The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls on Fiji’s administration to reconsider its process for holding public consultations on a controversial Media Decree, and ensure all stakeholders are given the opportunity and adequate time to provide input on the decree.
The IFJ is concerned that the administration of coup leader Frank Bainimarama has said it would allow only one week for consultation on the decree before implementing it at the end of March, while two leading news outlets have been banned from participating in the process.
Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Information, Lieutenant Colonel Neumi Leweni, announced on March 13 that the decree was to be made publicly available on March 15, and any public submissions were due in his office by March 24.
He also reiterated that Fiji Times Ltd and Fiji Television Ltd were banned from participating in the consultations.
However, the public consultation that was expected to begin today has been postponed indefinitely as Fiji contends with a cyclone. The decree does not appear to be available on the government’s website.
The IFJ is advised that public consultation procedures in most democratic countries around the world would be expected to last six to eight weeks.
“Fiji’s administration cannot be taken as serious about public consultation on a significant policy initiative when it has stated it plans to allow such little time for public review and the receipt of submissions, and is actively excluding two leading media outlets from the process,” IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said.
Leweni said in a statement that the decree was intended to address “issues” in Fiji’s media industry and improve professionalism and “responsible reporting”.
The IFJ’s concerns about the Media Decree are framed by intensifying repressions against independent media and freedom of expression in Fiji throughout 2008 and 2009, with authorities conducting police raids on media offices, deporting publishers and editors, calling for media houses to be shut down, and banning some foreign journalists.
All-out censorship was imposed in April 2009 under emergency regulations.
“The Bainimarama administration must do all it can to ensure independent stakeholders are fully involved and consulted on the decree, whether or not the administration agrees with or likes their input,” White said. “Without this engagement, the decree will likely be regarded as a tool for controlling media rather than promoting media professionalism.”
For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 125 countries worldwide