Fiji media seek support for Moce family
Senior media representatives in Fiji say several unsuccessful attempts were made to try and secure compensation for the veteran news photographer Sitiveni Moce whose funeral was held in Suva today.
Transcript
Veteran Fijian news photographer Sitiveni Moce Photo: Ricardo Morris
Senior media representatives in Fiji say several unsuccessful attempts were made to try and secure compensation for the veteran news photographer Sitiveni Moce whose funeral was held in Suva today.
Mr Moce passed away last Friday from debilitating injuries he sustained after being beaten by soldiers on two occasions during the 2000 and 2006 coups.
The editor of Fiji's Islands Business Magazine Samisoni Pareti said lawyers had advised them that although Mr Moce's injuries had left him semi-paralysed for over a year, too much time had passed to qualify a worker's compensation claim.
He spoke with Koroi Hawkins this morning from a little church just outside of Suva where the funeral service was just getting underway.
SAMISONI PARETI: The Peceliema Vou methodist church is a small church building on a suburb of Suva it is about 15 kilometres from downtown central Suva. I can't see room left in the church it is packed with mourners, family and friends of Sitiveni. This is a residential suburb of mainly blue collar workers so I would imagine that there is about 80 to almost 100 people inside the church. So the rest of us will just have to listen in from the outside.
KOROI HAWKINS: And you spoke with his widow last night I understand, how is she coping and how many children do they have and how are they faring?
SP: Mili the widow is coping very well. She is a young woman and she is used to the idea of having Siti leaving her and the young son Jione who is now 12 years old, alone when he has to go and do his work as a photographer, a very good one at that. And last night talking to her she is coping very well. And she did issue a plea to me and the rest of the journalists friends who turn up to her home last night - there were about twelve of us - and she gave the request that now that Siti has gone that she gave the request that all Siti's former colleagues won't forget her and the son Jione. It is sad Koroi and its unfortunate that you know death has beaten us to our efforts to help Sitiveni. We have tried all methods of trying to get him some help. We have contacted a number of lawyers who have told us that technically there is really nothing can be done because there is a time limit to when you can proceed with prosecution or even to seek compensation for the injuries sustained. We are hoping that commonsense will prevail, I mean he got injured through his line of work and we are hoping that his former employers through the Fiji Sun and the Fiji Times there will be some consideration for his widow Mili as well as his 12 year old son Jione who are now left without a father.
KH: Is it still dangerous for journalists working around controversial or sensitive issues in Fiji?
SP: Not as dangerous as it was then in 2000 when the rebels just took over and lawlessness reigned. Again in 2007, 2008 when there was strict censorship and the military rule was in existence. A lot of improvement now that we have a parliamentary democracy but then you just have to be careful I think is the best way to put it.
