Pacific Press Release – Pacific Media Watch, 1 November 2009

FIJI ATTORNEY-GENERAL SELF-DESTRUCTS ON MEDIA FREEDOM

RAROTONGA (Pacific Freedom Forum/Pacific Media Watch): Fiji’s Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has erased his own credibility with “delusional” notions that Fiji has a free media, says regional media watchdog Pacific Freedom Forum.

According to media reports, Khaiyum told a regional journalism seminar at the University of the South Pacific on Friday, October 31, Fiji’s media were free to report on any issue, asking “Is there a
restriction? Are journalists being locked up? Are journalists being told what to write? No!”

But in the same presentation on the Public Emergency Regulations (PER) introducing regime censorship of all newsrooms in April 2009, he admitted the “fundamental issue as far as the media control at the moment is concerned is that you do not have politicians being reported.”

“The fact that his monologue went unchallenged by his audience only proves that self-censorship is thriving under the PER. Mr. Khaiyum should know his claim Fiji journalists have not been restricted, locked up, or told what to write, is clearly delusional and out of touch with reality,” says PFF Chair Susuve Laumaea of PNG.

The latest global media freedom index compiled by global watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres has Fiji ranked 152 out of 175 nations. In 2008, Fiji ranked 79th.

“We can only stand in solidarity and sympathy for those who organised the debate, and offer our technical support help build understanding amongst the regime leadership that the right to freedom of expression and speech has specific universal indicators which can’t be mucked
around with,” says Laumaea.

“The Pacific Freedom Forum and our networks warmly congratulate the Fiji Times, for their award winning free speech campaign as announced on Friday night in Australia,” says co-chair Monica Miller of American Samoa. “The irony for us all is that only a few hours before this cause for celebration, the regime AG in Fiji went public saying the media is free to report anything — so long as they don’t report on the leadership. In saying that, he proved so powerfully why Fiji Times deserve the award, and our continued support.”

Links:
Pacific Scoop:
http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2009/10/think-outside-box-to-cover-real-stories-about-social-change-says-sayed-khaiyum/

Reporters Sans Frontieres:
http://www.rsf.org

Contact:
PFF interim Chair
Susuve Laumaea | Sunday Chronicle Newspaper | Papua New Guinea
Mobile: 675-684 5168 | Office: 675-321-7040 | Email:
susuve.laumaea@interoil.com

PFF interim co-Chair
Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa
Mob    684 258-4197 | Office 684 633-7793 | Email: monica@khjradio.com

www.pacificfreedomforum.org

Source:  6516 Pacific Media Watch