Daily Lessons from Life 07 October 2013 - HK journalists kicked out of APEC for shouting at Aquino

"HK journalists kicked out of APEC for shouting at Aquino - AFP Oct 07, 2013 NUSA DUA - APEC host Indonesia on Monday denied stifling press freedom after withdrawing the credentials of nine Hong Kong journalists for shouting questions at the Philippine leader, insisting they had posed a security threat. Despite protests from Hong Kong's main journalist group, President Benigno Aquino's spokesman also said the journalists had "crossed the line" by aggressively questioning Aquino about a hostage siege in Manila that left eight Hong Kong people dead in 2010. "We deemed it improper for media to act that way, as they didn't talk normally but they were very demonstrative, like they were protesting," said Gatot Dewa Broto, the Indonesian communications ministry official in charge of the media centre in Bali for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. "So we did this due to security concerns," he told AFP, adding that the press badges of nine Hong Kong journalists had been deactivated. They were free to remain in Bali, but could no longer access the media centre or venues being used for the summit. Hong Kong media said the journalists and technicians were from Now TV, RTHK and Commercial Radio. Now TV footage showed the journalists shouting "So you're ignoring the Hong Kong people, right?" and "Have you met CY Leung" as they tried to extend their microphones over Aquino's entourage. He did not answer the questions, and APEC staff then intervened to admonish the journalists. Sham Yee-lan, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Journalists' Association, said Aquino's government had "yet to provide a satisfactory explanation" for why the eight Hong Kongers had died in a botched police rescue and the journalists in Bali were doing their job. "The barring of the media for asking critical questions is an outright infringement of press freedom that is totally unacceptable," she said in a statement. But Aquino's spokesman Ricky Carandang said the reporters had crossed an ethical boundary. "The behaviour of these reporters crossed the line from mere questioning to heckling, and was even construed by Indonesian security personnel assigned to the president as a potential physical threat to him," he said. Another presidential spokesperson, Edwin Lacierda, said the removal of the reporters' badges was a decision by the Indonesian authorities." APEC Summit. Another one without the President of the world, supposedly, most powerful nation, the USA. I guessed there have to be some other news worthy of reporting about President Obama's absence so this one is interesting! Lessons for me are: 1. it was a bad rescue. A rescue gone horribly wrong. Supposedly due to the incompetence of the so-called elite forces of the Philippines. Something the Hong Kong authorities and Hongkongers still cannot understand how bad it was!; 2. did the Philippines authorities apologised formally like what they did with the recent killing of the Taiwanese captain of the vessel? I am not sure as I did not follow closely on this case but the journalists from Hong Kong believed not. I guessed that is what triggered their 'overly assertive questioning' style with President Aquino; 3. is this a 'suppression of media freedom' by the host country? Probably not as far as the host nation and the Philippines government are concerned. You are allowed to question but not allowed to harass in Asia, or at least in this APEC, situation. I am sure IF these journalists were asking in such a manner in the USA or UK or France or some other liberal nations, the authorities will NOT go to this extent. Afterall, are they REALLY 'security threats'? If they are, future eminent meetings and seminars and conferences will NOT see many journalists! Perhaps the authority could have waited for the Hong Kong journalists to initiate the '2nd wave of 'attack'' before invalidating their press passes. At least in this situation, the host will be noted for being tolerant instead of being overly eager to 'void' any harassing journalists from their friends! What did this APEC achieved? I am not sure but for these Hong Kong journalists, they have raised the issue of: 'Did anyone hear us - what about apologizing to the families of the deceased in the botched rescue?'.