Media Freedom Is Our Freedom – Fiji Sun Online

From left: femLINK Pacific executive director Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls, Fiji Sun managing editor training Nemani Delaibatiki, US Ambassador to Fiji Judith Cefkin, Fiji Times deputy editor in chief Elenoa Baselala, Senior Lecturer and Co-ordinator USP journalism programme Shailendra Singh during the World Press Freedom Day panel discussion at the University of the South Pacific in Suva on May 3, 2017.

This is an edited version of Nemani Delaibatikis My Say on last nights FBCs 4 The Record programme.

There has been a lot said about Media Freedom in this country coinciding with World Press Freedom Day celebrated on May 3. Media Freedom is all our freedom. When people attack media freedom they attack all our freedom because Media Freedom is an important pillar of democracy.

Journalists must be allowed to freely do their work. Last year three of our female journalists from FBC, Fiji TV and Fiji Sun were attacked outside the Suva Court by members of the public. As far as the Fiji Sun case is concerned, we have not heard what had happened to the suspect, after a complaint was lodged with the Police.

Journalists have a legitimate and lawful role to play in our democracy. Anyone who tries to stop a journalist from carrying out his or her work is breaking the law.

Journalists must be allowed to work in an environment that is free and without fear or intimidation.

We should condemn all acts of violence, threats and intimidation against journalists.

Journalists have responsibilities that come with Media Freedom. There is no such a thing as absolute freedom. Its the same in many democracies around the world. There are laws that are there to protect people. The Defamation Law is a classic example. It gives people the right to sue a journalist if they feel they have been defamed. Journalists here are required to adhere to a code of ethics that is incorporated in the Media Decree. There is nothing new in the code because it was adopted from the practices of the past.

I want to say categorically that we enjoy media freedom in Fiji, that journalists are free to do their job. There seems to be a perception that there is no media freedom or that the media is restricted. That is not true. If it was true we would not have a robust media today that includes two daily newspapers and a number of magazines, a host of radio stations and three television stations operating in a very competitive media environment.

The fear is a hangover from the days of the censors in the newsroom. Those days are long gone and Id like to encourage all journalists to go out and do their job. Parliament has also repealed the penalty provision for journalists in the decree. If journalists follow the basic rules of journalism that their stories are accurate, fair and balanced and in the pubic interest there is nothing to worry about.

We all need to be grateful and build on what we have today. Its a far cry from those dark days when journalists worked under immense pressure during the height of the political upheaval.

Media Freedom should not be viewed purely by whats happening now. But it should be taken into context with what has happened since 1987.

We should all do whatever we can within our power that we do not go back to 1987. We know what happened in 1987. A lot of people were hurt and the economy went into a tailspin. Racial and religious division and disharmony plunged the country into a serious political crisis. Only a minority benefitted from the turmoil that ensued. The first and subsequent coups just prolonged the agony. The barriers that divided us and bred prejudices and racism have now gone. We now have a Constitution that for the first time eliminates racial segregation. We now have equal citizenry and common identity. This provision outlaws discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, religion, colour of skin, physical conditions, gender and sexual orientation. These are universal principles that are strongly rooted in many religious beliefs including Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Everyone is equal before civil law and Gods law.

But the events of 1987 clearly breached the law on both fronts.

One of the responsibilities of the media today is to report and articulate issues to help people make responsible decisions so that there is no repeat of 1987 and the subsequent coups.

The media cannot operate in isolation and say thats not our responsibility. Anything that incites racial and religious tension is obviously not good for us.

Again I reiterate that while the media enjoys this freedom it also has an important responsibility to protect and defend democracy and all the principles enshrined in our Constitution.

The media is an essential stakeholder in our quest for peace, tolerance, stability and prosperity.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj

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Media Freedom Is Our Freedom - Fiji Sun Online