Assault of Media Personnel must STOP

Just last week Friday a senior Journalist from Post Courier Frankiy Kapin was physically assaulted and bashed up and other media personnel threatened by drunk officers from Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu' office. Named and charged was Steven Boting and others who were allegedly under the influence of alcohol. Boting and team will appear in court this week. The media fraternity in Lae are one solid unit and they all gathered to see these culprits who use their status in the community and province to act and think they are above the law.

This is not the first incident of such and it has always been the trend that journalists and reporters are threatened, harassed and assaulted by people who have the money to bully their way in the government system. Court cases after court cases, we still see nothing done to pursue the safety of the reporters/journalists at the industry, provincial and national levels. The ministry incharge must act now to safe guard the journalists around the country.

The Media Council

The Media Council must get down hard on such issues with the Ministry responsible and find ways to promote the safety of media personnel out in the field. This is not Iraq or the Middle East but reporters can get killed. Be realistic here this is PNG, killing when angry or upset has become a norm in our society in recent times. The MC must serve interests of reporters and journalists too, instead of just that of media organizations.

Why I say this is simple. Each media company has its own way of dealing with issues such as this recent one. Thus, there is no uniformity in solving or putting a stop to such assaults of media personnel. I think the MC should find a way or ways to take on all assault cases rather than the organization for which the journalists are employed at. The MC should visit centres like Lae which has a very vibrant media team.

Aftermath

What happens after the charges are laid, arrests are made and court dates are set? Nothing! I would like to see MC fund a trauma or evaluation of the victim or victims immediately. This must be done before the media personnel resumes work. Get an expert over to the journalist or reporter carry out an assessment. This can be very frightening for a female journalist or reporter. Stop giving the excuse that there is no funding, its simple get the brains together and seek funding.

Below is a statement by Gabrial Lahoc who is a senior journalist with the National Broadcasting Corporation. His statement gives an insight and the media's stand on such assault.

SOLICITING FAVOR FROM THE MEDIA USING VIOLENCE AND THREATS IS NOT TOLERATED

I condemn the actions of Steven Boting, the officer attached with Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu, who last Friday led a group of intoxicated men up to Trukai Farm for the groundbreaking ceremony of the SP Brewery Casava Project, which was well attended by the business houses and other stakeholders.

In full view of guests and the members of the public, Boting and those supporters of Governor Saonu mob-attacked Post Courier senior reporter Frankiy Guval Kapin and then made verbal threats against Larry Andrew of The National, Lucy Kopana of EMTV and Allan Luther Yonny of FM Morobe and accusing us reporters of not writing more stories of Governor Saonu and  accusing some reporters of being on the staff salary of former Governor Kelly Naru.

Boting and his mob also said their next target is NBC Morobe's Sylvester Gawi and EMTV's Julie Badui Owa. The Lae media pack have rallied behind our traumatised colleagues and made sure these perpertrators were arrested, charged and detained on Friday night (they got out on bail later) and will appear before the court this Wednesday.

Firstly, let me make it clear that we the Lae media have raised it already (with some of his officers and the governor) that having access to getting an interview with the good governor has been hard, either because he avoids interviews and also can not be reached.

Secondly, the two stories which got on the nerves of the staff and supporters of Governor Saonu are (1) the road accident story where a teacher couple and their children were killed instantly on their way to Nadzab - in this story, the Provincial Police Commander was quoted as saying the vechicle involved is linked back to the governor's family, and (2) the Gerson-Solulu Scholarship program where stranded Morobe students are still awaiting payment - in this story, the same Steven Boting representing the governor, was the one who was quoted saying the Provincial Executive Council has approved another K4m towards the scholarship, which Governor Saonu denied a week later when addressing students at the Tutumang.

Thirdly, Frankiy, as the main victim of physical assault, did not author these stories but got assaulted.

Ironically, three days earlier before this media attack, Noah Ariku who is attached the governor's office profiled Governor Saonu on Facebook and mentioned this: "He will make time to give interviews to the media after he brings the Provincial Budget funds to Lae and after he has a permanent PA appointed. He is also working on an annual Media Awards Program which will sponsor best forming journalists to international media events. It will also provide scholarships for outstanding journalists to pursue post graduate studies in over universities. He will launch the program once the guidelines and funding are in place. There are also other hot topics which he will share with the media shortly. His time right now is taken up with mobilising financial resources for the Morobe Provincial Government Budget 2018."

It is also ironic that even after perpertrators warned the affected reporters that getting police on Boting's boys is a dangerous action as they are hardcore criminals, they pleaded at the police station when being charged, to sort it out of court. Something all the reporters disagreed to.

Also be reminded that the office of the Governor for Morobe is the highest public office in the province and must be open for public scrutiny and must be transparent in its willing, dealing and decision making, which will affect the lives of the people - it does not belong to one  or selected ethnic groups and individuals.

To this date, it is not yet officially made known who the Governor's staffing is like, from Chief of Staff, Protocol Officer, Media Officer, Project Officer, etc.

We the Lae based reporters have walked the lenght and breath of this province, spents cold nights in the mosqitoe inefested jungles, crossed rivers, risked rough high seas and most importantly spent time with the people of Morobe in communities which are remote and isolated - just to write stories as part of the all important development process. This are feats, no political staff and supporters can do.

For us, Friday 16th of February, 2018, is one of the saddest and blackest day for the media in Lae.

To the Lae media family - Scott Waide, Franco Nebas, Junior Kelaga Ukaha, Pisai Gumar, Larry Andrew, Frankiy Guval Kapin, Bradley Mariori, Lucy Kopana, Allan Luther Yonny, Maisen Hungito, Raguel Kepas, Charles Kekeng, Sylvester Gawi, Phishon Vivienne Artang, Shirley Walai, Keven Bana, Julie Badui Owa, Zebedee Giame, Jimmy Kalebe and others not named - stand firm.

THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD