Kiribati: Govt encouraged to give end-date on newspaper ban

PFF Rarotonga, COOK ISLANDS--The publication ban on the Kiribati Independent newspaper by the current government needs to be followed up by a clear timeframe explaining the registration process, says regional media monitoring watchdog, the Pacific Freedom Forum, PFF.
Editor and founding publisher of the Kiribati Independent, Taberannang Korauaba, was instructed on Friday 18th May to immediately cease publication of his newspaper until his registration application is finalised.
"Having an independent news media service offers important information choices to the people of Kiribati, and effectively that's now been affected by the recent decision. We now have a group of media employees and Independent readers in limbo, without a date clarifying how long they will remain that way," says PFF chair Titi Gabi, of PNG.
Korauaba had resumed publishing the Independent on legal advice in March that he could do so as his application had been lodged.  He had previously published another, now defunct news title in 2006 the same way, and this had gone unchallenged. The timing of the ban comes in the wake of recent articles in the Independent which have reportedly upset the government of the day.
"The order to cease publishing of the Kiribati Independent as per the Newspapers Act can avoid perceptions of political interference  by clarifying to all what the steps are, and how long it will all take," says Gabi.
"On the flip side of asking for answers from government, it's important for members of the public and public figures to know their rights and choices when it comes to commending or complaining about news coverage. We encourage all media outlets in Kiribati to continue giving space in their publications advising on their ethics standards for journalists along with complaints procedures from the public," says PFF co chair Monica Miller of American Samoa.
"In line with media rights and responsibilities, Pacific governments and communities should be able to access a clear and credible complaints process for their grievances over news content and ethical
standards. Using such a process not only helps keep the watchdogs at their best, it helps avoid perceptions that governments are using policy and law to gag the fourth estate."--ENDS

CONTACT: PFF Chair Titi Gabi | Freelance Journalist | Papua New Guinea Mail: PO Box 7776, Boroko, NCD, Papua New Guinea | Mob: (675) 7314 3929 | Email: titi.gabipng@gmail.com PFF 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.