Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Fiji bloggers say military plans internet cuts in Fiji

Posted at 05:10 on 11 May, 2007 UTC

Bloggers in Fiji claim that the military is putting pressure on the country’s international telecommunications provider to block access in Fiji to blogsites critical of the interim administration.

In a statement, a site calling itself Fiji’s Freedom Bloggers says FINTEL has been contacted and army staff in charge of technology have reportedly visited the company.

The bloggers claim that a request is to be made to the head of FINTEL to curb access to their sites for Fiji internet users.

FINTEL employees were not available for comment.

Last week, the military-backed regime extended a state of emergency until the end of the month but it also said it would comply with commitments made to the EU to lift the restrictions at the end of May, to stop human rights abuses and to adhere to a timetable to restore democracy within two years.