I was being far too generous in my assessment of the Fijian media last week in describing the Fiji Sun as a travesty of a newspaper. It is, in fact, a grotesque parody of a newspaper – a propaganda rag not only for the FijiFirst government but the Chinese Communist Party which the Fijian people can no longer trust and should boycott.
In the wake of the attack on a member of the Taiwanese Trade Office in Suva by two Chinese diplomats at Taiwan’s National Day, the Suva Embassy of the People’s Republic countered with the astonishing claim that it was their diplomats who, in fact, had been assaulted. The Chinese went to the Fijian police with that improbable account even though the Taiwanese representative suffered a head wound that had to be treated in hospital. As I said in the previous story, he obviously attacked the fists of the diplomats with his head.
Since the incident – first reported on Grubsheet – the Taiwanese Government has confirmed the story and as we’ve seen, it has been reported around the world in media outlets from the Washington Post to the Times of India. But it is a testament to the sorry state of the Fijian media – that I examined in detail last week – that only Vijay Narayan at Communications Fiji Limited/Fiji Village – has reported the story properly.
We know that the Fiji Sun is in a business relationship with the Chinese government in which it pays for the placement of Chinese Communist Party-approved stories in the Fiji Sun and trains young Fiji Sun journalists in China. But we now have proof of the corrupt nature of that relationship in the Sun’s coverage today of the violent Chinese attack on the Taiwanese representative at the Grand Pacific Hotel on Oct 8.
In keeping with its red banner, the Fiji Sun reports only the Chinese version of the story. It completely ignores the account given by the Taiwanese Government or the evidence of what actually happened, which is known to so many people in Suva that Grubsheet was able to learn of the story despite being in far-off Sydney, which is a sorry reflection on the Fijian media in itself.
The gravity of this wilful decision by the Fiji Sun to ignore the major element of the story and publish only the official Chinese account – ignoring the Taiwanese version altogether – clearly warrants being referred to the media watchdog – the Media Industry Development Authority. It is a case of Fijian media consumers being hoodwinked by a major media outlet in Fiji that takes money from the Chinese government. And it is also a classic case of corruption that ought to be referred to the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corrupt (FICAC), except that it won’t be because, as we’ve also reported in the past, FICAC takes its instructions from the Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, who also controls the Fiji Sun.
There is more evidence of the AG’s secret relationship with the paper in the Fiji Sun today with yet another “analysis” piece by the AG’s personal journalistic handmaiden, Jyoti Pratibha, again attacking the AG’s political arch enemy, the National Federation Party leader, Biman Prasad, and accusing him of being a serial liar. As we’ve already reported, the Fiji Sun has surrendered its editorial columns to the AG at the same time as it takes money from the FijiFirst government in an exclusive advertising arrangement to the exclusion of the Sun’s competitor, the Fiji Times.
For its part, the Fiji Times carries the Chinese attack on the Taiwanese Trade Office official on its front page today but it is a relatively brief story that contains little of the detail that is already on the public record and that is appearing in media outlets around the world. Only Vijay Narayan on the CFL radio stations has even attempted to give this story the prominence it deserves, which is a shocking indictment of the two main papers.
The Fijian people deserve a lot better than this. Because as Grubsheet has explained, the attack by the Chinese on a foreign citizen of any nation on Fijian soil is a dangerous precedent that must not be allowed to stand. It is clear that the Chinese Communist Party has the Fiji Sun very much in its pocket and has enough influence to make the Fiji Times a lot more cautious in its own reporting. It constitutes a betrayal of the media’s duty in Fiji to report without fear or favour and uphold the public interest above all else.
I cannot think of a previous instance of dereliction of duty on this scale and with such an insidious dimension. The Fiji Sun’s action in toeing Beijing’s line is unforgivable, as is its action in siding with a brutal dictatorship against a vibrant democracy in Taiwan. Realpolitik and adherence to the “One China policy” is for governments but genuinely independent newspapers have a duty to side with ordinary people and the truth. Readers know what to do. Don’t buy the Fiji Sun. And educate yourself to be much more aware of the way in which you are being manipulated.
Fijians can also put pressure on CJ Patel – the owners of the Fiji Sun – that controls about 20 companies in 10 countries, including Australia, New Zealand and India. If CJ Patel refuses to bring the Fiji Sun to heel and support the transparency and accountability that ought to apply to any media organisation in a democracy, then consumers throughout the Asia Pacific region have the power to bring the entire group to heel with a boycott of CJ Patel-owned businesses.
Here’s a link to the CJ Patel website:
Just pathetic Graham. Thank you for all what you doing.
Most intelligent people in Fiji know the value of the Fiji Sun and why it’s fake news so this should not come as a surprise.
Total control of a media organization by Govt is yet another example of why the playing field in Fiji is not a level playing field.
Everyone in Fiji knew about the Fiji Sun. Only the Fiji First Party supporters wants to read it. Waste of time reading Fiji Sun.
The FFP sheeple are the only ones who can’t see the truth behind the FS propaganda, in addition to the internal shambles their party is in right now.
CJ Patel own or distribute nearly every product that we consume or use every day, from Maggi Noodles to bongos, Rewa butter and milk, tuna, toothpaste, batteries to run our cars, the list is endless, however by boycotting the Fiji Sun it diminishes their advertising reach and hits where it really hurts, their back pocket. CJ Patel need to be held accountable for their rogue newspaper and put people before profit, drip feeding the nation propaganda on a daily basis and dumbing the nation down can only last as long as WE allow it.
