Censorship in Samoa
Encyclopedia
The United States Department of State Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Samoa
states that:
"The law provides for freedom of speech and of the press, and the government generally respected these rights in practice and did not restrict academic freedom or the Internet. In general the independent media were active and expressed a wide variety of views without restriction. The law stipulates imprisonment for any journalist who refuses to reveal a confidential source despite the issuance of a court order upon request from any member of the public at large. However, there has been no court case invoking this law."
In May 2006, the film The Da Vinci Code
was banned from local television stations in Samoa, as well as the country's only cinema. The government censorship office also prohibited the sale or rental of future VHS
and DVD
versions of the film. The primary objections to the film's content came from leaders of the Samoa Council of Churches, who attended a pre-screening. Alapati Lui Mataeliga
, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Apia, said that The Da Vinci Code would "affect the belief of young people whose faith was not strong." The owner of the cinema, local businessman Maposua Rudolf Keil
, opposed the ban as an infringement of the right to free expression. Samoan society is, in the words of the British Broadcasting Corporation, "deeply conservative and devoutly Christian".
In late March 2009, Samoa's Censorship Board banned the film Milk
, a biography
of American
gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk
, from being distributed in the country. Principal Censor Leiataua Niuapu Faaui, asked by the New Zealand Herald about the reason for the ban, said he could not comment. Samoan human rights activist Ken Moala commented:
On April 17, the Pacific Freedom Forum issued a press release stating: "Samoa is the only nation worldwide where censors have specifically banned the multi-academy award winning film, which means those in Samoa will only see the pirated version or overseas-purchased copies smuggled into the country." Papua New Guinea
n Susuve Laumaea, the Forum's chair, added: "The Pacific Freedom Forum calls on the Samoan film censors to fully and transparently explain themselves to the Samoan people, and re-consider its decision on banning 'Milk'." American Samoa
n Monica Miller, the Forum's co-chair, stated: "Given the acclaim this film has received worldwide, and given the silence on exactly why it has been banned in Samoa, observers are left to wonder at the censorship standards being applied in a country where fa’afafine have a well established and respected role." Fa'afafine are biologically men raised to assume female gender role
s, making them a third gender
well accepted in Samoan society.
In August 2009 media reports indicated that four films were newly banned, including National Lampoon's Van Wilder: Freshman Year
and The Cell 2
.
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
states that:
"The law provides for freedom of speech and of the press, and the government generally respected these rights in practice and did not restrict academic freedom or the Internet. In general the independent media were active and expressed a wide variety of views without restriction. The law stipulates imprisonment for any journalist who refuses to reveal a confidential source despite the issuance of a court order upon request from any member of the public at large. However, there has been no court case invoking this law."
In May 2006, the film The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code (film)
The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard. The screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman and based on Dan Brown's worldwide bestselling 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code...
was banned from local television stations in Samoa, as well as the country's only cinema. The government censorship office also prohibited the sale or rental of future VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
versions of the film. The primary objections to the film's content came from leaders of the Samoa Council of Churches, who attended a pre-screening. Alapati Lui Mataeliga
Alapati Lui Mataeliga
Alapati Lui Mataeliga was born in Sataua, Samoa on January 4, 1953. He was ordained for the presbyterate of the Diocese of Samoa and Tokelau on July 5, 1977. Upon the retirement of Cardinal Pio Taofinu'u, Father Mataeliga was appointed by the Holy See as the second Archbishop of Samoa-Apia on...
, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Apia, said that The Da Vinci Code would "affect the belief of young people whose faith was not strong." The owner of the cinema, local businessman Maposua Rudolf Keil
Maposua Rudolf Keil
Maposua Rudolf Keil is a Samoan business man and owner of the Radio Polynesia 98FM radio station. In 1997 it was one of the only radio station in Western Samoa that were independently owned...
, opposed the ban as an infringement of the right to free expression. Samoan society is, in the words of the British Broadcasting Corporation, "deeply conservative and devoutly Christian".
In late March 2009, Samoa's Censorship Board banned the film Milk
Milk (film)
Milk is a 2008 American biographical film on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
, a biography
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk
Harvey Bernard Milk was an American politician who became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
, from being distributed in the country. Principal Censor Leiataua Niuapu Faaui, asked by the New Zealand Herald about the reason for the ban, said he could not comment. Samoan human rights activist Ken Moala commented:
- "I do not think it should be banned. It is basically a documentary about the human endeavour to conquer something that people tend to discriminate against. It's really harmless, I don't know how it would affect Samoan lifestyle. It is totally different and not applicable to here, it is pretty tame really."
On April 17, the Pacific Freedom Forum issued a press release stating: "Samoa is the only nation worldwide where censors have specifically banned the multi-academy award winning film, which means those in Samoa will only see the pirated version or overseas-purchased copies smuggled into the country." Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
n Susuve Laumaea, the Forum's chair, added: "The Pacific Freedom Forum calls on the Samoan film censors to fully and transparently explain themselves to the Samoan people, and re-consider its decision on banning 'Milk'." American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
n Monica Miller, the Forum's co-chair, stated: "Given the acclaim this film has received worldwide, and given the silence on exactly why it has been banned in Samoa, observers are left to wonder at the censorship standards being applied in a country where fa’afafine have a well established and respected role." Fa'afafine are biologically men raised to assume female gender role
Gender role
Gender roles refer to the set of social and behavioral norms that are considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex in the context of a specific culture, which differ widely between cultures and over time...
s, making them a third gender
Third gender
The terms third gender and third sex describe individuals who are categorized as neither man nor woman, as well as the social category present in those societies who recognize three or more genders...
well accepted in Samoan society.
In August 2009 media reports indicated that four films were newly banned, including National Lampoon's Van Wilder: Freshman Year
National Lampoon's Van Wilder: Freshman Year
National Lampoon's Van Wilder: Freshman Year is the third film in the Van Wilder series, following National Lampoon's Van Wilder and National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj. Freshman Year is a prequel to the first film. It was released straight-to-DVD in 2009...
and The Cell 2
The Cell 2
The Cell 2 is a 2009 direct-to-video spin-off from the 2000 film The Cell.-Plot:A serial killer calling himself "The Cusp" murders his victims and then revives them, until they beg to die. His first victim, psychic investigator Maya Casteneda , survives and is bent on revenge...
.
See also
- Banned filmsBanned filmsFor nearly the entire history of film production, certain films have been banned by film censorship or review organizations for political or moral reasons...
- Criticisms of The Da Vinci CodeCriticisms of The Da Vinci CodeThe Da Vinci Code, a popular suspense novel by Dan Brown, generated a great deal of criticism and controversy after its publication in 2003. Many of the complaints centered on the book's speculations and alleged misrepresentations of core aspects of Christianity and the history of the Roman...