Pacific Freedom Forum, Rarotonga-- The Pacific Freedom Forum is expressing grave concern about the deaths of three colleagues in two Indonesia provinces in recent weeks.
“Indonesia needs to see these deaths as a wake up call,” says PFF chair Susuve Laumaea.
In particular, PFF joins international groups like the International Federation of Journalists, Reporters Sans Frontiers, and UNESCO in condemning the deaths and calling for investigations by Jakarta.
"Indonesia's government must ensure enough resources are given to independently investigate recent deaths of the three journalists in West Papua and Maluku," says Laumaea, based in Papua New Guinea.
Deaths of environmental journalists Ardiansyah Matra’is and Muhammad Syaifulla in Papua were followed by that of TV reporter, Ridwan Salamun after filming a confrontation between villagers in Maluku.
PFF says the deaths cannot be treated as singular events.
They take place against a background of decades of extensively documented human rights abuses in Indonesia, where Papua journalists have received numerous death threats for uncovering illegal logging, mining and environmental destruction.
From Pagopago, co-chair Monica Miller says PFF members “join our colleagues and cousins in west Papua in their sadness and loss.”
“All three deaths are the more serious, stemming from their professional duties with the first two receiving multiple death threats,” she says.
“Concerns over an alleged lack of independent investigation are very strong on the ground,” says Miller, noting a “boycott” by Jayapura media.
“Local journalists boycotting police stories sends a powerful message to the international community: human rights are breaking apart in a vital region worth many billions to Indonesia and the global economy.”
PFF members strongly support the right of West Papua media to protest alleged cause of death in their colleagues disappearance, as well as express concerns over threats against news media and others.
“This is freedom of speech, plain and simple” says Miller.-- ENDS
Country background:
“West Papua” is common media reference to distinguish the Indonesian province from Papua New Guinea, the other half of this large Melanesian island. Now officially known as “Papua”, the western half was changed from West New Guinea (1962–63), West Irian (1963–73), Irian Jaya (1973–2001), and Papua (2002–2003). Districts within Papua are also routinely redrawn and renamed by Indonesian authorities.
CONTACT: PFF interim Chair Susuve Laumaea | Sunday Chronicle Newspaper | Papua New Guinea Mobile: 675-684 5168 | Office: 675-321-7040 | Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com PFF interim co-Chair Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa Mob 684 258-4197 | Office 684 633-7793 | Email: monica@khjradio.com
The Pacific Freedom Forum are a regional and global online network of Pacific media colleagues, with the specific intent of raising awareness and advocacy of the right of Pacific people to enjoy freedom of expression and be served by a free and independent media. We believe in the critical and basic link between these freedoms, and the vision of democratic and participatory governance pledged by our leaders in their endorsement of the Pacific Plan and other commitments to good governance. In support of the above, our key focus is monitoring threats to media freedom and bringing issues of concern to the attention of the wider regional and international community.
. . .
Pacific Freedom Forum is a regional media body, monitoring threats to press freedom and journalism ethics across Oceania.
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Thursday 12 August 2010
PFF welcomes engagement with new Pacific media body
The launch of a new Pacific media body this week has been welcomed by regional media freedom watchdog the Pacific Freedom Forum. The Pacific Media Association, or PacMA, features former PINA executive members and media freedom awardees in its new leadership, who launched PacMA this week in Samoa after hosting their inaugural meeting.
"The work of promoting, monitoring and reporting media freedom requires many hands," says PFF Chair, Susuve Laumaea of Papua New Guinea, "and the PFF operates as an online network with a specific focus on media freedom alerts and advocacy of UNDHR Article 19. The broader context of training and promotion of standards and ethics by more regional colleaguesis more than welcome."
"We stand by ready to engage and partner with Pacific news leaders who are already involved with the Pacific Freedom Forum," he says. "Through our shared goals, membership and resources, the task of networking, monitoring and reporting threats to a free media can be better shared by more media workers."
The PFF Chair has confirmed a partnership on monitoring media freedom is to be formally offered to the new regional association. The same partnership offer to assist and build on monitoring threats amongst the Pacific countries has been sitting without a reply from the PINA executive for more than a year. Hints of high-level political support for a Samoa-based regional body followed the departure from PINA of the Vice-President John Woods, in July 2010.
"It's heartening to see the support shown the inaugural commendation of the regional organisation by Samoa's Prime Minister and leaders of development corps. It speaks well of the recognition of the link between media standards, governance work, and thriving democracies," says PFF co-chair Monica Miller, of American Samoa.
