"BACK TO DEMOCRACY FOR FIJI"

You are invited to share and pen your ideas, views or opinions that will facilitate/assist our country back to democracy. All positive and/or negative ideas and comments to steer us back to the road of democracy are welcome.

Whichever way one looks at our current situation back home, democracy has been completely raped. The rape of democracy in Fiji is a virtual degradation of the populus of Fiji. Their human rights are being deprived:

1. the right to decide their government;
2. who they want to represent them;
3. their right to free assembly;
4. free protest;
5. free to organise into groups so that they can talk about what is pertinent to their daily lives;
6. protest on issues they do not agree with....with no fear of intimidation from anybody.

With this military regime in place, the concept of freedom per the Constitution is a total myth!

And, we, the people of Fiji need to come together and be vehement about our total disagreement with the military regime. So give us liberty or death! The reality of the issue is that democracy in Fiji has been raped...from top to bottom...left to right....inside and out and vice versa!

Here we have a military regime that talks about freedom to the people and yet the very same military regime randomly arrest people, torture them, inflict unnecessary harrassment and emotional stress to those that seem a threat to them. The military regime talks about racial unity.......the communal concept of togetherness and yet Fiji is far more racially divided today than it ever was.

The so-called advisors, viz-a-viz, John Samy, these are rejects from their adopted countries and yet they are being rewarded with exuberant amount(s) of money by these rogue military regime who have no idea what they are doing. Lying to the international community does not augur well with this interim government and yet the interim Prime Minister continuously talks with a forked tongue when addressing international issues. The ministers talk about internal securities as if Fiji is going to be invaded.

All around it is clearly seen that the economy is in tatters and the Constitution is just a useless piece of paper. The rule of law is as what the military regime wants it to be.

The above are just some of my views (from a pro-democracy viewpoint). But, do not let that deter you from penning your comments if you share otherwise.

So, let us come together and voice our views/comments, whether they be for or against the military regime and have a very healthy discussion here so that in the end we can factually understand what our role is, what we need to do and how we can come up with ideas to help restore democracy back in our beloved Fiji!

Please feel free to write what you like or dislike about the military regime. Be sincere and honest about your thoughts, without getting personal or spiteful.

Kindly note, this "topic" will expire as soon as we have an election.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by STEE on November 17, 2009 at 10:12am: Mike, kei Iceman, Qori..baci dua tale vei ratou na i lala ulu lala, vamumuri waca ena tawa ni taga.. Nanuma beka o koya me viavia varerevaki tu mai va ya na kena i taba me rawa ni carry weight kina na ka e via tukuna, Qori mataqali vata ga o Coboi. Qai ra vosa ga mai sa da kila vinaka sara tu ga yani na i vakatagedegede ni ka e tawa toka e cake.

@ Tiko...Qo sa sega ni gauna me vagalui tu kina e dua na kawa tamata. Kevaka e donu tu ya vei iko, ia e cala vei keimami, ka cala tale ga e vuravura raraba. Me cava me qai kedra yaga na luvei Viti era sa lai vakoroi mai, ka toso cake sara na ka e ra lai vulica mai, me ra qai mai vagalui tu vei so na tamata viavialevu, ulu lala, ka vakadonui koya ga vakataki koya me vakataki kemudrau kei Bainimarama..?

Da raica tale mada na ka o tukuna toka e cake..

"ka mada ga keimami raica rawa tiko qo sa sega ni dua na matanitu e sivia na matanitu qo e na veika sa vakayacori tiko e na vanua."

Sa dina sara qori.
---Sega vakadua ni dua na matanitu sa oti me vakatubuya tu vaqori na kemuni i sau na cola dakai vakai ukuuku e caka tiko qori mai Nakeba, me sa lai siviti ira sara tu na cakacaka vakamatanitu ka ra vakoroi...

