PHILIPPINES

In a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Interior and Local government, José D. Lina, Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders - RSF) expressed its deep concern after the death of Mohammad Yusop, a radio broadcaster for RXID in Pagadian City, on Mindanao Island (south of the country). RSF asked the minister to ensure that the inquiry is conducted in a fair spirit in order to establish the motives of the killing, and identify and judge the culprits. "Impunity should not be the rule in this region of the Philippines where journalists are frequently exposed to violence," explained Robert Ménard, the RSF general secretary. According to the information collected by RSF, Mohammad Yusop, commentator for RXID radios a member of the Islamic Radio Broadcasting, was killed on 24 February 2001 by a bullet in the head in Pagadian City. According to a police officer questioned by Agence France-Presse, two unidentified individuals shot the journalist while he was on his way on his motorcycle. Nobody claimed responsibility for the murder and the police launched an inquiry. On 17 November 2000, Olimpio Jalapit, broadcaster for the private radio station DXPR, was killed in Pagadian City. A man on a motorcycle shot at the journalist and his driver before escaping. A few hours before the crime, the journalist received a message on his mobile phone: "I will kill you today". According to his colleagues, the broadcaster had several enemies among local politicians, mafia and Muslim separatist rebels. In his broadcasts, he frequently denounced corruption in the province. A witness identified a suspect but the police never arrested this person.

 

EAST TIMOR

TETUN TV GOES ON AIR
A UN-sponsored TV station has finally gone on air in East Timor, Portuguese TV reported on Saturday. TV-TL, which is only station in the former Portuguese colony, has begun broadcasting in the local Tetun language, and has met the approval of the local people, Portuguese TV said. Set up last May by the UN with 14 Timorese staff and three foreigners, it only recently began broadcasting on a daily basis and while some of its programmes are produced in Timor, the rest of its schedule is filled with transmissions by the BBC or Portuguese state TV. TV-TL employees said the station's support staff loaded their equipment onto horses and walked for miles in order to reach outlying areas in order to bring recorded programmes to people who sometimes had never even seen television before. Staff said they themselves found it difficult to understand Portuguese broadcasts and that in some areas people had shown their dislike of the Portuguese programmes by throwing stones at the TV screens. The project aims eventually to bring the TV broadcasts to the whole of the territory and to include other languages, Portuguese TV said.

 

FIJI

JUDGEMENT HAILED - UNCERTAINTY FOLLOWS
By JOYCELYN NARAYAN SUVA
(Pasifik Nius): Constitutional lawyers, political scientists and analysts hailed the Fiji Court of Appeal's judgement upholding the 1997 constitution as the country's supreme law, but the country was plunged into uncertainly about the future. Academic staff and a constitutional lawyer interviewed by Pacific Journalism Online agreed that the court had reached the "right decision" in declaring that the constitution was intact. The judgement upheld the judgement of Justice Anthony Gates last November 15 against an appeal by the interim regime. Politics lecturers Dr Tarcisius Tara Kabutaulaka and Dr Sandra Tarte at the University of the South Pacific both considered the judgement a good one, but were cautious about how Fiji would respond. Many shops in downtown Suva were closed and there was an air of apprehension. A constitutional lawyer with a major Suva law firm, Richard Naidu, said: "The decision is a good omen for a sensible resolution to be reached for this crisis." According to Naidu, the short-term consequences would be important for Fiji because it would involve people working together to determine the future of the country. "The Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) will have to get together and appoint a new President by the end of the term stipulated by the Appeal Court," said Naidu. When asked about who he thought be Presidentafter March 15, Naidu declined to comment. "I would not like to speculate on something as important as that. It is up to the GCC to appoint whoever it chooses and sees fit for the position," he said.

he court ruled that:

* The 1997 constitution remained the supreme law of Fiji and had not been abrogated.

* Parliament had not been dissolved - it was prorogued on 27 May 2000 for six months.

