Fiji academics stand by comments

Transcript

Journalism experts at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji being slammed by the Media Industry and Development Authority as reckless and ill-informed say they stand by their comments.

Pat Craddock and Matthew Thompson issued a press release at the weekend speaking out about alleged government harassment of the media and justification of torture by the military.

Mary Baines reports.

The Chair of MIDA, Ashwin Raj, says statements made by Mr Craddock and Dr Thompson are unsubstantiated and have the potential to do irreparable damage to Fiji. He has labelled the academics as "ill-informed, self-aggrandising, self-selective moral entrepreneurs".

ASHWIN RAJ: These reckless academics are trying to instill fear among ordinary and decent citizens of Fiji and it constitutes yet another feeble attempt to keep us in a perpetual state of crisis.

Dr Raj has questioned why they didn't approach MIDA and make an official complaint before sending out the press release.

ASHWIN RAJ: It is all too easy in this context for foreign academics having barely spent any significant time in Fiji to drum the dialectics of freedom and unfreedom. Any responsible academic as a necessary measure would have first ascertained and corroborated the facts.

The acting journalism coordinator, Mr Craddock, says many of Dr Raj's comments go outside his role of chairman of MIDA, and stands by the press release. He says their concerns about the Islands Business editor, Samisoni Pareti, being denied accreditation to the Pacific Islands Development Forum without explanation, and Netani Rika, the Pacific Conference of Churches communications manager, being followed by Fiji's special police during the forum, are founded. Both Mr Pareti and Mr Rika have spoken about the incidents to Radio New Zealand International. Mr Craddock says the Ministry of Information has since apologised to Mr Pareti.

PAT CRADDOCK: Sharon Smith-Johns who is permanent secretary for information in this military government has apologised to Samisoni and says that it was incorrect communication between the Ministry and MIDA, which is Ashwin Raj's outfit. So he's sort of stepping out of authority.

Mr Craddock says they also made reference to Australian media reports of the Fiji military commander, Brigadier General Mosese Tikoitoga, admitting soldiers had beaten citizens who had expressed dissent, because no one else in Fiji was talking about it.

PAT CRADDOCK: We felt as academics with expertise in journalism, teaching young journalists to be ethical and bold, we had to speak out about this. Just because there's an election coming up, it's not ethical for people to sort of shut up.

Brigadier General Tikoitoga has since said he was misquoted. Dr Raj has called on the USP management to say whether it sanctioned the offending press release, but Mr Craddock says his views are personal and not the university's.