--- Sega ni dua na matanitu me sogota tu va qori na media, me rawa ni kaburaki walega ki na lewe ni vanua na veika ga me vakacerecerei ga kina na nomudou matanitu. Dou na rogoca vakacava na kudru ni lewe ni vanua ni ra sa vakareirei ka laki vakacicivi tiko ki na keba..? Na cava dou rerevaka tiko ni tu vei kemudou na i dakai..?

---Sega ni dua na matanitu me siviti kemudou ena nodra vakasakei mai na kena dau ni cakacaka, me ra laki veisosomitaki yani e so na ulu lala mai na keba.

---Sega ni dua na matanitu e vakacegui ira na dodonu me ra se veiqaravi tu me baleta na bula raraba, ka qai vakacakacakataki ira tiko ga na nomudou (55yrs and over) koya e sega tu na betedra.

---Se sega vakadua ni dua na matanitu e tarova na Koniferedi ni lotu Wesele, me rawa ni usumaki ga mai kina na lotu ko dou vinakata..

---Sega ni dua na matanitu me siviti kemudou ena nodra kalawaci na noda vei Turaga kei na Marama Bale ni noda vanua lomani..

Ko sa dina sara Tiko..E sega ni dua na matanitu me sivita na matanitu qo, ena lolovira ni nomudou veiliutaki..; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Loruama Tawawili on November 17, 2009 at 8:35am: A Tabs I am still trying to figure out when and where did NZ and Aust pressure Fiji ands for what? The move to retyurn Fiji to democracy asap was a collective understanding at the Forum meeting in Nukualofa and when Bainimarama reneged on his promised dates of election Aust. and NZ placed travel bans on the illegal govt of Fiji. This was not a move to pressure Fiji , it was done as a consequence of the coup. Bainimarama has forgotten that he has no say in what New Zealand and Aust. do.Instead of blaming NZ and Aust for Fiji's demise Bainimarama had better look at himself and the way he is running Fiji to the grounds. Australia and New Zealand are highly developed countries in every sense of the word whereas Fiji is a 3rd world struggling country on the verge of disentigration under the dictatorship of the illeterate Voreqe Bainimarama.
Loruama Tawawili
President
DFFM; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike on November 17, 2009 at 9:09am: Commonwealth News and Information Service (London)

Secretary-General Briefed On Migration Commission
17 November 2009

The worldwide flow of millions of people crossing borders to seek better lives have brought the issue of migration to the forefront of international concern and a Commonwealth organisation has now signalled its intention to bring a Commonwealth perspective to this issue.

This was the message to Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma when former Jamaican Prime Minister Percival Patterson called at Marlborough House to brief him about the activities of the Ramphal Centre.

The Ramphal Centre was launched in 2008 to operate as an independent intellectual hub to bring Commonwealth-wide expertise to assist policy-making for its 53 member states. The Centre's first initiative is a Commission on Migration and Development and it is led by Mr Patterson.

This initiative meets the challenge posed by the Secretary-General who said recently that those who support the idea of the Commonwealth must find ways in which its collective wisdom can be translated into action to benefit the global community.

In late October, Mr Patterson presided over a meeting at Warwick University to decide the terms of reference for the Commission, which is expected to meet regularly over the next two years and produce a report to coincide with the meeting of Commonwealth leaders in 2011.

Commonwealth member states are historically among the world's leading receivers and exporters of migrant workers. Half of the 16 key Commonwealth countries which have high migration figures are small states and several of them have lost 10 per cent of their population to migration - Guyana, Fiji, Grenada, Tonga, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. The Commission will therefore focus on those aspects which are of particular interest to member states and to their development strategies, considering such relevant issues as climate change, the impact of the global recession, the roles of the diaspora, remittances, as well as the restrictions on migration.

The Commission will pay particular attention to the wide-ranging work on migration that has already been undertaken by the Commonwealth and other bodies. The latest such study was the recently launched UN Human Development Report 2009 which states that among people who have moved over national borders just over a third -fewer than 70 million-moved from a developing to a developed country. Of the world's 200 million international migrants, most moved from one developing country to another or between developed countries.