* The office of the President became vacant when Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara took effect on December 15. Vice President Ratu Josefa Iloilo may perform the functions of the President until March 15. "We conclude that the interim civilian government has not proved it has the acquiscence general of the people of Fiji," the judgement said. "Accordingly, it cannot be recognised as the legal government." The judgement added that the elected government was "said to be ready to take over and is awaiting the outcome of this appeal.

 

 

INTERIM GOVERNMENT TO 'REVIEW' COURT RULING
By Joe Yaya SUVA

(Pasifik Nius): Fiji's interim regime says it will review the Court of Appeal ruling today before making a decision, although interim Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase had earlier said the administration would abide by the court's judgement. The Interim Minister for Communication and Information, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, told Fiji Television tonight the regime was disappointed with the failure of its appeal. He said the administration would make a statement after the interim Attorney-General, Alipate Qetaki, presents the analysis of the "full judgement" before cabinet tomorrow. "Cabinet will now have to look at the options available to it, and advise the president," Ratu Inoke said. The Court of Appeal also declared Ratu Josefa Iloilo as acting-president for three months after Ratu Kamisese Mara resigned on 15 December, 2000, in accordance with section 88 of the 1997 Constitution. Ratu Josefa's term as acting-president expires on March 15, unless he is appointed as President by the Great Council of Chiefs before this date under section 90 of the 1997 Constitution. Meanwhile, the Great Council of Chiefs has scheduled a meeting for next Thursday in light of today's declaratory ruling, although GCC chairman Sitiveni Rabuka is still away overseas. Deposed deputy prime minister Dr Tupeni Baba said the ruling would become a precedent for similar situations around the world. "This is a major success and victory for the principles of law and order and for the process of democracy, and a major commendation for the way the people of Fiji have held out through these difficult times," Dr Baba said. Deposed prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry said he still saw himself as the lawful Prime Minister of Fiji. Speaking to Radio Tirana in Auckland, New Zealand, from New Delhi, Chaudhry said: "The immediate priority is to get Parliament back, and once that is in its former shape, then other things can be discussed." Deposed deputy prime minister Adi Kuini Speed said her party, the Fijian Association Party, welcomed the court's decision. "We are very excited and it's a great victory for democracy and for peace in Fiji," Adi Kuini said. The respondent in the appeal case, Indo-Fijian refugee farmer Chandrika Prasad, changed the constitutional future of the country in his fight to declare the 1997 Constitution valid. "I did it for the country, not for myself, so that our children can live properly," he said.

 

 

COALITION BACKS BABA SUVA

(Pasifik Nius): Elected members of the Fiji people's coalition government have backed deposed deputy prime minister Dr Tupeni Baba and a government of national unity as the best way forward to solve the country's political vacuum, the Sun reports. This follows a meeting on Monday evening at the home of Fijian Association Party (FAP) leader Adi Kuini Vuilaba Speed, also a deputy prime minister in the elected government. Many Indo-Fijian members were present, although deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry was not. The resolution was then taken to a meeting of the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) management committee held at Chaudhry's home at Suva Point. Adi Kuini said yesterday that a government of national unity with a multiparty cabinet was the best way forward for Fiji. She said Chaudhry, who had previously shot down the idea of a GNU, should step aside for an indigenous Fijian. Adi Kuini told the Sun that Dr Baba, a former University of the South Pacific professor, was the Coalition leader "right now". However, the Daily Post reported that the country's leadership struggle had taken a new turn with another contender entering the fray. The Information Minister in the interim regime, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, was backed as prime minister by the Soqoqoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT) party to the acting President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo. Referring to the coalition leading a potential GNU, SVT president Ro Epeli Mataitini said: "We're not prepared to work under them." The SVT, founded by former coup leader and prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka, has only eight seats in the 71-seat Parliament. The coalition commands at least 43 seats. The Fiji Times reported that the interim regime would not resign until asked to do so by the Great Council of Chiefs. Acting President Iloilo was informed of this decision after the cabinet met yesterday. The decision of the cabinet was against the advice of the Attorney-General's office that in line with last week's Appeal Court ruling upholding the 1997 multiracial constitution, there was no option but to resign, the Fiji Times reported..