{"id":414330,"date":"2021-12-02T11:21:26","date_gmt":"2021-12-02T11:21:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/?p=67149"},"modified":"2021-12-02T11:21:26","modified_gmt":"2021-12-02T11:21:26","slug":"solomon-islands-riots-well-shoot-you-with-stones-abuse-for-journalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/12\/02\/solomon-islands-riots-well-shoot-you-with-stones-abuse-for-journalists\/","title":{"rendered":"Solomon Islands riots: \u2018We\u2019ll shoot you with stones\u2019 abuse for journalists"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>By Mike Tua in Honiara<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Facing angry rioters threatening them with physical attacks, Solomon Islands mainstream and freelance journalists and photographers were confronted with an unsettling reality during last week&#8217;s three days of rioting in Honiara.<\/p>\n<p>Local journalists in the country equipped with their cameras and limited protection were working solo on assignments for their newsrooms when the riots happened.<\/p>\n<p>A freelance and multimedia woman journalist, Georgina Kekea tells of the threats to attack her and her news crew by the crowd as they marched down to Vavaya Ridge road, next to City Motel in Central Honiara.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/?s=Honiara+riots\"><strong>READ MORE:<\/strong> Other reports on the Solomon Islands crisis<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cThey threatened to shoot us with stones and swore obscenities at us. They shouted, &#8216;Go away with your cameras!&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThose that knew me personally didn&#8217;t say anything. Those that did, I assume they knew of me but do not know me personally; some might not know me at all,\u201d says Kekea, who is president of the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t think any call for respect for journalists at this point would make a difference,&#8221; she told <em>Sunday Isles<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExcept that I am surprised that people who spoke highly of culture do not have any respect at all for culture.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8216;Women doing our job&#8217;<\/strong><br \/>\n\u201cWe are women doing our job just like any other, and if that\u2019s the way Solomon Islands men treat women in general, I am sorry for our country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are lost. Nothing will and can change unless we the people change ourselves. We will not make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kekea pleads for people to simply allow the media to do their job.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_67155\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-67155\" style=\"width: 680px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-67155 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Georgina-Kekea-SundayIsles-680wide.png\" alt=\"Freelance journalist Gina Kekea\" width=\"680\" height=\"485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Georgina-Kekea-SundayIsles-680wide.png 680w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Georgina-Kekea-SundayIsles-680wide-300x214.png 300w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Georgina-Kekea-SundayIsles-680wide-100x70.png 100w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Georgina-Kekea-SundayIsles-680wide-589x420.png 589w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-67155\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Freelance journalist Gina Kekea doing a &#8220;piece to camera&#8221; during the aftermath of the riots in Chinatown. Image: Lisa Osifelo\/Freelance\/SundayIsles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cMASI condemned the recent riots that happened and called on the authorities too to respect the work of the media,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>In a media statement from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PacificFreedomForum\/posts\/306701531456473\">Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF)<\/a>, chair Bernadette Carreon also urged the authorities to protect local journalists who are delivering crucial news to the public about the protests:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe media should be allowed to do their job unharmed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPFF is urging authorities and protesters to respect the media who are working to inform the public about the unfortunate events taking place in the city.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJournalists on location were attacked with tear gas, rubber bullets, and stones while protestors advanced towards the Solomon Islands Parliament house.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile we understand this was done to disperse protesters, said journalists were merely in the line of fire due to the nature of their job as frontliners.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe assault on members of the media is an assault on democracy.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; overflow: hidden;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPacificFreedomForum%2Fposts%2F306701531456473&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"419\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_67156\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-67156\" style=\"width: 680px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-67156 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TV-crew-Honiara-SundayIsles-680wide.png\" alt=\"Freelance journalist Georgina Kekea\" width=\"680\" height=\"509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TV-crew-Honiara-SundayIsles-680wide.png 680w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TV-crew-Honiara-SundayIsles-680wide-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TV-crew-Honiara-SundayIsles-680wide-80x60.png 80w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TV-crew-Honiara-SundayIsles-680wide-265x198.png 265w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/TV-crew-Honiara-SundayIsles-680wide-561x420.png 561w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-67156\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Freelance journalist Georgina Kekea and her freelance news crew cameraman &#8230; threatened by rioters while covering the mayhem in Honiara. Image: Lisa Osifelo\/Freelance\/Sunday Isles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Rioters smashed reporter&#8217;s phone<\/strong><em><br \/>\nSunday Isles<\/em> online newspaper multimedia journalist Alex Dadamu also faced harassment and his phone was smashed by rioters while covering the insurrection in and around the Mokolo Building near the Mataniko Bridge, Chinatown.