Fiji government, opposition settle online censorship row

Fiji's main opposition Labour Party said Friday it had resolved a stand-off with the nation's military government over whether it needed to submit online statements for vetting before publication.

Fiji's information ministry this week criticised the party's website for allegedly posting "mischievous" statements and demanded in a letter that all future media releases be submitted for approval under new tough media laws.

"It has been noted that the Fiji Labour Party has been posting media press releases in its website calculated to undermine the government generally or bring disrepute to particular government officials," said the letter, which the Labour Party put up on its website.

The Pacific island nation's government has censored news outlets since it came to power in a 2006 coup and issued a decree last June further tightening control over the media.

The decree, which says all media outlets must be 90 percent locally owned, has cast doubt over the future of the Fiji Times, the country's largest circulation newspaper, established in 1869.

Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry said he met with information ministry officials Friday and reached agreement on how the party's website would continue to operate under the new rules.

"The media decree is intended mainly for newspapers and broadcast media... it's a bit grey with regards to websites," Chaudhry told AFP.

"We met with the information ministry and resolved amicably how we will proceed."

Chaudhry refused to disclose details of the agreement.

Fiji's self-appointed ruler Voreqe Bainimarama said in an interview with Australian public broadcaster ABC last month that he had to take a hard line against critics as he prepared the country for elections promised in 2014.

"This is not an ordinary government, we're trying to bring about reforms and changes, and for that [it is] understood that at some stage we'll need to shut some people up, and stop this from bringing about instability," he said.

Opposition

The opposition formed a coalition

Z-Online, 16/09/2010

1 out of 5 Photo: Alexander Shcherbakov / Kommersant Mikhail Kasyanov, Vladimir Milov and Boris Nemtsov and Vladimir Ryzhkov told that agreed on a coalition of democratic forces, "For Russia without arbitrariness and corruption." Intended to opposition leaders have called change of political course of the country and the authorities. They said they plan to create a political party and participate in the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections, and to start going to organize in Moscow the first protest rally. Sept. 16 at a press conference in the United Democratic Movement "Solidarity" Mikhail Kasyanov, Vladimir Milov and Boris Nemtsov and Vladimir Ryzhkov told that on 14 September signed an agreement establishing a coalition of democratic forces, "For Russia without arbitrariness and corruption." Mikhail Kasyanov told why such a step was taken: "Our main strategic goal - a change of political course in the country, which require a change of power, a course which we consider detrimental to the country." Narrated by former prime minister and how the coalition plans to change political course. According to him, planned to create a political party and take part in parliamentary and presidential elections. "We're not naive people, and understand that our political parties do not register, but our right to create it are written in the Constitution, and we will fight for them," - said the politician. Mikhail Kasyanov said that to defend their rights, in particular, is planned by the protests. First, according to the opposition, already scheduled for October 9. Can the opposition in Russia? "Theoretically, the opposition is possible even in North Korea"  > Recall that in early September, Mikhail Kasyanov said that "today we need to consider, as in the Duma and presidential elections" will represent the interests of democratic society. " He just talked about the need to create a democratic coalition and a new party. In particular, the leader of the VAT has reported that for the sake of the Democratic opposition in the State Duma elections in 2011 ready to work with "Solidarity" movement to create a new party. At the same time, Boris Nemtsov, said Kommersant that the political council of "Solidarity" movement decided to establish a party, but "with Mikhail Mikhailovich we have not discussed this issue." In this case, Nemtsov pointed out that now "the challenge to attract more supporters, and then discuss how to register. At the same time discussed the nomination of a single presidential candidate - then the potential partners, there was no answer. Mikhail Kasyanov said that to determine a single candidate for president demlagerya should be public - "a group of respected people who have unquestioned authority in society and in politics, these 20 men." Also, according to Kasyanov, competition within demlagerya should not be, "because this will be division and not unity." Boris Nemtsov was right it is a public procedure for the nomination: "It must be a single candidate chosen by a joint congress of democratic forces." Mikhail Kasyanov proposes to re-start reforms/ / And hopes to participate in the elections In late June, the Hotel Metropole, an international conference "The European path for Russia - misleading or natural selection?", Organized by the Russian Popular Democratic Union (RNDS) and the European party of liberals, democrats and reformers. Chairman RNDS Mikhail Kasyanov announced his intention to RNDS participate in parliamentary elections in 2011. Yabloko leader Sergei Mitrokhin, called this effort "maloosuschestvimymi dreams." [Open material]