then again, Matthew Ibbotson is no ordinary 23 year-old. Nadia Bonjour finds out more.

While the weather is a dull winter’s day, Matthew Ibbotson is far from boring. Open, dedicated and entertaining, this young man recounts with confidence and pride his experiences as a performer. From choir to opera and musical, Ibbotson reveals his ambition to conquer the West End and Broadway and how he is: “not going to take ‘no’ for an answer”.

Ibbotson is a student in vocal studies with a classical training at Cardiff’s Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He is also a member of two semi-professional choirs, Serendipity and ONLY MEN ALOUD. With the choirs, he has performed with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins and Juan Diego Flórez in addition to some high-profile events.

His interest for singing was sparked at six years-old when sat in church: “My parents were all robed up and I got really bored in the congregation so I thought I’d start singing in the choir”. Ibbotson was always encouraged by his parents to learn at least one instrument. “It so happens I chose singing”, he says. However, Ibbotson casually adds he also learned to play the cello, double bass, piano (though not very well he points out) and bass guitar.

What Ibbotson enjoys about singing is: “the fact that you’ve got nothing to hide behind when you’re performing. It’s just you and the audience; there’s no instrument for you to hide behind; you’re standing up there; it’s you in a naked sense”.

However, his artistic interest does not limit itself to singing. “I love acting at every opportunity I get. It was a toss of the coin whether I wanted to do acting or singing but singing won”, he says.

Ibbotson has been involved in numerous musicals. Yet at 5ft4, he indicates: “The type of character I play is not the lead characters; I mean 6ft2, the boy-band type who always gets the girl. I’m just not tall enough”. He asserts that he gets the ‘character’ role “who sings better than the lead actor”. In amusement, he insists: “you always laugh more with ‘character’ actors and they always get the biggest applause”. There is no question that Ibbotson thrives on entertaining.

There are challenges, admits Ibbotson, particularly with separating professional and personal life. But he is adamant that he could not imagine himself doing anything else. “I just couldn’t do a 9 to 5 job”, he says. “I’m going to keep trying and I’m not going to let the ‘no’s’ get me down”. Driven and ambitious, it seems this young man is set for many more applauses: “Do look out for me because I will be about. You’ll probably see my name up in lights somewhere, even if I have to put the light bulbs in myself.”

Article written for a university assignment on interviewing and portraits