By Harlyne Joku

The Fiji government has ordered that Papua New Guinean Martha Waradin, wife of deported Fiji Sun newspaper publisher Russell Hunter, also leave the country with her daughter.

Radio reports say Fiji government officials went to her home and told her she should leave the country.

Her husband was deported last Tuesday, allegedly for a string f reports in the newspaper linking a member of the interim government to a financial scandal.

The PNG Media Council yesterday joined its Pacific counterpart and many news organisations in condemning the deportation.

PNG journalists who have worked with Hunter while he was in PNG, expressed shock and sadness.

The former publisher of Word Publishing Anna Solomon said Hunter was a mentor in upholding the ethics of journalism when he first worked in PNG in the mid-1980s as senior sub-editor and trainer of journalists of the then Times of PNG newspaper.

He encouraged PNG journalist to report factually and without fear or favour.

"He believed in journalists reporting fairly, factually and objectively. I know Russell. He was not the type to go out and make mischief of someone," Solomon, now with the Office of the Prime Minister, said yesterday.

Sinclaire Solomon of The National newspaper said Hunter believed in exposing people involved in corruption regardless of the positions they held.

"He believed in investigative journalism and had no political leanings. He is an honest and fair man, work-wise and socially. He got on well with everyone," Solomon said.

Julia Daia Bore of The National said Hunter set the pace for investigative journalism in PNG and Fiji.

Ms Bore said journalists in Fiji must not stop probing into the issue he was deported for.

The Media Council of Papua New Guinea said: "It is a farce when the military government says it believes in and upholds media freedom and free speech and then refuses to allow the media to exercise that freedom."

The president of the Media Council, Oseah Philemon, said the council called for the ban on Hunter to be lifted and that he be allowed to return to Fiji to conduct his legitimate, professional duties.

The Australian and New Zealand governments have also condemned the deportation. National Online/Pacific Media Watch, 28/02/08.