"The establishment of PacMA reiterates the sense of solidarity amongst Pacific media which PFF strives to support through its own monitoring work. The recent announcement by the IFJ of its Pacific Media and Human Rights monitoring project also adds to the signs that monitoring and reporting of press freedom violations in the Pacific is stepping up to the next level. And Pacific media practitioners must be the ones taking it there."--ENDS
CONTACT:
PFF interim Chair Susuve Laumaea | Sunday Chronicle Newspaper | Papua New Guinea Mobile: 675-684 5168 | Office: 675-321-7040 | Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com PFF interim co-Chair Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa Mob 684 258-4197 | Office 684 633-7793 | Email: monica@khjradio.com
The Pacific Freedom Forum are a regional and global online network of Pacific media colleagues, with the specific intent of raising awareness and advocacy of the right of Pacific people to enjoy freedom of expression and be served by a free and independent media. We believe in the critical and basic link between these freedoms, and the vision of democratic and participatory governance pledged by our leaders in their endorsement of the Pacific Plan and other commitments to good governance. In support of the above, our key focus is monitoring threats to media freedom and bringing issues of concern to the attention of the wider regional and international community.
. . .
"The work of promoting, monitoring and reporting media freedom requires many hands," says PFF Chair, Susuve Laumaea of Papua New Guinea, "and the PFF operates as an online network with a specific focus on media freedom alerts and advocacy of UNDHR Article 19. The broader context of training and promotion of standards and ethics by more regional colleaguesis more than welcome."
"We stand by ready to engage and partner with Pacific news leaders who are already involved with the Pacific Freedom Forum," he says. "Through our shared goals, membership and resources, the task of networking, monitoring and reporting threats to a free media can be better shared by more media workers."
The PFF Chair has confirmed a partnership on monitoring media freedom is to be formally offered to the new regional association. The same partnership offer to assist and build on monitoring threats amongst the Pacific countries has been sitting without a reply from the PINA executive for more than a year. Hints of high-level political support for a Samoa-based regional body followed the departure from PINA of the Vice-President John Woods, in July 2010.
"It's heartening to see the support shown the inaugural commendation of the regional organisation by Samoa's Prime Minister and leaders of development corps. It speaks well of the recognition of the link between media standards, governance work, and thriving democracies," says PFF co-chair Monica Miller, of American Samoa.
"The establishment of PacMA reiterates the sense of solidarity amongst Pacific media which PFF strives to support through its own monitoring work. The recent announcement by the IFJ of its Pacific Media and Human Rights monitoring project also adds to the signs that monitoring and reporting of press freedom violations in the Pacific is stepping up to the next level. And Pacific media practitioners must be the ones taking it there."--ENDS
CONTACT:
PFF interim Chair Susuve Laumaea | Sunday Chronicle Newspaper | Papua New Guinea Mobile: 675-684 5168 | Office: 675-321-7040 | Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com PFF interim co-Chair Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa Mob 684 258-4197 | Office 684 633-7793 | Email: monica@khjradio.com
The Pacific Freedom Forum are a regional and global online network of Pacific media colleagues, with the specific intent of raising awareness and advocacy of the right of Pacific people to enjoy freedom of expression and be served by a free and independent media. We believe in the critical and basic link between these freedoms, and the vision of democratic and participatory governance pledged by our leaders in their endorsement of the Pacific Plan and other commitments to good governance. In support of the above, our key focus is monitoring threats to media freedom and bringing issues of concern to the attention of the wider regional and international community.
. . .
Tuesday 3 August 2010
PFF urges PINA to return to its mandate and withdraw from Fiji Media Decree body
Regional media freedom watchdog the Pacific Freedom Forum are urging the Pacific Islands News Association to return to the mandate of supporting a free media; and withdrawing from any involvement with Fiji's new Media Industry Development Authority, MIDA. The Authority is a key part of the Fiji regime's Media Decree.
"The announcement this week of the appointment of PINA Coordinator Matai Akauola as the Fiji media representative to the regime's MIDA has shocked and dismayed colleagues who feel PINA's founding commitment to media freedom for the Pacific community has been betrayed," says PFF chair Susuve Laumaea of Papua New Guinea.
"As coordinator of a regional association whose key objective is promotion of freedom of expression and information, Akauola now faces the difficult task of choosing his regional appointment or his regime one," he says.
