(PINA/IFEX) – Savea Sano Malifa will give the UNESCO keynote address on 14 December 1998 during Pacific Media Freedom Day at the 1998 PINA convention. Malifa, the award-winning publisher of the “Samoa Observer”, will fly from Europe to address the PINA convention, which is being held in Papeete, French Polynesia. **Updates IFEX alerts of 28 […]
(PINA/IFEX) – Savea Sano Malifa will give the UNESCO keynote address on 14
December 1998 during Pacific Media Freedom Day at the 1998 PINA convention.
Malifa, the award-winning publisher of the “Samoa Observer”, will fly from
Europe to address the PINA convention, which is being held in Papeete,
French Polynesia.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 28 October, 20 September, 15 July, 22, 20 and 14
May, 30 April, 11 March 1998; and 24, 15 and 4 December, 18 November, 31
October, 12 September and 24 May 1997**
Pacific Media Freedom Day is the day during the annual convention that PINA
members traditionally set aside to focus on freedom of information and
expression issues. It also includes the presentation of PINA’s Pacific
Freedom of Information award.
In his address in Papeete, Malifa is expected to make special reference to
the role of IFEX, the International Freedom of Expression Exchange. Alerts
sent via the IFEX network alerted the international freedom of expression
and media freedom community to the attacks, assaults, and legal actions in
Samoa against Malifa and the “Observer”.
Before Papeete, Savea Sano Malifa and his wife Jean Malifa, who is the
paper’s business manager, will be in Europe for two important events. In
London, he will receive the INDEX on Censorship Press Freedom Award. INDEX
on Censorship is also organising a fundraising campaign to help the Malifas
and the “Observer” meet their heavy legal costs.
In Paris, Malifa will present a paper at a “Human Rights Defenders Summit”
marking the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Background Information
In Kuala Lumpur, in October, Malifa received the Commonwealth Press Union’s
Astor Award. He told then of the “Observer’s” continuing efforts to foster
and defend freedom of expression and information and expose corruption.
“Freedom is the sustenance that nurtures democracy,” he said.
The Malifas were jointly awarded PINA’s Pacific Freedom of Information Award
in 1994 in recognition of their efforts to promote and defend freedom of
information and expression. They and the “Observer” have been under pressure
and attack because of their continuing publication of reports alleging
growing corruption in Samoa.
Their printing plant was burnt down in suspicious circumstances, Malifa was
assaulted by relatives of a government minister, government advertising was
withdrawn from the “Observer”, threats were made to introduce newspaper
licensing, and a series of legal actions were launched against them by then
Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana and people associated with his
government. The Samoan Government agreed to pay the legal costs of
ministers and senior officials launching such legal actions. (please note:
Samoa’s long-serving Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana is seriously ill and
resigned last week).
