Savea Sano Malifa

Savea Sano Malifa (also known as Fata Sano Malifa) is a Samoan poet, journalist, newspaper editor, and publisher, and author of the novel "Alms for Oblivion." The Pacific Islands News Association awarded him the Pacific Freedom of Information award for defending the right of the Samoan people to freedom of information and expression. In 1998, he received the Commonwealth Press Union's Astor Award and INDEX on Censorship Press Freedom Award.

Savea, an outspoken critic of former Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana and his government, lost a civil claim over a story alleging the use of public funds to upgrade a hotel owned by Tofilau's children for a visit by Prince Edward, Count of Wessex. The Samoa Observer was ordered to pay $WS formatnum:75000 in court costs to Tofilau and $formatnum:50000 damages for defamation.

In 1994 during the Prime Ministership of Tofilau Eti Alesana, the printing plant of his paper, "The Samoa Observer," burned down under suspicious circumstances. It was later revealed during the investigation of the assassination of Minister of Works Luagalau Levaula Kamu that Minister of Women's Affairs Leafa Vitale, a former Minister of Works, had arranged the burning of the printing plant. Before the burning of the printing plant, the paper had run a story linking Leafa to a scandal involving the sale of cattle, after which the then Minister of Works had threatened to kill Savea and his family. Also, he was assaulted by the minister's brothers.

External links

* [http://www.freemedia.at/IPIReport/Heroes_IPIReport2.00/31Sano.htm International Press Institute]
* [http://www.pmw.c2o.org/docs98/samoa1780.html Pacific Media Watch]
* [http://www.usp.ac.fj/journ/docs/news/malifa.html Fiji Daily Post, 3rd November 1998]
* [http://www.pmw.c2o.org/docs/sep01sam.html]
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/intl/article/0,9171,1107000424-44318-1,00.html Police Report of Interrogation of Eletise Leafa Vitale]