USP academics hit a nerve RAJ: Leading campaign against USP academics. The drama over a press release by two University of South Pacific academics shows there is no escaping the dirty past of Fijis newly-laundered military dictatorship. It also proves that even if the ordinary citizen has been silenced by the ongoing intimidation, there are among our midst those who havent been institutionalised. Pat Craddocks and Matt Thompsons 11-paragraph statement has led to USP releasing one of its own, denouncing the pair and saying it has initiated an internal investigation. The journalism academics issued a statement on Sunday saying they were appalled at how a local journalist was denied accreditation to the Pacific Islands Development Forum and how another was allegedly harassed by police, while the head of Fiji’s military has justified torturing Fijian citizens. Craddock: Question of ethics. The chair of Fijis Media Industry Development Authority, Ashwin Raj, has predictably tried to downplay the significance of the statement, which has received wide coverage, describing Craddock and Thompson as self-selective moral entrepreneurs. Raj says 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. And yet the truth is just that: despite the efforts to reinvent Fiji, citizens are still living in a state of crisis and those upholding the regimes laws, like Raj, cant accept that not everyone has bought the propaganda that all is well and that the September 17 elections prove democracy is at long last making its glorious way here. Mosese Tikoitoga on the other hand recognises the damage hes done with his admission the RFMF beat and tortured citizens and in a subsequent interview with local media has moved to quell the story saying he was misquoted. He insists the military forces are apolitical and that what he told the Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne Age was that I wouldnt deny that these things happen. Tikoitoga also says it is mischievous of political parties or commentators to include the military in political discussions and the story about the beatings and torturing has led to questions about the RFMFs integrity. He is right to be nervous - discerning citizens have for a long time questioned the role and the integrity of the RFMF, now more so than ever with the elections just around the corner. Raj and Tikoitoga are both so far up the regimes inside Thompson: Statement was personal opinion. channels neither can ever concede that soldiers and officers alike have beaten and tortured and, yes, killed Fiji citizens. They will also continue to be in denial that journalists in Fiji have been penalised or sacked for speaking out about irregularities, inconsistencies and unfairness. Have we forgotten that just last month Fiji TV journalist, Anish Chand, was dismissed after the illegal attorney general, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, got wind hed asked questions about the way the election was being covered? Good on Craddock and Thompson for speaking out. As Craddock told Radio New Zealand International: 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 theres an election coming up, its not ethical for people to sort of shut up. Published by Coup fourpointfive at 3:11 PM
Posted on: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 03:40:35 +0000
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