(PINA/IFEX) – On 26 November 1999, three “Fiji Times” journalists instructed their lawyers to begin defamation action against a government member of parliament (MP), the newspaper reported. The defamation actions are over a letter to the editor MP Muthu Swamy wrote following criticism of his attack on the three journalists in the House of Representatives […]
(PINA/IFEX) – On 26 November 1999, three “Fiji Times” journalists instructed
their lawyers to begin defamation action against a government member of
parliament (MP), the newspaper reported. The defamation actions are over a
letter to the editor MP Muthu Swamy wrote following criticism of his attack
on the three journalists in the House of Representatives (see IFEX alert of
24 November). Under Fiji law, his comments made in the House of
Representatives are protected from legal action by parliamentary privilege
but not those in the letter to the editor. Part of the letter was published
by “The Fiji Times” on 26 November, with a footnote saying it had to be
edited because of its defamatory contents. The journalists are associate
editor Netani Rika, who is currently acting editor of the daily newspaper,
and news reporters Margaret Wise and Matelita Ragogo.
The news of the legal action came as condemnation of Swamy’s parliamentary
attack on the journalists continued. Opposition leader Ratu Inoke Kubuabola,
a former Information Minister, said in a statement: “Muthu Swamy’s attack
using a stolen photograph brought parliamentary debate to an all-time low.”
He said Prime Minister and Information Minister Mahendra Chaudhry should
drop Swamy from his delegation going to a World Trade Organisation meeting
in Seattle, USA, next week. “This is in obviously pay off time … when in
fact he should be disciplined,” Ratu Inoke said. The Fiji Women’s Rights
Movement coordinator Gina Houng Lee said the movement is shocked by the
attack on the private lives of the women journalists. “If the MPs have an
issue with the ‘Fiji Times’ then they should attack the ‘Fiji Times’ and not
the individual journalists,” “The Fiji Sun” quoted her as saying.
“The Fiji Times” is part of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. It is a
previous winner of the PINA Pacific Freedom of Information award for its
defence of freedom of expression and the Fiji public’s right to know.
Background Information
Police are investigating the theft of a photo from the home of the editor of
a Hindi weekly which is published by “The Fiji Times”. The photo was
brandished in parliament on 24 November by Swamy when he made allegations
against “The Fiji Times”, and about the private lives of Rika, Wise, and
Ragogo. PINA president William Parkinson cautioned parliamentarians not to
risk putting their own private lives under scrutiny by revealing personal
details about journalists. He said the Fiji media have until now avoided
revealing the private lives of public figures. Parkinson condemned Swamy’s
attack as disgraceful.
On 27 October, there was widespread criticism in the Fiji Islands of threats
by Prime Minister Chaudhry to bring in a government-regulated media tribunal
with powers to impose penalties on the media. One of the country’s three
daily newspapers also reported on the government’s plans to introduce
legislation requiring compulsory licencing of foreign-owned Fiji Islands
media. This included setting strict conditions under which they had to
report and operate or risk losing their licence, and imposing a F$20,000
(approx. US$10,000) annual licence fee (see IFEX alerts of 28 October and 26
october 1999).
Chaudhry had again attacked the Fiji Islands news media and individual
journalists following a series of earlier criticisms. In a lengthy address,
the prime minister singled out three of Fiji’s main independent news
organisations, “The Fiji Times”, Fiji Television and “Islands Business”
magazine, for detailed criticism.
The Fiji Islands has amongst the most diverse and free news media in the
Pacific Islands. They include: three seven-day-a-week English-language daily
newspapers; weekly newspapers in Hindi, Fijian, and English; news, business,
trade and entertainment magazines; independent commercial, community and
religious radio stations; government-owned public and commercial radio
stations; and commercial and community television. However, the news media
have come under continuing criticism from Chaudhry and his assistant
information minister, Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi. This follows the election of their
new Fiji Labour Party-led coalition government in May (see IFEX alerts).
