ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Dr. Dakuku Peterside, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State in the April 11, election has called on world leaders to evolve a more punitive measure in punishing perpetrators of impunity and other deliberate crimes against humanity.
In his message to mark International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, sent to Sundiata Post on Sunday, Peterside said those in authority must work hard towards providing a safer environment that would guarantee the needed freedom, safety and protection for practitioners of journalism profession.
“Today, I join journalists and men of goodwill all over the world to celebrate the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. I condemn unequivocally, all forms of impunity and calculated crimes against journalists.
“When the rights and privileges of a professional group or anybody for that matter are flagrantly abused, humanity is diminished.
“So those who impede the noble work of journalists by their ignoble actions due to their high offices or their access to power must be made to account for their misdeed. Freedom for journalists and journalism practice must be seen as freedom for the larger world because of the important role journalists play in every society.
“As a victim of persecution and impunity under the Goodluck Jonathan administration, I fully appreciate the trauma that is closely associated with impunity. We, members of the APC in Rivers State are still suffering the crushing impunity that was unleashed on us before and during the last general elections in the country. According to the perpetrators of that impunity, our only sin was our decision to align with a political party of our choice.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
“So I know impunity as evil. I also know as a fact that impunity can seriously retard the democratic growth of any nation.
“Therefore impunity must be condemned in and outside the newsroom or even on the political turf because of what it is. For that reason, we must join hands collectively to end this heinous crime against humanity. So I stand with journalists this day as they mark this important global event.
“Finally, for us to build the world of our dream, we must come together and ensure that we defeat impunity, lawlessness and anarchy. We must expel this evil from the face of the earth. That is the only way we can make our common world better,” he said.