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transcript of tf1 doco on jpk

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TF1 DOCUMENTARY “TROUBLED WATERS IN TAHITI” PRESENTER 1: And now the story of Jean-Pascale Couraud. He was 37 when he disappeared leaving a family in pain and despair. It was on the 15th December 1997 near Papeete in French Polynesia. Jean Pascale Couraud alias JPK - the initials this journalist signed to vitrolic articles for years, critical of Gaston Flosse - the powerful head of the territory for over 30 years. JPK had become too embarrassing asserts a man today. PRESENTER 2 His name is Vetea Guilloux, member of the GIP - the Polynesian Intervention Group - set up the day after the protests of 1995. He states that he was part of a spy cell, charged with keeping tabs on opponents of Gaston Flosse. On the 15th of December 1997 he followed Jean-Pascale Couraud. And when he disappeared, Vetea accuses two members of the GIP of kidnapping and killing him after a botched interrogation. PRESENTER 1 But did Gaston Flosse, former secretary of state, former president of the territorial assembl

exposing jpk | founding editorial

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EDITORIAL Lack of official action continues to haunt the memory of Jean-Pascale Couraud, a Tahiti journalist who disappeared without trace on Monday 15th December 1997. In the seven years since then, no one has been arrested in relation with his disappearance. French police have dragged their feet through one of their customarily slow motion investigations. Any evidence still in existence has probably long been buried. As backround, former Frrench magistrate Eric Halphen has been quoted by the BBC as saying that justice does not exist in France. It is also in short supply around the rest of the world. JPK's colleagues in Tahiti - apart from a few brave exceptions - have bowed their heads too afraid to do their job and report what happened. And what hasn't. Similar problems exist across the language divide, with English speaking journalists yet to grasp the fact that a regional colleague lived and died defending freedoms they take for granted from corrupt politicians, with many