By Anish Chand in Suva
Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has paid tribute to all those working the media industry in his message to mark World Press Freedom Day.
He said in his May 3 message thanks to democracy his coalition government had removed the “dark days of oppression and suppressions”.
“Today as we join the rest of the international community in celebrating World Press Freedom Day, let us recommit ourselves to the values and ideals of our fundamental human rights freedom of expression and the freedom of the press,” said Rabuka, a former coup leader.
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“With our recent history, let as not take this freedom for granted.”
Rabuka also remembered the late Sitiveni Moce who died in 2015.
RNZ Pacific reports Moce was left paralysed and bedridden in 2007 after being assaulted by soldiers shortly after the 2006 military coup.
“Today is also an opportune time to remember those in the media fraternity that made the ultimate sacrifice.”
‘Brave photographer’
“In particular, I pay tribute to my ‘Yaca’ (namesake), the late Sitiveni Moce who died in 2015.
“This brave newspaper photographer was set upon by a mob in Parliament House in 2000, and again by some members of the disciplined forces in 2007 for simply carrying out his job which was to capture history in still photographs.
“His death is a sombre reminder of the fickleness of life, and how we must never ever take our freedoms for granted.”
- Fiji was ranked 40th in the 2025 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index — a rise of four places in the ranking of 180 countries.
Republished from The Fiji Times with permission.
This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by Pacific Media Watch.
Pacific Media Watch | Radio Free (2025-05-03T23:37:44+00:00) Rabuka salutes Fiji media but warns against taking freedom for granted. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2025/05/03/rabuka-salutes-fiji-media-but-warns-against-taking-freedom-for-granted/
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