Last week, ABC radio journalist Steve Holland resigned in anger following a Media Watch report that attacked his reporting over a contracting scandal involving alleged nepotism over East Timor rice contracts. He says that attempts to black ban the foreign media by the East Timor government fail to do justice to the fledgling democracy.
East Timor this week celebrates 10 years of independence, but it seems the country is struggling to grasp basic democratic principles.
The East Timor government recently ordered a media blackout on the ABC after the broadcaster ran a series of stories that a government spokesman dubbed “Ricegate”, to which I contributed.
“Ricegate” demonstrated that multimillion dollar government contracts had been awarded to companies linked to family members of East Timorese ministers.
From the start, not many people wanted to talk about these government contracts, which were awarded to many companies as part of food security plans implemented in 2008 — amid fears of a looming rice crisis.
I was one of two reporters who covered “Ricegate” since the start of the investigation — and the wall of silence was encountered early.
Two of the businesswomen at the centre of “Ricegate” — one Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao’s daughter Zenilda, the other Minister Joao Goncalves’ wife Kathleen — went silent when the names of certain companies were mentioned.
More puzzling was the fact Minister of Economic Development Joao Goncalves could not recall the names of the many companies his wife owned or part-owned. Though, he did concede he knew one was awarded a government contract.
In many ways it’s understandable the businesswomen didn’t want to discuss their dealings and government connections.
And a minister’s reluctance to elaborate on his wife’s professional practices should come as no surprise.
But it is alarming when a democratically elected government openly declares a media blackout because it’s unsatisfied with the way an independent news organisation is reporting a particular story.
In my mind, this level of censorship defies fundamental democratic principles of openness and transparency.
An East Timor government spokeswoman this morning was unavailable for further comment on the media blackout.
It seems clear East Timor still has a lot to learn about democracy. And it should. It is a young, small country that, while trying to map its future, must overcome the many burdens that still linger.
East Timor is one of poorest countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the nation was forged on a battlefield and violence can soon erupt and reignite tensions of the past.
Prime Minister Gusmao fought for the freedom of his people when he led East Timor to independence 10 years ago.
In an unofficial translation issued in a press release by East Timor’s opposition, and carried by Australian media, Prime Minister Gusmao was quoted saying: “So I warn Australian journalists that they should not tamper with my government, during 24 years, they signed to steal East Timor’s oil, now they come with a lot of talk, continuing to say that we are a good-for-nothing people.
“No, you don’t play with me, sometimes we smile with one another, but don’t play with Xanana.”
Perhaps, on this anniversary, it’s time for East Timor’s government to look at itself, to remember all those lives that were lost in the country’s battle for freedom, and think about what that freedom really means.
I saw the Media Watch report, which seemed to be right on the money, I had hoped that they would take on Eric Campbell’s Foreign Correspondent report on Venezuela, which portrayed a different country to the one I visited some months before. Asking the US Foreign Policy Institute to comment on Chavez, is like asking George Bush to comment on Saddam Hussein. The ABC has been completely emasculated, has no shred of independent journalism left anywhere but the occasional report on Radio National, and is so bereft of talent and independence of thought that it needs to give airtime to the right wing fanatics from news ltd etc. It was initially established as an alternative news source to the commercial media but alas now it merely parrots them. Vale ABC.
Did you resign from the ABC just because Media Watch had a go at you Steve? Right or wrong, wouldn’t it have been better to stay?
To paraphrase Yeats, “things come together, the centre congeals, the left lose interest and the right remain complacent.”
Or Cool Hand Luke, “what we have here is an unfortunate case of accurate communication.”
Pity the messenger, whistleblower, truth teller or fool believer in Principle.
Bring back the Fool or Trickster whom, since rocks were first banged together, every society has had.
Until now when there is no place, like Tom Lehrer returning to teaching maths after Dr K received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Vale Truth, RIP.
MICHAEL CROOK – Like you, I followed the segment on Media Watch, and it appeared to me, that the journalist didn’t investigate the matter thoroughly prior to making the statements/allegations? It seemed straight forward, that the PM’s daughter wasn’t the owner of the company in question at the time of the contracts being awarded. Did Steve do an interview with either of the people mentioned in his ‘story’? The PM and his daughter? “More puzzling was the fact Minister of Economic Development Joao Goncalves could not recall the names of the many companies his wife owned or part-owned. Though, he did concede he knew one was awarded a government contract”. Perhaps he isn’t interested in her businesses? Perhaps he was busy, who knows? He’s not his wife’s ‘keeper’?