"It is painfully clear that his usual stance of 'engagement from within' to explain PINA's silence on Fiji has now reached the point where wearing the regime hat means he can't effectively wear the media freedom one."
Confirmation of appointments came from regime information channels and not via PINA. It's understood the decision to accept the appointment was an executive one and has yet to be formally shared with all PINA members.
"We sympathise with the difficulty and complexity of the Fiji situation, but remain duty-bound to our colleagues in Fiji and the Pacific to raise the alarm on the appalling lack of judgement by someone who has just renewed a full time contract position to uphold regional values on media freedom and standards. We encourage the full PINA membership to call for a review of this decision by their Coordinator," says PFF co-chair Monica Miller of American Samoa.
"PFF is not disputing the issue of the Media Industry Development Authority members from Fiji. We note that a former employee of the University of the South Pacific, a regional agency, is chairing the MIDA. But Akauola is currently a regional servant of an organisation whose mandate is to resist threats to media freedom, not welcome them", says the former PINA President.
"PINA and PFF are the only Pacific-specific members of the Global freedom of expression body, IFEX. The decision by the PINA coordinator to accept the regime appointment not only shames the body he is employed by, but calls PINA's membership of IFEX into question." --ENDS
CONTACT: PFF interim Chair Susuve Laumaea | Sunday Chronicle Newspaper | Papua New Guinea Mobile: 675-684 5168 | Office: 675-321-7040 | Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com PFF interim co-Chair Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa Mob 684 258-4197 | Office 684 633-7793 | Email: monica@khjradio.com The Pacific Freedom Forum are a regional and global online network of Pacific media colleagues, with the specific intent of raising awareness and advocacy of the right of Pacific people to enjoy freedom of expression and be served by a free and independent media. We believe in the critical and basic link between these freedoms, and the vision of democratic and participatory governance pledged by our leaders in their endorsement of the Pacific Plan and other commitments to good governance. In support of the above, our key focus is monitoring threats to media freedom and bringing issues of concern to the attention of the wider regional and international community.
"The announcement this week of the appointment of PINA Coordinator Matai Akauola as the Fiji media representative to the regime's MIDA has shocked and dismayed colleagues who feel PINA's founding commitment to media freedom for the Pacific community has been betrayed," says PFF chair Susuve Laumaea of Papua New Guinea.
"As coordinator of a regional association whose key objective is promotion of freedom of expression and information, Akauola now faces the difficult task of choosing his regional appointment or his regime one," he says.
"It is painfully clear that his usual stance of 'engagement from within' to explain PINA's silence on Fiji has now reached the point where wearing the regime hat means he can't effectively wear the media freedom one."
Confirmation of appointments came from regime information channels and not via PINA. It's understood the decision to accept the appointment was an executive one and has yet to be formally shared with all PINA members.
"We sympathise with the difficulty and complexity of the Fiji situation, but remain duty-bound to our colleagues in Fiji and the Pacific to raise the alarm on the appalling lack of judgement by someone who has just renewed a full time contract position to uphold regional values on media freedom and standards. We encourage the full PINA membership to call for a review of this decision by their Coordinator," says PFF co-chair Monica Miller of American Samoa.
"PFF is not disputing the issue of the Media Industry Development Authority members from Fiji. We note that a former employee of the University of the South Pacific, a regional agency, is chairing the MIDA. But Akauola is currently a regional servant of an organisation whose mandate is to resist threats to media freedom, not welcome them", says the former PINA President.
"PINA and PFF are the only Pacific-specific members of the Global freedom of expression body, IFEX. The decision by the PINA coordinator to accept the regime appointment not only shames the body he is employed by, but calls PINA's membership of IFEX into question." --ENDS
CONTACT: PFF interim Chair Susuve Laumaea | Sunday Chronicle Newspaper | Papua New Guinea Mobile: 675-684 5168 | Office: 675-321-7040 | Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com PFF interim co-Chair Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa Mob 684 258-4197 | Office 684 633-7793 | Email: monica@khjradio.com The Pacific Freedom Forum are a regional and global online network of Pacific media colleagues, with the specific intent of raising awareness and advocacy of the right of Pacific people to enjoy freedom of expression and be served by a free and independent media. We believe in the critical and basic link between these freedoms, and the vision of democratic and participatory governance pledged by our leaders in their endorsement of the Pacific Plan and other commitments to good governance. In support of the above, our key focus is monitoring threats to media freedom and bringing issues of concern to the attention of the wider regional and international community.
