* Pacific Media Watch Online - check the website for archive and links:
* Post a comment on PMWs' Right of Reply:
ZINCK SLATES BBC REPORT
SUVA (FijiLive/Pacific Media Watch): A British Broadcasting Corporation country profile on Fiji highlighting differences
between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians has stirred conservative politicians with Labour Minister Kenneth Zinck
describing it as "rubbish", the Daily Post reports.
The BBC report said: "Fiji¹s population, which resides mostly on the two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, is
divided almost equally between the indigenous Fijians and ethnic Indians.
"Mixing between the two groups is minimal, and informal segregation runs deep at almost every level of society."
Zinck condemned the statement, claiming he had not seen any such ethnic division between Indians and Fijians in Fiji.
"We do not see any ethnic violence in our streets. Even in the working environment, all races are working together and
we do not see each other as someone of a different race but as individuals,' Mr Zinck said.
"Even this cyclone is evidence enough that the two races actually work together in times of need: The Indian men who
went out to save the Fijian fishermen, the Indian man who kept those people in his house, safe from the damaging forces
of Cyclone Ami."
+++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 based in Sydney, Journalism Studies at the University of PNG (UPNG), the Australian
Centre for Independent Journalism (ACIJ), Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, and Community Communications
Online (c2o).
(c)1996-2003 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.