Fijian Bloggers Undermine National Security?

In the interest of balance, I though I'd share a different take on the Fijian blogger brouhaha currently underway. From the military perspective, bloggers in question are promoting hate speech, not free speech. An article on FijiLive.com outlines the interim government position.

The public should be aware that people disseminating blog messages which undermine national security or safety cannot seek refuge in freedom of expression or speech because section 30 (2) of the Constitution places limitations on such civil liberties in the interests of public safety, security and rights and freedoms of others.

Read the full story for more details.

Personally, I've read all of the blogs in question and while I wouldn't say they paint the coup or interim administration in a favorable light, what the interim government is calling hate speech is a world of difference from what I'd tag with that label. And I'd certainly have to balk on calling it a threat to national security. You can decide.

By the way, the reason I've been focusing on this issue so much is merely to illustrate the complexities of trying to accomplish effective biodiversity conservation in some of the places I work. With a government busy hunting down bloggers, how am I supposed to convince them they should be more concerned with the health of their reefs (on which their economy is based?)