Concerns over media ban in PNG election results

PFF, Rarotonga-- As the result counts from Papua New Guinea's general elections continue to flow in, the country's national media workers association has joined the Pacific Freedom Forum in its concern over returning officers interfering with media work at two provincial centres.
The PNG Media Workers association and regional media monitoring network say voter and public rights to know polling results came under threat this week. In two separate incidents, journalists at polling centres in the Western Highlands and Morobe provinces were banned from doing their jobs.
Journalists at the centres reported on Monday 9th July,  that the returning officer for the Huon/Gulf electorate in Morobe demanded payments for release of information from Lae-based journalists, and verbally abused an NBC reporter.Two days later, another returning officer overseeing the counting for the Hagen Open polls in the Western Highlands banned media from reporting the results.
"We are concerned over the incidents affecting the ability of media to get on with the work of reporting the polling results. Keeping journalists away from reporting the results of the counting shuts the door on the people relying on news for updates, and robs the public of
their right to know," says PFF chair Titi Gabi, from PNG. Gabi is also a founding member of the PNG Media Workers Association.
Gabi is currently leading a media support group at the Elections Media Centre, led by Commissioner Andrew Trawen.
The reporting of the incidents to her led to a speedy resolution of the issues. Journalists -- some of whom had wanted to boycott the elections after their harassment, resumed their usual observation and
reporting of the results where the incidents took place.
From American Samoa, PFF co-chair Monica Miller says media colleagues across the region remain concerned for the safety and situation of journalists covering elections across the Pacific 's largest  country.
Three out of every four of the Pacific's 10million population come from PNG alone, with provincial reporting and access being under-resourced and difficult work. In a recent partnership event with the International Federation of Journalists for World Press Freedom Day 2012, PNG Media Workers Association members noted corruption and bribery of journalists remains a major ethical challenge.
"We commend colleagues who are speaking out on threats to their work, and also welcome the decision of the Electoral Commissioner to involve media advice in his central operations team. It has led to the speedy resolution of attempts to control and undermine the rights of media to report freely, without favour." says Miller.--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.

Governor leads more abuse against PNG media

PFF, Rarotonga, COOK ISLANDS-Papua New Guinea journalists  reporting the 2012 election results and petitions must be able to work safely without fear of harassment, says the Pacific Freedom Forum, PFF. 
The regional media monitoring network has made the call in the wake of assault threats and an abusive confrontation yesterday Wednesday 4 July. Newsroom staff at a provincial head office for the National Broadcaster, NBC including radio Journalist Greogry Pegines  were confronted by an angry mob of  supporters  led by East Sepik Governor and Member for Yangoru/Saussia, Peter Wararau Waranaka. The Governor, his driver and a group of supporters had converged on the NBC East Sepik broadcast compound and singled out Pegines, station manager Anna Klawe and other news journalists for verbal abuse and threats.  The incident came a day after Pegines had filed a report on a petition signed by 12 candidates in the East Sepik province, listing allegations of fiscal and official abuse of position.
Pegines says he had been invited to meet with the Governor since the incident, but was again verbally abused.
"We condemn the mob mentality encouraged by the Governor and the verbal threats and harassment against media workers," says PFF co-chair Titi Gabi of PNG.
From Port Moresby, she noted that journalists in provincial areas are more at risk  of threats and abuse during elections periods, and called for calm to prevail.
 "Any grievances over news content should be submitted in a reasonable manner to the news outlet involved. We denounce the use of abusive and criminal harassment to force a culture of fear on the news agenda," says PFF co-chair Monica Miller, of American Samoa.
"We commend PNG journalists continuing to abide by ethical conduct through difficult times, and again urge all media outlets to implement a no-drop policy on reporting harassment to the authorities," she says.--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.