http://www.pacificfreedomforum.org/2012/01/png-investigation-into-media-shooting.html
*
See item 7807 for background to the mutiny and
reports/pictures on Pacific Scoop:
http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/pacific-media-watch/png-post-courier-editorial-failed-mutiny-leave-it-courts-7807
RAROTONGA,
Cook Islands (Pacific Freedom Forum / Pacific Media
Watch): Journalists in Papua New Guinea must be able to
report the ongoing political tensions in the country without
fear or intimidation, says a Pacific media advocacy group,
the Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF).
Speaking from Port
Moresby, PFF chair Titi Gabi called for an investigation
after soldiers at the Murray Barracks in Port Moresby
reportedly threatened to shoot PNGFM reporter Tauna George
on Thursday, January 26, during last week’s mutiny
crisis.
George, a resident at the barracks, had rushed to
the front gates to see why shots were being fired randomly
on the same morning.
As he approached the main office to
request an interview, four soldiers ordered him to sit down,
searched him, removed his phone, notebook and pen, and
threatened to shoot him.
The act of aggression was raised
by PNG FM news director Belinda Kora at a press conference
called by ex-army colonel Yausa Sasa the same day. Sasa was
taken by surprise, apologised and ordered the return of
Tauna’s equipment.
“An investigation into the officers who
took it upon themselves to threaten the life of a journalist
going about his job would help them better understand how to
treat civilians and media workers during times of tension
and upheaval,” says Gabi.
“Anyone who has a gun pulled on
them and a threat to shoot is a victim of a criminal act,
regardless of timing or who is behind the firearm.”
She
says other incidents and comments on social networking sites
from PNG journalists have raised the need for media workers
to “be vigilant of their safety and rights, and lean on the
rule of law to help them do the best job possible.”
ABC
PNG stringer Firmin Nanol was also denied access to a press
conference organised the same day.
In front of other
media colleagues, Nanol was shouted at by the public
relations officer of the Defence Department and former
journalist Benny Sandeka, who was blaming ABC for ‘coup’
adjectives used to report last week’s event.
The threats
to PNG media in recent days come on the back of increasing
incidences of self-censorship and intimidation in recent
months within industry ranks.
Journalists in the
state-run National Broadcasting Corporation and EMTV have
noted unusual management decisions, delaying or pulling news
bulletins for perceived “imbalance”. In two cases, talk-back
callers to an NBC live show were asked on-air if their
comments were going to be for or against the O’Neill
government.
The troubled times for PNG newsrooms are
compounded by the current leadership void for the nations
once strong national media watchdog, the PNG Media
Council.
“We encourage our PNG colleagues to discuss and
report all acts of intimidation and harassment and promptly
make all concerns known to other colleagues in the media,”
says PFF co-chair Monica Miller, from American Samoa.
“Self-censorship often results when intimidation, threats
and silence become an accepted norm amongst journalists. We
need to deal strongly and consistently with this on all
fronts if we want to remain credible, independent and
free.”
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Comment on this item: pmediawa@aut.ac.nz
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Article source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1202/S00069/png-fm-reporter-threatened-during-mutiny-advocacy-group.htm
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