* Pacific Media Watch Online:
SUVA: Fiji Islands reporters were abused and threatened outside the Labasa courthouse on the northern main island of
Vanua Levu minutes before rebels were to appear before magistrate Maika Nakora, the Fiji Times reports.
On one occasion, armed soldiers guarding the Labasa Magistrates' Court verbally abused Fiji Times reporter Ruci Mafi
before one slapped a camera out of her hand.
Another soldier later swore at her, saying the courthouse was out of bounds.
He also threatened to shoot despite attempts to reason with him.
Magistrate Nakora intervened to allow reporters into his courtroom later yesterday.
Complaints made to the Fiji Military Forces headquarters will also be looked into.
Three soldiers involved in the scare also waved their guns at the driver of a four-wheel drive vehicle the reporter was
travelling in.
Two other reporters were also threatened outside the courthouse by soldiers yesterday.
* Rebels led by failed businessman George Speight seized Parliament at gunpoint on May 19 and held the elected Mahendra
Chaudhry coalition government as hostages for 56 days. Since July 27, the Fiji military have mounted a crackdown on
lawlessness and arrested Speight and hundreds of his followers.
With the cases at Labasa being reported above, magistrate Nakora released 32 men on bail after they were charged with
unlawful assembly, obstructing public roads and obstructing a police officer.
+++niuswire
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE: http://www.pmw.c2o.org
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is an independent, non-profit, non-government organisation comprising journalists, lawyers, editors
and other media workers, dedicated to examining issues of ethics, accountability, censorship, media freedom and media
ownership in the Pacific region. Launched in October 1996, it has links with the Journalism Program at the University of
the South Pacific, Bushfire Media, the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism, and Pactok Communications, in
Sydney and Port Moresby.
(c)1996-2000 Copyright - All rights reserved.
Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit educational service. Copyright remains the property of the
original producers as indicated. Recipients should seek permission from the copyright owner for any publishing.
Copyright owners not wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The views expressed in material
listed by PMW are not necessarily the views of PMW or its members.
Recipients should rely on their own inquiries before making decisions based on material listed in PMW. Please copy
appeals to PMW and acknowledge source.
For further information, inquiries about joining the Pacific Media Watch
listserve, articles for publication, and giving feedback contact Pacific
Media Watch at: E-mail: niusedita@pactok.net.au or: bfmedia@mpx.com.au Fax: (+679) 30 5779 or (+612) 9660 1804 Mail: PO
Box 9, Annandale, NSW 2038, Australia or, c/o Journalism, PO Box 1168, Suva, Fiji New website: http://www.pmw.c2o.org