Crackdown on pirated international films

An anti-piracy taskforce spearheaded by the minister of Media, Information and Publicity Webster Shamu has proposed the banning of pirated international audio and visual works in the country. Trade in pirated international films and music has become brisk business of late, as almost every household tries to escape from state-run television whose monotony and political propaganda has turned many Zimbabweans off.

This has in turn resulted in a boom in people scratching a livelihood from the trade. Only one in every 10 Zimbabweans is in formal employment.Pirated international films are sold at nearly every street corner in Harare and other towns. In residential areas the films and music are openly sold and some are hired out from makeshift DVD clubs.

The proposed ban will also affect the downstream chain such as printing. Pirated discs are sold for as little as $1 for two copies. A company allegedly headed by a Chinese man using the name Jack Sparrow adapted from popular film Pirates of the Caribbean leads the brisk business of pirating international audio and visual works sold wholesale to traders.

A member of the taskforce that met on Thursday last week confirmed the proposal to ban sale of any pirated audio and visual works in Zimbabwe had all but been adopted. “We agreed on a final position to halt all the trading of pirated visual and audio works. Selling of pirated local music and films was already banned but there was confusion on international works,” said the member, who cannot be named because he has no authority to speak on behalf of the taskforce.

Rainbow Cinemas own rights to show international films and they were being prejudiced by pirates. Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Berne Convention and the Trips Agreement that protect international films from piracy but it has not ratified the international settlements into law. This has not stopped the taskforce, made up of Zimbabwe Music Rights Association, the ministries of Justice and Legal Affairs and Media, Information and Publicity, police and musicians, from hitting the ground running.

The taskforce has already instructed the arrest of Innocent Matsengarwodzi, the executive director of Anti-Piracy Organisation of Zimbabwe on allegations of aiding piracy by licensing film traders. This follows Matsengarwodzi’s letter to police last year requesting them to allow piracy.

“There should be a temporary measure of dealing with cases of piracy of film. We have noted that countries like China are reproducing international films willingly and flooding the world to the benefit of their country,” read part of the letter. (Dailynews)