Fiji journalists threatened in hostage crisis

SUVA: Staff members of the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation have been given 24-hour police protection after reporters were threatened by a group claiming to represent coup leader George Speight, the Fiji Times reports.

The reporters received a phone call yesterday from a spokesman claiming to represent the group.

He threatened to storm the premises at midnight and accused the reporters of not reporting Speight's comments and not having a reporter inside Parliament [where elected Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and his government have been held hostage by gunmen for six days].

Four policemen were posted outside the station from the afternoon and it is understood that police protection will be maintained until the crisis is over.

The FBC management declined to comment.

* Fiji Web Sites for information on the insurrection:

http://www.usp.ac.fj/journ/ - Pacific Journalism Online: Reporting, pictures from University of the South Pacific's student journalists - and analysis from USP staff

http://www.fijilive.com - Fiji Live: Breaking news from 'The Review' journos - SOMETIMES OUT OF ACTION.

http://businessnews.com.fj - ALTERNATE SITE FOR FIJILIVE!

http://rugby.com.fj/coup/ - ANOTHER ALTERNATE FOR FIJILIVE!!!

http://fijivillage.com/ - Web site linked to FM96 and 'Fiji Times'.

http://www.pacnews.org - PACNEWS Pacific News Agency Service.

http://www.pinanius.org - Pacific Island News Association's Pina Nius Online.

Other good non-Fiji sites:

http://pidp.ewc.hawaii.edu/pireport/ - Pacific Islands Report at East West Centre, Hawaii

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