Monday 2 August 2010
Fiji: PFF calls for clarity over 'police questioning' of journalists
The overnight detention of Fiji journalist Richard Naidu over a news story on the FijiLive website is stirring concern over the continuing campaign of intimidation and fear against Fiji's journalists says the Pacific Freedom Forum, PFF.
Police confirmed Naidu was taken into custody on Friday 30 July, after the FijiLive site where he serves as News Editor ran a story stating Fiji's military head of the Police Esala Teleni, had been suspended. A government release on Monday 2 August, hours after the FijiLive site returned from a weekend of going offline, stepped out its version of why the two events were unrelated. But PFF remains concerned over the signals sent out by the process of 'police questioning' and its implications for Fiji's journalists.
"If Police are going to use up their taxpayer-funded time questioning journalists overnight for every error of fact that is published, surely the public has a right to demand more clarity on the efficiency and priorities of their public officials," says PFF chair Susuve Laumaea of Papua New Guinea.
"We call on the regime to make public the reasons and the rules which govern the continued impromptu detainment of journalists for Police questioning. It's a human rights issue, and will help Police better understand their own responsibility to uphold professional integrity."
"In the news and information industry, it's impossible to get it right, all the time. Standard practice is that we say'sorry' when we get it wrong, run a correction, and learn from it," says PFF co-chair Monica Miller of American Samoa.
"We hope the regime who replaced the former Public Emergency Regulations with the new Media Decree will be open to ensuring their own officials understand that the PER is over -- and that a media-led process for raising concerns and running corrections already exists."--ENDS
CONTACT: PFF interim Chair Susuve Laumaea | Sunday Chronicle Newspaper | Papua New Guinea Mobile: 675-684 5168 | Office: 675-321-7040 | Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com PFF interim co-Chair Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa Mob 684 258-4197 | Office 684 633-7793 | Email: monica@khjradio.com The Pacific Freedom Forum are a regional and global online network of Pacific media colleagues, with the specific intent of raising awareness and advocacy of the right of Pacific people to enjoy freedom of expression and be served by a free and independent media. We believe in the critical and basic link between these freedoms, and the vision of democratic and participatory governance pledged by our leaders in their endorsement of the Pacific Plan and other commitments to good governance. In support of the above, our key focus is monitoring threats to media freedom and bringing issues of concern to the attention of the wider regional and international community.
Police confirmed Naidu was taken into custody on Friday 30 July, after the FijiLive site where he serves as News Editor ran a story stating Fiji's military head of the Police Esala Teleni, had been suspended. A government release on Monday 2 August, hours after the FijiLive site returned from a weekend of going offline, stepped out its version of why the two events were unrelated. But PFF remains concerned over the signals sent out by the process of 'police questioning' and its implications for Fiji's journalists.
"If Police are going to use up their taxpayer-funded time questioning journalists overnight for every error of fact that is published, surely the public has a right to demand more clarity on the efficiency and priorities of their public officials," says PFF chair Susuve Laumaea of Papua New Guinea.
"We call on the regime to make public the reasons and the rules which govern the continued impromptu detainment of journalists for Police questioning. It's a human rights issue, and will help Police better understand their own responsibility to uphold professional integrity."
"In the news and information industry, it's impossible to get it right, all the time. Standard practice is that we say'sorry' when we get it wrong, run a correction, and learn from it," says PFF co-chair Monica Miller of American Samoa.
"We hope the regime who replaced the former Public Emergency Regulations with the new Media Decree will be open to ensuring their own officials understand that the PER is over -- and that a media-led process for raising concerns and running corrections already exists."--ENDS
CONTACT: PFF interim Chair Susuve Laumaea | Sunday Chronicle Newspaper | Papua New Guinea Mobile: 675-684 5168 | Office: 675-321-7040 | Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com PFF interim co-Chair Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa Mob 684 258-4197 | Office 684 633-7793 | Email: monica@khjradio.com The Pacific Freedom Forum are a regional and global online network of Pacific media colleagues, with the specific intent of raising awareness and advocacy of the right of Pacific people to enjoy freedom of expression and be served by a free and independent media. We believe in the critical and basic link between these freedoms, and the vision of democratic and participatory governance pledged by our leaders in their endorsement of the Pacific Plan and other commitments to good governance. In support of the above, our key focus is monitoring threats to media freedom and bringing issues of concern to the attention of the wider regional and international community.
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