This is the second time since the idea was conceived two years after the killing of Norbert Zongo, a well known journalist who lived and worked in Burkina Faso until he was killed by the oppressors of freedom of expression on 13 December 1998.

In his opening speech Chreff Sy  chairman of the Steering committee of FILEP, the organizers of the festival, told the participants that freedom of expression cannot be suppressed if we want democracy to flourish. He called on the government of Burkina Faso to do all within their powers to bring the killers of Zongo to book. He lamented that it is nine years today since Zongo was murdered. Depriving his widow and children from him

Among other speakers at the opening was the President of the West African Journalist Association (WAJA) Ibrahim Coulibaly. He underline responsible journalism. He went further to say that a world without journalist would be a meaningless world. A special tribute was paid to Norbert Zongo and in his memory and that of Deyda Hydara of the Gambia a minutes silence was observed

In delivering a paper on the occasion Pauline Bend the programme officer of   Panos Institute for West Africa told the participants that there has been much violation of media rights including threats, sentencing of journalists and even killing journalists in this part of our continent. “Freedom of speech required guarantee from governments” She called for stronger regulations to protect journalists if they are to do their jobs.

Bend whose paper is on strategy for the promotion and protection of journalists & media organization said press organizations cannot survive if they lack  strong economic resources as well as human resources. She said if there is to be any head way, that aspect has to be addressed. Bend noted that there are weaknesses in the area of training. A good promotion should go with training. Responsible journalism is what is needed.  She concluded her presentation by saying that the media should consolidate pluralism, failure of that is what results to the difficulty of consolidating democracy.

Saidou Arji of the Media Foundation for West Africa said media and human right organizations are strategic allies. He gave the case of the former Liberian leader as an example of the alliance between the two, which resulted in the trial of Charles Taylor. He told the gathering that the struggle against impunity should be one of collaboration between human right defenders and the media.

 He concluded by saying that one should bear in mind that human rights defenders, freedom of expression defenders are unavoidable strategic ally. He called for the cooperation between  the two

Chreff Sy of a member of the Burkina journalists union and member of the steering committee of FILEP, the organizers of the festival said in his presentation that, journalists are subjected  to threats and to the point of killing them. He gave the case of Norbert Zongo as a case of practical examples. Zongo was killed for no crime other than informing the public. He was killed  and buried on the 13 December 1998, about a 100 Km from the capital Ouagadougou. Sy said killing journalists impacts of freedom of expression. He said most of our colleagues assassinated never saw justice as in most of the cases the killers are still freely roaming our streets. One.That is a very clear indication that there is no freedom of expression in such countries

Freedom of expression is the spinal cord of all rights. If a state protect freedom of expression that means all other rights are protected. He recalled what was said during the  opening ceremony that denunciations of right violations must be put into practices.Sy was speaking on the topic ending impunity.

In his contribution to the debate the President of the Gambia Press Union and director of Media Agenda said like the Secretary of the African Union said, we the journalists should not be content with observing press releases any time one of us is killed or have our rights violated.. We should as international body of journalists resolve to security problems to stop the mess by taking our cases before international bodies.

A TWO KILOMETER TRECK BY AFRICAN JOURNALISTS IN COMMEMORARTION THE MURDER OF NORBERT ZONGO 

At the end of the three day activities ending the commemoration of the murder of a colleague Norbert Zongo, participants who came from all parts of the continent on Saturday morning 15 April 2007, march in a solemn procession, stretching about a distance of two kilometers from the conference center to Norbert Zongo’s graveyard. In the procession was the wife of Mr. Zongo with some other family members. The authorities of Burkina never prevented the procession but even provided a police escort.

At the grave yard , participants were told  that Zongo who is an investigative journalists was murdered on the 13 December 1998. He was killed about one hundred kilometers away from the capital Aougadougou.They have no doubt that the killing was carried out by professionals. He was killed and his body together with his driver, brother and a friend who were with him in the car were all buried. The burnt car was left on the side of the road.

“What we cannot understand said the Sy is why must somebody kill Zongo and go ahead to bury him without allowing his family to burry him”. He told the international participants that  since then they were calling on the authorities to do all they can to bring these violators of human right to book.

“Zongo as far as we know was following a story that involved a driver of the President’s brother, who was killed in a circumstance that is unclear” said a member of the steering committee. This driver was said to stolen money from his boss but one way or the other he was not prosecuted, but rather die in a very unclear circumstances.

 In a tribute to the fallen colleague. Mr. Latif Crubally a Senegalese investigative journalists said  like other fallen colleagues in the Gambia, Algeria and Nigeria we will continue to remember them for the good job they did. He can recalled in 1996 two years  before Zongo was killed by oppressors of freedom of the press, when he discusses some ways as how they could do to improve journalism in our this part of the world. Crubally urge all to do their best in finding answers to who killed our colleagues

Mrs. Zongo in a short speech thank every one coming from far and near to grace this solemn occasion with them. she prayed for all a safe return to their respective countries. She has spoken on two occasion before but she is always very short but to the point.

Earlier a video documentary was run on the circumstances surrounding the murder of Zongo.An award ceremony was done the previous night were journalists of different categories won themselves awards.