Fiji censorship dangers revealed

A Fiji newspaper editor has given a striking account of the daily struggles in his newsroom to get stories past military censors.

Fiji Times editor Netani Rika told a Pacific journalists conference in Samoa that it was difficult to put into words what was happening "when you know that everything you say has the potential to be a threat to the very existence of 180 people with whom you work and close to 1000 who depend on them for a living".

Since Easter Fiji has been under dictator Voreqe Bainimarama's martial law rule which includes censorship of the media.

Mr Rika said under martial law each media organisation has a censor and an accompanying policeman.

"The police officer - we were told - was to protect the censor.

"We were not told from whom the censor would need protection."

He said rules change daily on what they can print.

"Basically any story on government must put the interim regime in a positive light or it will not be permitted," Mr Rika said.

Papers were not allowed to print United Nations and Commonwealth criticism of Bainimarama's actions, nor were they allowed to publish news of street protests in Thailand, nor investigation of a threatened assassination of US President Barak Obama.

Fiji Times reporters each day carry out normal assignments and their stories are assigned to pages that are sent to censors.

"More often than not these stories are declared unfit for consumption by the people and are knocked back by the censors.... It is an extremely frustrating exercise."

Last week Air Fiji was forced to close due to financial difficulties but the censor on duty insisted that they could only run the report if it carried a government quote.

"We refused and pulled the story. The following day we placed the same stories in front of a different censor - No worries, the issue was covered, albeit a day late."

Mr Rika said the Fiji media had been under fire since the coup of December 2006.

"We have been threatened, bullied and intimidated. Our cars have been smashed, our homes firebombed," he said.

"Despite this, our staff have remained committed to the ideals of a free media, telling the stories that must be told, exposing the weaknesses in State policies and also covering human interest assignments."

Each day was a challenge getting stories by the censor.

"Sometimes we are lucky and the occasional story slips through the net. On those days we celebrate quietly."

He hailed Fiji journalists.

"They have bravely stood up to intimidation, rejected censorship and recognised that when a nation is controlled by usurpers it is imperative that the public's right to know is protected at all costs.

"And they are determined to break the culture of silence which so often surrounds our leaders - elected or otherwise."