Funny how I didn’t hear outrage by the ABC when the Howard/Downer/Vale trio stole East Timor’s oil and gas, and then insulted my intelligence by crying, ‘after all we’ve done for you’ rubbish(via Downer). Where was the outrage then? Who resigned from the ABC in righteous anger? Not a soul, not a whimper? It was left to a private individual and supporters to inform the public!
Steve, it was the people who made the change in East Timor, not the Howard govt, who took on a patronizing and paternalistic attitude to that impoverished country and its wonderful people. We took to the streets in big numbers, in solidarity with the people, and in absolute outrage at what Indonesia had and was doing to those people, we sent letters, made phone calls etc – WE made Howard and Downer act! I remember going to that rally, as thousands of others did. Then there was action! Where were you?
I also watched the Foreign Correspondent’s report on Venezuela and was furious. I kept making comments back to the TV as assertions, accusations and shoddy inuendos were made about Hugo Chavez and his presidency. The facts are, that he or his party have been elected at least 10 times since he was first elected as president. There are about 70 media outlets in the country, and the govt controls a couple of TV stations; the rest are privately owned, anti Chavez(actively, daily and without interference, even when they supported the coup – in this country or the US, they’d have been guilty under the PATRIOT Act or our Anti-Terrorism Act of 2004?) or community radio stations etc. He has increased his vote each time, and apart from losing narrowly in one referendum, the overwhelming majority of the people are behind him and what he’s doing for the country.
The numeracy and literacy rate climbed sharply after Chavez was elected, and within a few years had reached the benchmark laid down by the UN. (Poor)Women in their 70’s were going to school, high school or university for the first time. (Poor) Women had medical attention while pregnant – unheard of under the pro US dictators of the past! He is also trying to redress the fact, that at least 65% of their food was imported in the past, and those who are poor or unemployed access their groceries at supermarkets that are cheaper.
Too much ‘socialism’ for the US, and apparently for Aunty too! He kicked out of the country those US multinationals who refused to pay their taxes – after being given extra time to comply. It was strange, that those who were the most anti Chavez were not indigenous – the ‘whites’ living in beautiful homes, built on the slavery of the majority – over 80% in poverty when Chavez was elected.
It’s a sad thing to realize, but the ABC is just a mouth piece for the White House, the Pentagon or corporate power in general. Days of making critical analysis or bothering to research further than the Washington Post, or the New York Times is a reality. The referendum that the people of Venezuela voted on a couple of years ago, after they’d contributed to it via discussions, community meetings etc, is far better than ours. Just one item, at least the indigenous people of Venezuela are NOW guaranted the same rights as the rest of the population. The attitude to Chavez would be different if he’d been put there by the US in a coup(they tried that in 2002, but FC omitted that?)like the other murderous campaigns the CIA instigated in too many impoverished countries in Latin America in past decades!
The US is trying to cause trouble by placing american troops in neighbouring Colombia; unionists and Chavez supporters have already been killed by the militia in Colombia who are funded and have weapons supplied by the US. Surprise, surprise!! Could it be, that the fact that Venezuela has the 3rd or 4th highest oil reserves in the world be a motivation for US ‘interest’? Could it be that the real ‘crime’ Chavez is committing, is to demand that the monies from the resources in his country goes to his people, not the wealthy mates of the White House – 35 of them with interests in oil in the previous Bush Administration?
Could it be that our own ABC is helping shore up anti Chavez propaganda, so that when the US strikes(it’ll be about a trumped up drugs issue or?) then the deed would’ve been done – soften up the public for the kill? No, surely not?
No, Steve, too many of us know the truth these days. We have other alternatives to gain our knowledge, one of which, in Michael Crook’s case, was his personal visit to the country. The world, by either the internet, other newspapers, organizations in Latin America etc has educated too many of us now – we know the real truth!
PM Xanana Gusmoa has never appeared to me as a bad tempered man, or a ‘dummy spitter’ in the past. I’ve always admired the love he feels for his people and his country – I think he feels aggrieved, and probably with good reason.