Papua police ban on new mag illegal – PFF

 

DISAPPOINTED: Fidelis Jeminta, chief editor of Pelita Papua in Jayapura, said police action would again deter freedom of the press in West Papua.
Photo - Katarina Lita / PortalKBR

Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 

Police actions to stop distribution of a new magazine in West Papua break press laws of Indonesia and must be condemned, says the Pacific Freedom Forum.

“Press freedom is not a vague constitutional promise in Indonesia,” says Titi Gabi, Chair of the Pacific Freedom Forum.

“There are specific laws that back press freedom and expressly prohibit police from banning media organisations.”

Pacific Freedom Forum joins the Indonesian Press Council in criticising police for their actions against the magazine, Papua Pelita.

The magazine had dedicated its first issue to reporting on the OPM, the Organisation of Papua Freedom, with a cover featuring the West Papua pro-independence flag – which is banned by authorities in West Papua, but not anywhere else in Indonesia.

Indonesia Press Council member Imam Wahdyudi said that blocking the press is defined as the forceful or unlawful prohibition of publishing, distributing and/or broadcast of information, under Press Law No. 40/1999.

Imam Wahdyudi said that if police do not approve of the contents of a publication then the only legal option available to them was to complain to the Press Council.

“If the police really did come and prohibit the distribution of information, that is a form of blocking the press,” said Imam Wahdyudi.

Magazine publishers had already distributed 2,000 copies of the 64-page inaugural edition when police arrived and instructed them not to distribute any further copies.

They also confiscated half a dozen copies for inspection.

Fidelis Jeminta, chief editor of Pelita Papua in Jayapura, said he was disappointed at the police action and that this case would again restrict freedom of the press in Papua.

"We feel we are being treated unjustly. Out there, many media outlets show pictures of the Bintang Kejora (symbol of the independence movement) but are not examined by the police," he said.

PFF co-Chair Monica Miller said that the police action was undoubtedly illegal and was a further illustration of the breakdown of rule of law in West Papua.

“Continued failure by Jakarta to rein in their police and security forces is unacceptable and must be condemned”, said Miller.

“We join our colleagues at Alliance of Independent Journalists in expressing common concern at a rise in violent and other actions against journalists in West Papua.”

Police denied there was any ban.

“It was just a check up, to see if there was any seditious material”, said Papua Regional Police Commissioner Gede Sumerta Jaya.

Nine cases so far this year to June 2013 relate to freedom and independence of the press, according to AJI, the Alliance of Independent Journalists in Papua.

LINKS :

Police Ban First Edition of Pelita Papua Magazine
http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2013/07/04/055493689/Police-Ban-First-Edition-of-Pelita-Papua-Magazine

Ban on Papua Magazine, Attempt to Block the Press? http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2013/07/08/055494509/Ban-on-Papua-Magazine-Attempt-to-Block-the-Press

WEST PAPUA: Indonesian authorities ban magazine publication
http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/pacific-media-watch/west-papua-indonesian-authorities-denies-magazine-be-published-8356

Violence Against Journalists in Papua on the Rise (Indonesian)
http://www.timlo.net/baca/68719503942/kekerasan-terhadap-wartawan-di-papua-kian-meningkat/

CONTACTS :

PFF Chair
Titi Gabi
Freelance Journalist
Papua New Guinea 
+67573143929
titi.gabipng@gmail.com

PFF co-Chair
Monica Miller
KHJ Radio
American Samoa
+6842584197
monica@khjradio.com

PFF Projects
Lisa Williams Lahari
Media Strategy
Solomon Islands
+6777574230
lisawilliamsonline@gmail.com

PFF Coordinator
Jason Brown
Samoa Observer
Samoa
+6857604412
subeditor@samoaobserver.ws

ABOUT PFF :

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.

We are registered as an incorporated society in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

. . .

Samoa urged to halt plans for new media council – PFF

A meeting last week between journalists, the Samoa Law Reform
Commission and the office of the Attorney General.

Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 

Government in Samoa must halt plans for a state media council and return to the original timeframe recommended by the country’s law reform commission, says the Pacific Freedom Forum.

Plans for the new statutory media council are deeply concerning so soon after threats to ban journalists from Parliament, says PFF.

“Serious questions about the timing must be raised given that the government is breaking a two year timeframe recommended by its own law reform commission,” says PFF Chair Titi Gabi.

In June last year, the Samoa Law Reform Commission issued a report supporting a national media council to hear complaints.

But the Commission recommended a two year period to allow local media an attempt at self-regulation through its own independent media council.

“Instead, we have a government that personally attacks the reputations of critics and reporters on a near daily basis now insisting that a state media council cannot wait a minute longer,” says Gabi.

“These attacks, as well as police failure to protect journalists from threats and assault; advice not to answer media questions, and a threat to ban journalists hardly inspire confidence in the future credibility and independence of any media council.”

News of plans for a media council were announced on 4th June by Attorney General who said he had been “instructed” by cabinet to begin drafting a new law for a state media council.

“A reputation for good governance is no longer under threat in Samoa – it is now actively being damaged by a ruling party apparently unable to handle the heat of public debate,” says Gabi, based in Port Moresby.

“Government should remember that with heat comes light.”

PFF is calling on development partners to remind Samoa that freedoms of speech are constitutionally protected and a fundamental human right.

“We are especially concerned that government does not yet appear to be consulting with all media about the new council,” says Gabi.

News of the media council comes on top of two other events.

In one, Samoa Observer Chief Reporter Sophie Budvietas had a laptop stolen from her car, with a threatening note left – a camera and other gear were left untouched.

