2009-04-11 07:05:26 - Will the largest newspaper in Fiji survive the call from the military-led government to close it down?

The military-led government of Fiji is once again challenging the constitutional right of freedom of speech for the media. The largest distributing newspaper in the country is threatened with closure for its ‘un-cooperative’ reporting.

A statement was issued by Fiji’s Military Forces’ Land Force Commander Pita Driti, stating the Fiji Times was biased in its reporting. It didn’t give a proper coverage to the military’s grievances, or report any of their positive achievements. “The Fiji Times should be closed down immediately. This news agency in particular is the most non-cooperative and biased newspaper in the country,” said Driti.

This is just one example of the ongoing intimidation the media has experienced, since the government was taken over by the military in

2006. There have been three newspaper men deported, police regularly search media premises and editor Netani Rika’s home was firebombed by unknown assailants, last month.
The government defied a High Court order in May, when it deported the Australian publisher of the Fiji Times. Unceremoniously he was bundled onto a Korean Air flight to Seoul. An Australian born publisher of the Sun was deported in February, for publishing ‘destabilizing’ reporting.

Shortly after coming to power, the military government occupied some offices of the media, demanding the right to inspect reports before they were published. The Fiji Times temporarily suspended publication. Tony Yianni, the Managing Director said, “If we do not have the freedom to publish with responsibility, according to the constitution, then we do not publish at all.” The paper was later permitted to continue publishing without any interference from the military.

Bainimarama took over the government a second time in 2006, because he believed the elected prime minister, Qarase, was putting up proposals that were unfair. Proposals that would have benefited native Fijians, to the detriment of the minority ethnic Indians. The proposals were for beneficial land rights for indigenous Fijians. There was also to be an amnesty for those involved in the 2000 coup, when elite army units and racialist gunmen seized power, led by Fijian George Speight.

Chief Frank Bainimarama, also a native Fijian, had earlier felt forced to intervene and take control in 2000. Speight was charged with treason and Laisenia Qarase was elected as the prime minister. In December 2006 Bainimarama engineered his second coup, which became Fiji’s fourth coup in twenty years of independence. Bainimarama took over the powers of the president, from President Ratu Josefa Iboilo. At that point Bainimarama promised he would return the power to Iloilo and a newly appointed civilian government.

Bainimarama told the world he would have an election in 2009. He is adamant in his determination to smash the nation’s coup culture. He is the prime force behind seeing the country’s racial based communal election voting system changed. He declares he will achieve this by April 2009. Bainimarama says it was “Racist policies and corruption of the former Fijian-dominated government which sparked his coup in 2006”.

Bainimarama has openly challenged the members of the British Commonwealth when they say they will suspend Fiji’s membership, if it does not hold elections this year. He says no other country will exert any influence on the Pacific nation’s timetable for holding elections. “If we go to elections now, it is not going to serve any purpose. It’s probably going to make things worse for the people of Fiji. There’s going to be no election.”

Tourist numbers declined dramatically in the face of the political unrest.


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