Fighting for Freedom of the Press [1]
Friday, August 21, 2009 - 14:45. Updated on Monday, April 28, 2014 - 09:31.
Editor,
Please wake up, I know you are not doing this, and this cannot be you.
While the press in the region is fighting for recognition and hopefully gain much more of its freedom, Matangi Tonga made a step back by giving up to the threat from the Attorney General [2].
Leigh Harkness [3] expressed his opinion. The Attorney General may say that there is no proven scientific fact to support Leigh's conclusion. On the other hand, the Attorney General has not come up with a scientific reason to the contrary. Leigh's conclusion is very possible, indeed if that for part of the Ashika was open during the trip. . . .
The answer to these issues would determine who should hold liable or why one would be more liable than the other.
I must also make it perfectly clear to everyone that there is no indication anywhere from the press and including this writing that anyone, either from the Ashika or the passengers knew something like this would happen.
I also declare here in writing that I am not working for any Insurance company or the Kingdom of Tonga nor do I have any hidden agenda. The Attorney General can relax.
Respectfully.
Mafi 'o Amerika Samoa
slkava [at] hotmail [dot] com
Editor's note: We disagree that the "Matangi Tonga made a step back by giving up to the threat from the Attorney General," as you claim. We did not remove the letter, we simply amended it and in doing so alerted our readers to the situation.
Legal fees in this country are very expensive, and well beyond the means of any independent publisher. You are a military man, and you should appreciate why at this point of time we don't want to open up another front during our battle for Media Freedom in Tonga. For the past two and a half years we have been embroiled in litigation brought against us by eight people, including four current and two former People's Representatives, simply because Matangi Tonga published a report of a widely-circulated government press release about the events of 16/11. We are in no position to open up another battle-front; this time with the publicly-funded Attorney General.