13 Mar 2007

Pacific news organisation says military treatment of journalists unacceptable

4:38 pm on 13 March 2007

The Pacific Island News Association, or PINA, has expressed its opposition to the media in Fiji coming under pressure from the military regime.

In a statement, it says it is unacceptable for journalists to be threatened, detained and questioned unreasonably.

The association lists a number of journalists who have been taken in for questioning in recent weeks.

PINA spokesman, Ken Clark, says despite agreements for the media to be responsible in its reporting, contentious issues such as alleged beatings at the hands of the military cannot be ignored:

"But it's not in the best interests of the community to hide these things away until at some vague future point the government of the day decides what it is going to do and how it is going to handle it."

Mr Clark says there needs to be constant communication to remind the military of the important role played by a freed and fair media.