The next week, official warnings from the state tourism authority were issued about a law passed last year that gives them the power to seek prosecution against “prejudicial” reporting on Samoa tourism – with a 

maximum penalty of $5,000 fine and three months in jail.

The Tourism Development Act 2012 had previously escaped public attention, until it was raised during a series of workshops aimed at answering weeks of criticism from the industry about an alleged failure by government to properly market, develop and regulate the destination.

PFF co-Chair Monica Miller said government emphasis of their power to prosecute tourism critics shows a rapidly closing mindset.

“Instead of addressing the problems highlighted by the industry itself, and rightfully reported by the media, government seems to focus on shooting the messenger,” says Miller.

“Government is a displaying a remarkably immature response for a country now enjoying its 51st year of independence, the oldest independent state in the Pacific Islands.”

“Government needs to act its age, and assume more statesman-like responses to public debate – cherishing criticism as valuable feedback, not rejecting anything that threatens its attempts to maintain an entirely unrealistic image of perfection.”

LINKS :

Govt. instructs AG on Media Council

http://www.samoaobserver.ws/other/legal/5815-govt-instructs-ag-on-media-council

Samoa Observer Chief Reporter threatened

http://www.samoaobserver.ws/home/headlines/5809-samoa-observer-chief-reporter-threatened

Threatening acts and everyone’s responsibility - editorial

http://www.samoaobserver.ws/editorial/5877-threatening-acts-and-everyones-responsibility

Media Council, accountability, dictatorship - editorial

http://www.samoaobserver.ws/editorial/5861-media-council-accountability-dictatorship

AG ignores media group

http://www.talamua.com/ag-ignores-media-group/

JAWS does not want AG to draft media law

http://www.talamua.com/jaws-does-not-want-ag-to-draft-media-law/

CONTACTS :

PFF Chair Titi Gabi | Freelance Journalist | Papua New Guinea  | +67573143929 |  titi.gabipng@gmail.com

PFF co-Chair Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa | + 6842584197 | monica@khjradio.com

PFF Projects Lisa Williams Lahari | Media Strategy | Solomon Islands | +6777574230
lisawilliamsonline@gmail.com

PFF Coordinator Jason Brown | Samoa Observer | Samoa | +6857604412 | subeditor@samoaobserver.ws

ABOUT PFF :

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. We are registered as an incorporated society in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

. . .

Police state attack in Fiji - PFF

Fiji police on parade - and under fire for attack on market seller.

Rarotonga, Cook Islands - 

Pacific Freedom Forum is condemning an assault by police and security forces on a market seller in Fiji, as well as his arrest for expressing criticism.

"An ordinary citizen appears to suffer persecution for exerting ordinary rights," says PFF Chair Titi Gabi.

Reports that a market seller in Fiji was hospitalised after being arrested for making comments about the country's military regime are disturbing, says the Forum chairs.

40-year-old Ram Chandra is alleged to have made some comments about the Prime Minister, the military and the government in Suva last month.

In court on 2nd July, his lawyer Naipote Vere said his client was assaulted at three different locations by Police and security officers and he is also an outpatient of St Giles hospital. He appeared again on 11th July and is committed to trial in October.

"The arrest and beating of Mr. Ram Chandra shows a descent by Fiji into petty police state activity," says Gabi.

Reports of the arrest and beating of the market seller, Ram Chandra were carried by Fiji Times, Fiji Village, and Fiji World News.

"PFF calls on the officers involved to be investigated, under proper due process," says Gabi, speaking from Port Moresby.

PFF joins the Fiji NGO Coalition on Human Rights in condemning the assaults, especially as they involve an attack on someone who has been a mental health patient, despite Fiji signing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and issuing a Mental Health decree.

Fiji police have a slogan of Salus Populi, a short version of a Latin phrase meaning “Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law".

However PFF co-Chair Monica Miller says the arrest and the beating of a market seller speaks of a trend in the opposition direction for people of Fiji.

"Targeting leading critics of the regime is not a new thing - arresting someone at a market reveals a police and security force more dangerously out of control."

She suggests that regime officials study the role of markets in society, including as a safety valve for expression of public sentiment.

"We ask that colleagues in Fiji monitor situations like this closely and, where they are unable to report themselves, inform domestic and foreign monitors, like the Pacific Freedom Forum," says Miller, based in Pagopago.

LINKS:

NGO Coalition on Human Rights raises concerns over continued restrictions to freedom of expression in Fiji

https://www.facebook.com/republikamag/posts/596497587049013

Market vendor appears on Malicious Act charge

http://www.fbc.com.fj/fiji/11917/market-vendor-appears-on-malicious-act-charge

Market vendor pleads not guilty to malicious act

http://www.fijivillage.com/?mod=story&id=020713a7a2bf97e5c5967d02d0bd01

Market vendor pleads innocent in malicious act case

http://fijiworldnews.com/market-vendor-pleads-innocent-in-malicious-act-case-9194

Man denies charges

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=238633

CONTACTS :

PFF Chair Titi Gabi | Freelance Journalist | Papua New Guinea  | +67573143929 |  titi.gabipng@gmail.com

PFF co-Chair Monica Miller | KHJ Radio | American Samoa | + 6842584197 | monica@khjradio.com

PFF Projects Lisa Williams Lahari | Media Strategy | Solomon Islands | +6777574230
lisawilliamsonline@gmail.com

PFF Coordinator Jason Brown | Samoa Observer | Samoa | +6857604412 | subeditor@samoaobserver.ws

ABOUT PFF :

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. Our registered base is in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

. . .