FIJI: Pacific Journalism Online shut-down

Pacific Journalism Online shut-down

SUVA — The Pacific Journalism Online web site at the University of the South Pacific (<http://www.usp.ac.fj/journ/>) has been closed by the USP administration. Vice-chancellor Esekia Solofa said the decision to shut the site — which is run by journalism students — was made for "security reasons".

"The recent damage [by supporters of coup leader George Speight] to Fiji Television premises show that because of Pacific Journalism Online, the whole of USP might have been at risk", said Solofa.

The web site, which includes the award-winning newspaper Wansolwara, has provided extensive, critical coverage of the political crisis in Fiji.

Alternative web sites of Pacific Journalism Online and Wansolwara have been established at <http://www.journalism.uts.edu.au> (thanks to the University of Technology, Sydney, journalism department) and <http://www.lookinglassdesign.com/wansolwara/wansol.html>.

From GLW issue 408