#BoycottFijiSun
CNN, Washington Post, NY Times and the Guardian need to do the right thing and credit you for breaking the story. People in Fiji today are saying, look, now we can see the depth of the penetration of the Chinese Communist Party in Fiji. Clearly they have the Fiji Sun where they want them and the Government are not helping themselves or reassuring people in their response so far. If these guys get away with doing this sort of thing in public, they will be emboldened and people might reasonably ask who is safe and who is next?
We have known Fiji Sun is state media just like FBC. No independence at all. It has got to a point where I think Fiji Sun has no value even as toilet paper. And Jyoti is a disgrace to her profession. She is this government’s fluffer!
Google flugger!!
Hate autocorrect….should be Google fluffer!!
The Fiji Police Force will not be conducting further investigation regarding the alleged assault case lodged by a Chinese Embassy Official.
FBC Reporting the following:
@Acting Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu says the investigation file regarding the case has been filed as the matter is now being handled at the diplomatic level.
Tudravu says this has been agreed to by all parties involved.”
In another words, this will be swept under the carpet under the pretense of diplomatic issue and not a criminal assault matter under the laws of Fiji.
Clearly shows that Fiji is subservient to China as China controls all debt to Fiji and now has the power to manipulate Fiji, welcome to the new Silk Road
They may fall into that notorious debt trap which China is known for, similar to Tonga’s situation.
That’s why I prefer to get my news elsewhere on anything to do with Fijian current affairs, I only check the papers for sports only.
But when you have a failed lawyer and high school dropout in authoritarian control where none of them are smart, the Chinese commies will gladly swoop in and introduce them further into socialist ideologies.
Neocolonial silk road is happening, FFP leadership is too blind to see it.
Its a pity no one touch the real issue, The Taiwanese were having the private Anniversary Celebration for Taiwan as a Private Function and they did not invite the Chinese EMBASSY OFFICIALS.
What right the Chinese had to GATE CRUSH, caused havoc. Where were the Security Guards. Tudreu should have the guts to arrest them.
By the way were is the REAL COMMISSIONER OF POLICE.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs should seriously look in to this incident, get through unbiased urgent investigation to be carried out and all the CULPRITS should be deported.
Take cue from Australian Priminister as how he dealt with CHINA,
The Australians response to the Chinese threat involves the deployment of an anti-ballistic missile defence shield as well as land, sea and air based long-range and hypersonic strike missiles to project military power to the region as well as defend Australia against attack from targets emanating from the South China Sea.
The cost of setting up this missile defence and deterrence capability will take Australia’s defence spending beyond the 2% of GDP within which Australia has hitherto confined its defence spending.
How can the Fiji take it cue from Australia when it does not (1) have the capacity to address the poverty issue in Fiji (2) has a high school dropout as a PM who does not even understand what a GDP is all about ?
People of fiji must boycott Fiji Sun. That certainly will do bit of a harm to CJ.Patel.
By the way who controls Rewa Dairy?
Sam, I’m sorry but I’ve had to edited your posting to remove the reference to the AG. It is defamatory and the record shows that he sues.
Graham, Fiji Sun is obviously beholden to ASK.. but i want to pick your brains further on a related issue… why do you think ASK is obviously obsessed with Biman Prasad? This whole NFP donation saga is not an isolated thing. Even before the SOE Saneem came into the picture, ASK had mentioned NFP donation list in the last sitting of parliament in September. Every speech he makes in parliament seems to contain a direct or an indirect jab at the NFP Leader.
He often goes to the extent of blaming the Professor for the actions of Rabuka in 1987… so what gives?
And not surprisingly, you would know how much he fans many of the notable academics in Fiji.. so far so that the Fijian government made Tessa Price, an outsider and non-career academic the VICE CHANCELLOR of FNU for a while this year when Prof. Nigel Healey left unexpectedly and abruptly. This begs the question why Nigel left in the middle of the so many projects FNU had become engaged in under his watch? No sane manager does that… unless they really dont believe in their projects anymore??
You would also be well versed with how Prof. Brij Lal, Dr. Padma Lal, Prof. Wadan Narsey, Dr. Ganesh Chand, Dr Sunil at USP and Prof. Yash Ghai, and more recently Prof. Eddie McCaig and Prof. Joji Malani have been treated by the Fiji First government and regime. They even had another Dr. Brij Lal in their lineup, who was axed, as was Dr. Neil Sharma. The only 2 that seem to be surviving are Drs. Mahendra Reddy and Ifereimi Waqa (notwithstanding the fact Mahendra Reddy probably wouldnt even know an ethical dilemma he was smack in the middle of one :’D).
It would be unthinkable for a non-PhD to be holding the top academic spot at any Aussie institute.
Actually, this doesn’t just stop at Drs., but also extends to people like Richard Naidu, Shamima Ali, Imrana Jalal, and a plethora of others who are at the top of their game and could easily teach a university level course in their fields.
If it were a few people, it would be understandable, but it’s not just a few people. I imagine its some complex he seems to have developed over the years, but im still keen to hear from you. Is it just that he cant work with any other person who has different views from him? But isn’t that the cornerstone for how good things come about anyway? Arent dissenting views the catalyst of innovation and the path to reaching best solutions to pertinent problems?
I refuse to even look at the Fijisun.