SYDNEY—An Australian publisher deported from Fiji says his expulsion came "out of the blue" and was a sad day for press freedom, but it would only strengthen the resolve of journalists at his newspaper.
Evan Hannah, publisher of the News Limited-owned Fiji Times, was forced onto a plane to South Korea yesterday after military leader and self-appointed prime minister Frank Bainimarama ordered his deportation on the grounds he was a threat to national security.
Mr Hannah was taken from his Suva home on Thursday night in front of his wife and one-year-old son despite a Fiji High Court order ruling against his deportation.
The actions of Bainimarama, who overthrew the elected government and appointed himself prime minister in 2006, have been condemned by the Australian, US and New Zealand governments.
Mr Hannah arrived in Sydney at 7.30am (AEST) today on a flight from South Korea, where he told reporters his expulsion was a blow to press freedom in Fiji, but said staff at the Fiji Times would be steeled by his deportation.
"It's a deeply sad day for Fiji's media ... it's pretty annoying and from a family perspective it is distressing," said Mr Hannah, whose family is still in Fiji.
"This is another demonstration that the interim government doesn't understand media freedom.
"(But) The Fiji Times newsroom is a pretty solid newsroom. They won't be moved by this. In fact there is going to be strength in their resolve to continue fair, accurate and balanced reporting."
Since the coup of 2006 Bainimarama has been accused of waging a campaign of intimidation against media outlets critical of his rule - with Mr Hannah the second Australian publisher expelled from the country.
On February 26, Russell Hunter, the Australian publisher of the Fiji Sun newspaper, was thrown out of the country after the paper carried articles about alleged tax evasion involving a government member.
Hunter's deportation, after he was declared a prohibited immigrant, was also carried out in defiance of a court order.
Mr Hannah said he and his wife Dr Katarina Tuinamuana had been prepared for his possible deportation after Mr Hunter's expulsion, but said Thursday's events had come "out of the blue".
"We had readied ourselves about eight weeks before, and I think that as time went by we thought it was less likely to happen," he said.
"It certainly came out of the blue, there was no incident in the paper, there was no particular statement by anybody that actually led to this happening."
Mr Hannah said he was not harmed during his deportation, but criticised the government's "subterfuge" in expelling him from the country.
"I wasn't allowed to use my phone," he said.
"There were road blocks, switching cars, and me taken through the back door of the airport."
Dr Tuinamuana was "fine", he said.
"She's obviously distressed, but she is a very capable and very down to earth lady."
Mr Hannah said he and News Ltd were now exploring legal options, but could not say if and when he would be allowed back in the country.
"We have to figure out some of legalities, what we can do, how we can push it, and whether the government in Fiji can admit that this is simply a mistake rather than an attempt of intimidation," he said.
"This will demonstrate whether the government is committed as it says to upholding the rule of law in Fiji."
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Mr Hannah's treatment underscored his scepticism about the possibility of general elections next year.
"It simply underlines and reinforces the very great scepticism that I have that the interim Fiji government is not in any way serious about meeting its commitment to hold an election by the end of March next year," he told ABC Radio.
Reporters Without Borders also condemned Mr Hannah's expulsion, saying it was unacceptable.
"Hannah's arrest and expulsion are unacceptable and violate all the undertakings which the military government has given as regards respect for civil liberties and press freedom," the group said.
"Coming just two months after the expulsion of Fiji Sun publisher Russell Hunter, it seems that the summary removal of government critics is becoming the norm in Fiji."
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