Document - Solomon Islands: Further information on fear for safety - Duran Angiki (journalist), his wife and 3 children; and Dykes Angiki (Duran Angiki's uncle), his wife and 7 children

PUBLICAI Index: ASA 43/12/00

5 October 2000

Further information on UA 303/00 (ASA 43/10/00, 28 September 2000) - Fear for safety

SOLOMON ISLANDSDuran Angiki (journalist), his wife and 3 children

Dykes Angiki, his wife and 7 children

The spokesperson for an armed political group that reportedly threatened a journalist and his family has said that their safety will be guaranteed.

In a Radio Australia interview yesterday (4 October), lawyer Andrew Nori, the spokesperson for the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF), an armed political group involved in the Solomon Island’s ongoing ethnic conflict, said that the MEF Supreme Council has “passed a resolution that no-one in the Malaita Eagle Force, including the leadership, should threaten or should harm Mr Angiki or any members of his family”. He also said that since last week, he has received “a lot of letters which were sent directly to me by fax” about journalist Duran Angiki, following appeals initiated by Amnesty International.

At an MEF press conference on 2 October, Andrew Nori denied having threatened journalist Duran Angiki or his family. However, he confirmed that he had warned Duran Angiki of the dangers of making provocative, sensational and false statements about the current crisis, claiming that Duran Angiki had been engaged in an “anti-Malaita Eagle Force false propaganda campaign”. He also said that the MEF leadership had earlier classified Duran Angiki a “potential security risk” because of his reporting. He reiterated the MEF’s commitment to free and unrestricted media in Solomon Islands, “provided that what is reported is true, is fair, and is informative”.

No further appeals are required. Many thanks to those who sent appeals.