Fiji's military junta continue their clampdown on the media, targeting the Pacific's only news service, Pacnews, again on Tuesday.
The "censors" turned up after-hours (must be getting ideas from the military) because they had seen three articles on the news service's website they didn't like.
Finding the office closed, they trooped upstairs to Islands Business and asked staff there to get in touch with somebody from Pacnews. It fell to Pita Ligaiula to return to the office to delete these "negative" stories from the website. Ligaiula was only last Thursday detained at Central Police Station for about 24 hours because of stories he had written for the Associated Press the weekend before that had been published in Australia.
The article in particular that irked the military was a story on the UN Security Council's condemnation over the purported abrogation of the Constitution - never mind the fact that it was already widely reported by non-Fiji media.
We hear that they also objected to a story on Australia asking China to refrain from cheque-book diplomacy which is propping up the military junta, as well as a story on the condemnation from PNG of this fifth "coup".
- INTELLIGENT RESISTANCE -
Free. Fair. Fearless. Intelligentsiya is made up of Fiji Islanders who are libertarians in their own way and who cherish the free flow of news, ideas and information and will peacefully resist any attempts by the country's military rulers to stifle free speech. intelligentsiya will also bear witness, report and discuss human rights abuses by the authorities.
3 comments:
The great irony of this blog, Itelligensiya ...is that it censorS OTHER bloggers who contibute that offer a different view or spin. No better or worse than Franks censorship?.
This particular Bog” PROBABLY” wont see the light of day or be published by Intelligensiya.
My forefather & I have a stake in Fiji and I am therefore qualified to express an opinion. A great Uncle was Fiji's High Commissioner to London ( A Rotuman) My father served a marine apprenticeship with Carpenters
Fiji's very first Botanist, who classsied much of the flora was an early relative .Often, I get asked questions about Fiji and I tell the truth. There is no lawlessness there. It is safe and the country needs investment. Soon a new Brewery will be opened in Fiji involving overseas Capital, and I gave advice that this will be a good move and that under Frank Bainimarama's leadership there will be stable and non corrupt Government to conduct business. I go out of my way to tell the story of Fiji to most people who will listen and I get t no arguments when I am finished . I also say, hey if you don’t want to take my word, go ask your local Indo- Fijian taxi driver, or cornershop owner. This is in NZ & Australia. I have yet to meet one of these persons who doesn’t support Commodore Frank Bainmarama.
I will tell you about the people who oppose him, It is very very simple, because these are the very people who place their own personal financial business interests before the good of Fiji.
They are different people with the same motive. Like the top Indo Fijian business people who become involved in politics not for any civic duty but merely to grease the wheels of their business interests. This handful of top companies in Fiji have posted negative tax returns for years. Have moved substantial Capital sums out of Fiji. Some of these men were behind the scenes in the last coup. That’s the one that saw Frank Bainimarama running for his life through the jungle at night with 9 mm rounds being fired after him. Theses people send their children to top overseas boarding schools from the money earned in Fiji whilst they still air-dry Xray plates at Nadi hospital in the sun.
Then there is the Council of High Chiefs who believe that Fiji owes them a substantial living so that they can afford to drive around in $100,000 SUV’s paid for by fellow Fijians earning $8 per hour.These Ratu’s have their own villagers living in subsistence level poverty. Hardly any books in the schools and a lack of good medical care.
Meanwhile these Ratu’s want to Keri keri the Tourists plants , change the lease arrangements and charge them extortionit rents that will see the now teetering profitability of these businesses collapse once and for all. The Ratus want indigenous ownership, a lead weight that will sink Fiji.
These are the people who are feeding the fires of dissent. If you talk to your next door neighbor in Fiji or the man on the street, you will find that they support Frank Bainimarama, They do not feel threatened.
Many years ago a crook Fijian managed to bring a shipping container full of fire arms and explosives into Fiji. Crates of AK 47’s grenades etc. ( Guns of Lautoka by Chris Harder)
Commadore Frank Bainimarama does have a real responsibility to ensure that the climate of public servant corruption that allowed this to happen does not occur again and that the safety of civilians and general law enforcement comes first.
tan Blanch
stanb@ihug.co.nz
Ph 027 221 7606
Anon 1...tan Blanch or stanb whatever your name is from NZ....just SHUT UP already!!!!
Voreqe Bainimarama is a coward, a thief and a malignant narcissist. Period! Maybe you espouse him cos you are like him in many ways.
One day Mafatu, he'll ne cleaning his own shit with his fellow supporters in maximum prison and will you go and visit him? I'm sure you will.
Tan Banch from NZ. I have no idea which world you live in but being an Indo-Fijian from NZ myself I can assure you that I and a lot of people I know definately do not support FB and his illegal regime. Your comment that you have yet to meet anyone who opposes them is probably because you only hang around people who think like you.
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