WELLINGTON (Radio New Zealand International/ Pacific Media Watch): The Nauru government is reportedly preparing to allow local journalists to enter the island's asylum seeker detention centre, but steep visa fees for foreign journalists will remain.
The Guardian reported an email from the Nauruan operations manager, Berilyn Jeremiah, advising staff at the detention centre that the government would allow "a number" of Nauruan journalists to enter.
The detention centres have been hit by a series of allegations of sexual assault and other serious incidents in recent months that have raised concern about the safety of asylum seekers.
However, there are only a handful of local media outlets on the island, most of them government-controlled.
Foreign journalists hoping to travel to Nauru must pay a non-refundable fee of US$7000 for a visa application, with no guarantee that it will be approved.
The email also stated the government wishes to provide further updates on the centre through the media to “help reinstate balance to the story of the real”.
The presence of reporters at the detention centre would be a highly unusual occurence. The government of Nauru has strongly resisted any independent media reporting about the detention centre.
It is unclear when or how this initiative will take place.
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