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» Have Your Say now. (153 responses so far)

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1. Tuyawa of Australia 125 days & 4 hrs ago
   I believe that Fiji's media has got to where it is today due to the sheer hard work of foreigners and locals alike. FHRC have compromised themselves in taking this stance.

2. ian roche of Fiji 124 days & 20 hrs ago
   I know of one expatriate working in the media industry in Fiji. Last week there were two. At its height at the end of 2007 there were to my knowledge 3.
   The FHRC has done nothing to stand up for the people whose human rights have been truly compromised or interfered with...squatters, victims of police brutality, marginalised groups.

3. Atelaite Cama of Fiji 124 days & 14 hrs ago
   I think the media in Fiji is of a high calibre.

   As for the report i wouldn't bother wasting my time commenting on it's contents.

   It's a load of rubbish and reflects of the intelligence or otherwise of the author and the Chairwoman of the Fiji Human Rights Commission.

4. Ahmadiyyat of 185 Countries 124 days & 13 hrs ago
   Love For All Hatred For None.

5. Baba of Fiji 124 days & 11 hrs ago
   Some media in Fiji have overstepped their responsibility and have brought great disrepute to its organisation, it is a shame that our media has to ask for support, if only they had been responsible through out this wouldnt have been necessary.

   Very influencial people of our society or political parties are able to manipulate media out lets to such extent that it has losts it image and respect and credibility.

   To be true and show fair reporting their must be a cross section of the community who would appreciate nuterality and cosequential(intermittent outbusts without legal connotations) output. Media outlets should play very clear from politics and should be seen to be completely neutral.

   May be I have not researched well but some of these things are vital for media survival. Just note what has hapennd to Fiji sun can happen t0 Fiji Times.

   You can fight cases for years but if you loose your licence for publishing or broadcasting you indeed loose.

6. Dr. Jim Anthony of United States 124 days & 11 hrs ago
   The media barons and their surrogates ought to realize that:

   1. they made a strategic error in boycotting the media Inquiry. They were ill advised and they fell for bad advice.

   2. The media barons and their surrogates ought to adopt a more responsible attitude: histrionics are no substitute for facing the truth. Playing 'cry baby' now is plainly churlish, in poor taste and serves no useful purpose.

   3. The report is derived in large part from information provided by citizens of Fiji. It is a peoples' report. Its ownership is theirs. The media barons and their surrogates are choosing to quarrel with Fiji's long suffering public...not too smart but predictable based on past performance.

   4. The time has come for the government to act. As is customary no report is cast in concrete. Government will look at the report, tweak it perhaps here and there, and then proceed to use it as a basis to frame new legislation taking fully into account Fiji's history, its cultural characteristics and its current state of political awareness.

   5. Media barons and their surrogates ought to read the Fiji Daily Post's editorial of February 29--that editorial is hysteria free, measured, sensible and very much on target.

   The Media Council is dead as I said in the report. It ought to be given a decent burial and we should all move forward to find common ground. My reading of the situation is that this government is not likely to be bullied into submission. The media barons and their surrogates ought to learn to do some quick growing up and adopt a more responsible posture.

7. simeli tikoimua of Iraq 123 days & 3 hrs ago
   FHRC IS A PAIN IN THE BUTT,WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS BULLYING TACTIC,THEY CANT EVEN UNDERSTAND THE TRUE MEANING OF THE WORD HUMAN RIGHTS.WHAT A SHAME.

8. Ron Coleman of Australia 122 days & 15 hrs ago
   Having been a frequent visitor to Fiji since 1979, I have a deep and abiding affection for Fiji, and its' people of all races. I must say I am appalled by the events of December 2006 and the subsequent effect on your beautiful country.

   I have read Dr Shaista Shameems' attempt to justify and legitimise the illegal overthow of a democratically elected Government, compromising her independence as Chairwoman of the FHRC, and demonstrating that she has no credibility whatsoever.

   The report into Media clearly reinforces my view of Dr. Shameem.

   It is the role of the Media, in any society, to report the news fairly and accurately, without fear or favour, and to hold Governments accountable. Freedom of the press is an integral part of any self-respecting democracy and any Government that attempts to curb such freedoms is clearly suspect.

9. badgal of United States 122 days & 12 hrs ago
   I'm too disgusted to say anything. Fiji is going to the dogs in every aspect imaginable.

10. Kasanita Lindell of United States 122 days & 4 hrs ago
    Bring back freedom of the press!

11. Commentator of Other 122 days & 4 hrs ago
    Keep fighting on journalists of Fiji! We need someone to watch and document the crimes of this administration and it's total lack of accountability and transparency. Keep up the good fight!

12. Vani Veikoso of Fiji 121 days & 19 hrs ago
    The people's report, you say Dr Anthony?

    Which people, can we have names?

    Interim regime cannot be bullied into submission? Oh! because they have the guns they can use on the people if we try and give them their own medicine and "bully" them.

    Get real!

    These media avenues are our voice to the world. The real people you pupport to be the voice in your report.

    Vive la Fiji media! and Power to the people!

