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Fiji's mark on Cartoon War9.02.2006
The re-publication of the infamous Danish cartoons depicting Islam's most revered prophet by the Daily Post paper triggered a debate on the limits of media freedom in Fiji, which has a Muslim population of about seven percent.
The Fiji Times stood in stark editorial contrast to its rival the Fiji Daily Post in the Prophet Mohammed cartoon row.
In a full-page editorial headlined 'Cartoons - drawing a line on violence', Fiji Times editor Samisoni Kakaivalu described the Daily Post's decision to reproduce the controversial Danish caricatures as "provoking anger in a quest to boost newspaper sales" and "an outrage."
The editorial did not specifically name the Daily Post only saying that several newspapers around the world and "one in Fiji" had published the caricatures which have caused a storm of protest across the Muslim world in and countries in which they have appeared.
In contrast, the Daily Post's front page today carried a banner headline reading 'WE WILL NOT BE MOVED' accompanied by a cartoon of managing director Mesake Koroi portrayed as a crusader with a fountain pen for a spear and newspaper as body armour.
It was responding to calls from Muslim groups for the resignation or the sacking of its editors over the 12 cartoons.
The accompanying story said: "The newspaper stands its ground stressing what it did was merely 'reporting' as it was in the business of news reporting."
Koroi was quoted as saying he had received positive comments from readers about the publication and the newspaper's strong stand.
"We have been condemned by some, no doubt, but we as media have a role to inform and we were just fulfilling that duty," Koroi said.
The Fiji Times' editorial, which admitted "selectively reporting" on the controversy said the issue boiled down to "rights and responsibilities". It said that the defence of "freedom of the press" in publishing the cartoons was "rubbish."
Kakaivalu's editorial comment accused the Daily Post of breaching media ethics adding that the original issue and the cartoons for them "remain both unnewsworthy and in questionable taste."
"Media freedom is not at stake. Instead, media responsibility is under the spotlight, and has been placed there gratuitously by publishers clearly seeking to boost newspaper sales."
The Daily Post also came under fire from political leaders, led by Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase. Some called on the newspaper to apologise.
Opposition leader Mahendra Chaudhry said the newspaper had sensationalized the issued and disregarded Fiji's multicultural population.
National Alliance Party member Filipe Bole said the reproduction in some overseas newspapers had led to riots and the burning of buildings.
"One would have thought that this fact alone should have been sufficient to dissuade the newspaper from using the same cartoon illustration for its story in Fiji," the Daily Post quotes Bole as saying.
By Pacific Monthly
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