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would say they used many hurtful abusive words towards me in the Malaita language and were too aggressive,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was standing in front of Mokolo Building near the Mataniko Bridge taking pictures secretly because the crowd does not want anyone to take pictures and videos. They announced it in the first place before and during the march down to Chinatown.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt one point, I took a picture and then put my phone back in my pocket. Unfortunately, a member of the crowd saw me take the picture.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe approached me aggressively, threatening to hit me. By that time, more members of the crowd were starting to join that guy to threaten me for taking the pictures.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey demanded that I hand over the phone to them. I humbly said, &#8216;sorry,&#8217; and handed over the phone because already my life was in danger of them beating me up.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feared for my safety and I humbly handed over the phone from my pocket and they smashed in on the tarseal road.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere goes my phone,\u201d says Dadamu.<\/p>\n<p>He says he and a colleague journalist from <em>Sunday Isles<\/em> (environment reporter John Houanihau) who were covering the unrest on November 24 were also affected by the tear gas targeted at the rioters.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Many lessons learned<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen asked if he was wearing press credentials (identification card) issued by <em>Sunday Isles<\/em>, he says: \u201cI showed them my <em>Sunday Isles<\/em> media ID card which identified me as a politics and development reporter.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dadamu says he learned many lessons from the incident and hopes this will make a difference in the future.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLesson learned and I don&#8217;t blame them. It is our job as reporters to assess the situation and take note of the dangers which might happen,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAdditionally, more awareness needs to be than so that people may know and understand more about the role of media in a situation such as these.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In another related incident, a woman journalist from <em>Island Sun<\/em> newspaper, Mavis Nishimura Podokolo, says that when covering the scene at the Town Ground area, west of Honiara, demonstrators verbally harassed and chased her, forcing her to get out of the area.<\/p>\n<p>Mavis appealed to the public to respect the work of local media practitioners and journalists in the country &#8212; especially in times of crisis.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe role of journalists is to inform the public and during the ongoing crisis or riot it is pivotal,&#8221; she says.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The work of the journalist is very important in a democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Mike Tua is a journalist at <a href=\"https:\/\/sundayisles.islesmedia.net\/\">Sunday Isles<\/a>. Republished with permission.<\/em><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_67157\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-67157\" style=\"width: 680px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-67157 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Simon-Tavake-SundayIsles-680wide.png\" alt=\"SIBC radio and television journalist Simon Tavake\" width=\"680\" height=\"483\" srcset=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Simon-Tavake-SundayIsles-680wide.png 680w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Simon-Tavake-SundayIsles-680wide-300x213.png 300w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Simon-Tavake-SundayIsles-680wide-100x70.png 100w, https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Simon-Tavake-SundayIsles-680wide-591x420.png 591w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-67157\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">SIBC radio and television journalist Simon Tavake patrolling the streets in the aftermath of the rioting in the Honiara\u2019s Chinatown. Image: Simon Tavake\/SIBC\/SundayIsles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"syndicated-attribution\">This post was originally published on <a href=\"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/2021\/12\/03\/solomon-islands-riots-well-shoot-you-with-stones-abuse-for-journalists\/\">Asia Pacific Report<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Mike Tua in Honiara Facing angry rioters threatening them with physical attacks, Solomon Islands mainstream and freelance journalists and photographers were confronted with an unsettling reality during last week\u2019s three days of rioting in Honiara. Local journalists in the country equipped with their cameras and limited protection were working solo on assignments for their<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[918,5,975,39199,38892,38998,39200,94,39201,652,39202,358,12,431,14,653,2573,417,887,8296],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/414330"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=414330"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/414330\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":424415,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/414330\/revisions\/424415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=414330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=414330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=414330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}