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Bonifacio (pronounced
bo-ni-fa-cio) Basilius is the "Father
of Journalism in Micronesia".
As such his perspective of Micronesia's governance under the Trust
Territory government and its journey to independence is a first hand
account of that historic period. Boni was there at the very beginning.
There during its troubled past, and still there after all these years as
Palau and Micronesia mature under its current political status.
Boni is of Palauan
ancestry and lives in a nation that still honors its traditions. Palau
celebrates its 10th anniversary on this 1st of October 2004, a nation
learning to adapt and adjust to the constitutional provisions that make
equal the laws of democracy and principals of it's traditions.
He was educated in
Palau for elementary and middle school and then under Jesuits at Chuuk's
Xavier High School in Moen. He earned a BA degree in Journalism from the
University of Hawaii-Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii in 1968, graduating in the
university's second journalism class.
Boni entered the world
of journalism as radio announcer for WSZB in Palau in 1961, and after
graduation from UOH in 1971, he worked for the Trust Territory Government
in Saipan as a Public Information Officer for the Palau District. Two years
later, in 1973, he was chosen to fill the position of Chief, Public
Information Division, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, a job he held
for eight years.
As Boni was ending his
assignment in Trust Territory Government, he set his sights on returning to
Palau and in 1979, served as a member of the Palau Constitutional
Convention that drafted the Constitution of the Republic of Palau. Boni
chaired the Committee on Civil Liberties and Fundamental Rights that wrote
the Bill of Rights in the Constitution.
In 1981, he became
director of the first Palauan Political Education Program on the Compact of
Free Association. Then Boni had the privilege and distinction of serving
three presidents of Palau, all personal friends, namely; Haruo Remeliik and
Lazarus Salii as their special assistant, and from 1989-1992, he was the
chief of staff for Ngiratkel Etpison. From 1994-1998, Boni also served
Palau as Ngchesar State's governor.
When Abed Younis
starting publishing the Palau Horizon in Palau six years ago, he invited
Boni to pick up were he left off writing his column "What They Say" in
the Palau Horizon. He started the column in the Marianas Variety when in
Saipan. He is currently a Palau Land Court mediator and consultant for
Daewoo, the company contracted to build the Palau Compact Road. This is a
glimpse of his professional career, and I had the privilege of interviewing
him about the specifics of his background; a fascinating interview,
conducted in the English and Palauan language. The interview will be
published in a video documentary at a future date.
I interviewed Bonifacio
Basilius twice while I was in Palau last month. During our last sitting,
Boni and I discussed our love of journalism and the many risks involved in
the profession. I listened as he recounted two difficult events he had to
cover as a journalist. The first was back in
September of 1978, when he and other Trust
Territory officials arrived on Bikini to once again (Bikini
AtollHistory) evacuate the people who
were living on the atoll.
Boni's eyes welled with tears as he
reflected on that time and how the chiefs of the Bikini atoll pained as they
were made to leave their beloved islands once again because radio activity
was still present on the islands. It was difficult for Boni to reflect on
their silhouettes as the boat pulled away from Bikini; the elders standing
like statues their gaze transfixed on their homeland.
Another incident that
Boni will never forget is the memory of two children who died in a fire at
their Hawaii home. The two charred bodies of very young children were
standing behind the front door of their home, with their arms stretched out
towards the door. "They knew that was the way out. They just could not open
it because they were too small and their mother locked them inside while
she was away." He maintained his silence for about a minute after speaking
of the incident, quivered, and then all choked up he said, "I will never be
able to get the vision of those children out of my head."
In his parting message Boni said,
"Rlene, you might be interested to know that back in 1979, I included in
the Palau Constitution some protection for journalists. It is a line in
Article 1V, Section 2 of the Palau Constitution and it says: "No bonfide
reporter may be required by the government to divulge or be jailed for
refusal to divulge information obtained in the course of a professional
investigation". I believe no other constitution in the world has that
specific protection for journalists. Good luck and keep in touch. Boni"
Only the "Father of Journalism in
Micronesia" would include such strong words as protection for a profession
he loves and enjoys to this day; ensuring that all bonfide journalist
working in Palau will be guaranteed the right to do their work without
threat or intimidation.
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