Journalist threatened in Fiji

By David Robie from Pacific Media Watch April 2002

SUVA: Fiji police's criminal investigations department (CID) director Emosi Vunisa has threatened to "investigate and charge" a senior Daily Post reporter if she continues writing articles about controversial military officer Lieutenant-Colonel Filipo Tarakinikini, according to media reports.

The Daily Post reported in a front-page story on 22 April 2002 that reporter Josephine Prasad had been ordered to hand over all documents and reveal her sources with a deadline of today or face arrest.

The newspaper condemned the police in an editorial, saying "this is simply not acceptable".

"Not in a free and democratic society where freedom of the press is prized as a watchdog against corruption in high places, the perpetuation of injustice against the weak, the poor and the disadvantaged and against excesses of government or misrule," the paper said.

A report by Prasad published by the Sunday Post on April 21 said an Interpol go-ahead had been given to bring back Tarakinikini from New York as an alleged deserter to face allegations over his implication in the attempted coup and a mutiny during 2000.

According to the Daily Post, Vunisa called the paper's newsroom and told Prasad her failure to hand over documents and reveal sources would "result in officers moving into the premises to arrest you for causing instability".

"You have been doing nothing much but writing about Lt Col Tarakinikini.

Don't you have anything better to do? This is just causing more instability," Vunisa said.

The paper reported that Prasad replied to the CID director, saying she had a job to do and would continue doing it because the media was a watchdog.

"We have given the military a chance to respond but they have chosen not to so they cannot say that I am campaigning for Lt Col Tarakinikini," Prasad said.

Vunisa reportedly told her not to "act too smart", or he would send officers to apprehend her immediately.

"I am in charge of Interpol and whatever I say goes. I don't know who you are to write about things that are none of your business because I am being pressured more by the military and government," he said.

Vunisa claimed he would write to the self-regulating Fiji Media Council and the Daily Post management board seeking Prasad's removal. Deputy editor Mosese Velia was quoted by the Daily Post as saying the reporter was doing her job, adding in the editorial: "We would be happy to answer questions [in a courtroom] fully and freely.

"We have nothing to hide."

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is an independent, non-profit, non-government organisation comprising journalists, lawyers, editors and other media workers, dedicated to examining issues of ethics, accountability, censorship, media freedom and media ownership in the Pacific region.
Launched in October 1996, it has links with the Journalism Program at the University of the South Pacific, Bushfire Media, the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism, and Pactok Communications, in Sydney and Port Moresby.

Website: http://www.pmw.c2o.org

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