To: All Newsrooms

Press Statement 7 July 2000

FXI wishes to register its protest at the decision of the Aids 2000 Conference's committee to ban photographs by Dutch photographer Geert van Kesteren. It is our belief that this is an example of the type of censorship which prevailed during the years of repression in South Africa where a small group of people decided what we could or could not see.

In a letter, the committee wrote: "There is an ongoing debate about the use of shocking images for Aids education. It is considered policy of the government and NGO's that shock tactics in the context of South African society and culture are counterproductive and we have avoided this approach. Many South Africans audiences are unsophisticated and not used to this kind of realism."

The committee's reasons for the banning are spurious and patronising to South Africans. To suggest that the committee has the right to decide what South Africans may or may not find appropriate is an insult to their intelligence.

Furthermore, at this point it is not evident that current local policies on AIDS have had any positive effect on the pandemic and therefore to claim that "shock tactics" are not part of South African policy because they are counterproductive is to make an unsubstantiated statement.

For further information contact Raymond Louw @ 0824465155 or Nanagolo Leopeng @ 011 403 8403