Articles by Pacific Islands News Association (PINA)
Court awards Fiji Islands editor, journalists costs against magistrate
(PINA/IFEX) – On 12 November 1999, a Fiji Islands court case that began in 1996 ended with a magistrate being ordered to pay $F1500 (about US$750) costs for wrongly charging three journalists with contempt of court. On 13 November 1996, Magistrate Syed Mukhtar Shah ordered “The Fiji Times” editor Samisoni Kakaivalu and reporters Yunus Rashid […]
Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) and media freedom in the Commonwealth
(PINA/IFEX) – As Commonwealth Heads of Government prepare to meet in Durban, South Africa from 12 to15 November 1999, restrictions on press freedom in some Commonwealth countries are under increasing scrutiny. Canada is expected to use this CHOGM meeting to put more Commonwealth focus on media freedom and the fundamental human rights to freedom of […]
PINA’s Oseah Philemon warns of Fiji Islands dangers
(PINA/IFEX) – The following is a PINA press release: Statement by Oseah Philemon, vice-president of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Fiji will become the first country in the South Pacific to be ruled by a civilian dictator if Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry goes ahead with his threat to legislate against media freedom in his […]
Opposition, news media condemn threats by prime minister
(PINA/IFEX) – On 27 October 1999, there was widespread criticism in the Fiji Islands of threats by Prime Minister Mahendra 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 reported there are also plans within the government to introduce legislation requiring […]
Government confirms lifting of media restrictions
(PINA/IFEX) – State-of-emergency media restrictions in the Solomon Islands have ended, a government minister confirmed on 27 October 1999. The minister of state assisting the prime minister, Alfred Sasako, said in a letter to the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation: “I can confirm that restrictions, which applied in the four months to 15 October 1999, are […]
Threat to impose government media tribunal
(PINA/IFEX) – On 26 October 1999, PINA president William Parkinson called new threats to the news media by Fiji Islands Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry a return to the “draconian” days after Fiji’s 1987 military coups. “We have not had these threats made since the military government in 1987, and as a member of the Fiji […]
Court to rule on broadcasting dispute
(PINA/IFEX) – On 16 October 1999, Réseau France-Outremer (RFO) President André-Michel Besse and New Caledonian Union Syndicale des Travailleurs Kanaks Exploités (USTKE) union leader Louis Kotra Uregei agreed to suspend disciplinary action against USTKE members within the broadcasting station, pending a court ruling, “Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes” reported. The daily newspaper said Besse and Uregei met […]
Australians interview man who says he saw Indonesians kill journalists in 1975
(PINA/IFEX) – On 16 October 1999, Radio Australia reported that an East Timorese man told Australian peacekeeping forces he witnessed the killing of five Australian-based journalists in 1975. Radio Australia said he told Australian troops now in East Timor that the reporters were killed by Indonesian soldiers during their invasion of the former Portuguese territory. […]