13. Brandon of United States 119 days & 18 hrs ago
    C'mon people you think the media is not manipulative. It says and does wateva it pleases. Just take a look at the media in USA. Its all Bush's for now, as the Fiji media was pro-Qarase, so it is anti-Banimarama (or is it anti indian). The people who run the media know that the fair minded indigenous, the ones that want Fiji to be multi-racial do not agree with the media most of the time. The medias biased reporting, devisive tactics to wedge venom, is not always understood by all the citizen. Also, we take the media at face value and do not dig even a little to see the real deal underneath.....control.

14. Katalina Balawanilotu of United States 119 days & 10 hrs ago
    Who are these people Jim -- name them.

    Your sources. Who are they?

15. sereyawa of Other 118 days & 7 hrs ago
    I read with interest the comments from the deporetd Fiji Sun editor especially towards James Anthony. He likes of James Anthony, Apisai Tora, S.Kuchappan & James Raman if i am correct were those that got thrown into prison for the 1959 strike! Fiji Mr Editor was at one time had almost similar laws to the white Soth Africa.If you were a Fijian, Indian or any other race accept a Kai Vavalagi or Part European you could not study at Suva Grammar Sch, you could not enter or even become a member of places like the Royal Suva Yacht Club. The Marist Brothers school in Toorak had to schools one for Fijians/Indians/chinese known as St Columbus and one for people of European desent & part Europens known as St Felix! You had to have a permit to buy liquor if you were not European or part European. James Anthony may have written areport that is biased- that is a matter of opinion especially when the door was open for all to go forward and list their concerns. I have not read the report.But for the former Editor to make say that MR Anthony "picked " up adegree form ANU-belittles both the INstitution and also the work that MR Antony put in to get his qualification. There will be those who will remeber the likes of Mr Antony, Apisai Tora, Kuchappan & Raman for the tyring time, effort and the life they gave for the Trade Union movement in Fiji! It gave the ordinary workers a voice that threatened the then established Institutions run by the "whites". Fiji came up thru the efforts of others in the Labour movement. The legacy of the Union movement can be seen and measured against the likes of Kuchappan-the SCC had a club house in his days, the workers both staff and non-staff has one of the best deals in the country- and these people were jusy ordinary people who never even had a secondary education! So whilst you are bitter about whats happened to you please remember you are in someones country-the rules to the game. If you tried this in Saudi Arabia you might could still be warming your butt on hot rod!

16. John of Fiji 116 days & 15 hrs ago
    Human rights refers to "the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled."[1] Examples of rights and freedoms which are often thought of as human rights include civil and political rights, such as the right to life and liberty, freedom of expression, and equality before the law; and social, cultural and economic rights, including the right to participate in culture, the right to work, and the right to education.

    Human Rights in Fiji means to take away the rights of people and give them nothing - NO RIGHTS.

17. Reapi Nayacakalou of Fiji 115 days & 13 hrs ago
    I believe that half the time the FHRC does not know what it is supposed to be doing. What its role is in the protection of our rights as citizens of this nation! Very early on after the events of Dec 2006 it became apologists of the Military Regime and they have lost the respect that should be afforded to this institution.

    The media has been censored by the military since the events of Dec 2006 never mind the commodores claims that freedom of the media is alive and well!

    Give us the news as it is, not polished and edited to suit the whims of the selfish few who already hold us at ransom by the barrel of the gun!

    The FHRC should do well to uphold the rights of the people of the nation whether we are under democratic rule or military rule - she jumped up and down at the violation of MPC's rights after the tax evasion report saga - she stayed completely mum on the deaths of Verebasaga, Rabaka & Malasebe - Is she for real????

18. Anasa T Rakarawa of New Caledonia 113 days & 19 hrs ago
    The Chairperson is a joke and I guess she does have a very short memory of the happennings in history. The USA did not want or willingly intend to be 'the guardians of human rights for the rest of the world'.

    The 'gross rights violations', and the 'Gauntanamo Bay Prisons'came about because of a major act of terrorism commited against the world on American soil not too long ago and this woman thinks that she has the qualifications to equal and even belittle the USA in her assumed role as the World's human rights guardian; or do I detect a sympathy with the September 11th perpetrators here?

19. expatinfiji of Fiji 109 days & 18 hrs ago
    I have read the report.
    I read the Fiji English language print media daily (all three versions) and have done since I came to reside here in 2005.
    Newspapers throughout the free world criticise the political incumbent, always have and always will, and they often do it well.

    If as Mr. Anthony postulates one or more of the print media gave the Chaudhry Labour Government a hard time (and I do not know as I was not here) well good on them. Maybe it deserved it. I should add I am not sure whether Mr. Anthony was here in Fiji then, or is he simply relying upon anecdotal evidence to make the statement.

    Mr. Anthony at no time addresses the current political situation in Fiji, which some would argue has impacted upon the dissemination of ideas.

    He fails to consider at all which form of media is relied upon by most of the population of Fiji (radio by a long shot), and whether that most popular form of media is influenced by "white barons" or in any way stifled or coloured by others. For my part I have absolutely no idea.

    Print media in Fiji is but a tiny part of the overall information dissemination process available.

    I fail to see that the circumstances he sets out in the report makes a case for what he describes as an "Article XIX report", at least not from the perspective of the media.
    
    Artice 19 states "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

    The Declaration of Human Rights is as much designed to protect a free press as it is to protect the rights of the individual. He appears to have ignored this aspect.

20. Fair dinkum of Australia 109 days & 8 hrs ago
    FREEDOM is what this interim government fears.

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