The lack of data on migration will also be addressed by the Commission and it will encourage member states to improve their collection of data and information on migration. But most of all it will build on the Commonwealth's capacity for advocacy at the international level, its experience in the movement of peoples and its ability to turn ideas into practical solutions. It intends to work closely with inter-Governmental Commonwealth institutions as well as with the civil society organisations engaged in development activities.

The consultation at Warwick University was attended by Commission member Mr Farrooq Sobhan, former Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh and Director of the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute. Two other Commissioners, the Hon George Vassilliou, former President of Cyprus and Professor Brenda Yeoh of the Department of Geography at the University of Singapore and co-principal of the Asian Metacentre for Population and Sustainable Development Analysis.

Representatives from the United Nations, the IMF, the International Organisation on Migration (IOM) based in Geneva, Oxfam International, the United Kingdom Department of International Development, the Commonwealth Secretariat and Foundation were among the participants.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike on November 17, 2009 at 10:01am: Fiji’s ECREA expected to urge regime to offer widespread stake in forum

Posted at 09:08 on 17 November, 2009 UTC

Fiji’s Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy is likely to urge the interim administration to encourage widespread involvement in an upcoming forum on the nation’s future.

The Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office says the National Dialogue for Fiji’s Future will build on the issues raised by the People’s Charter.

Lieutenant Colonel Pio Tikoduadua says individuals and community leaders have been invited to submit an application to attend.

ECREA’s Director, Chantelle Khan, says she does understand it can be very diffiuclt to make progress in discussions when sectors stick to their individual agendas.

But, Ms Khan says ECREA has learnt lessons about the importance of diverse opinion from it’s involvement in the people’s charter:

“So going to those meetings as part of the working group was a very interesting experience because around the table you had like minded thinkers and while that was good you also wanted a little bit of opposition to some of the ideas just to make the thinking even better.”
Ms Khan says ECREA supports sustained dialogue and will soon consider applying for next year’s forum

News Content © Radio New Zealand International
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Permalink Reply by Mike on November 17, 2009 at 10:03am: Fiji interim Government says new dialogue will be wide ranging but exclude politicians

Posted at 04:07 on 17 November, 2009 UTC

The Permanent Secretary in Fiji’s Prime Minister’s Office says the latest dialogue to be announced in Fiji is aimed at building on the issues raised by the People’s Charter.

Lieutenant Colonel Pio Tikoduadua says individuals and community leaders have been invited to submit an application to attend but no specific topics or a timetable have been arranged:

“The Forum really has no agenda, the discussions are expected to be wide ranging and inclusive and we’ve not really set ourselves a boundary in terms of what we are ging to talk about but we saying there is a lot of things that have come up through the charter, constitutional reform, electoral reform, reform of our traditional institutions, reform of the public service, issues to do with the economy so it’s really anything and everything that is to do with Fiji and how to move forward from today given what we already have.”
Lieutenant Colonel Tikoduadua has confirmed that political parties will not be involved in this forum, saying it is for the people of Fiji, and civil society.

But he says the interim government is not closing any doors and wants to encourage discussion consistent with the principles of the People’s Charter.

News Content © Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike on November 17, 2009 at 10:14am: Pio, why do you bother with such an exercise when you have no intention of taking into consideration the opposing view? On one hand you want to make it inclusive yet you choose who can and cannot attend?

it is futile Pio, the international community are not colour blind. You will have to try a little bit harder with your propaganda.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Iliesa Rainima on November 17, 2009 at 11:28am: Yadra Mike.

Koya na vakadonui koya vakataki koya sa tu oqo.
Na noqu mosoni ga ena yaco kevaka dou via coqa dou kua ni basika mai ena bose....Mike na vei vakajikaji taki ga......sa kua la na veivosaki...mei kani cavai, ni ratou sa lewa rawa tikola mai.....kua ni vakaotia nomu i cegu Pio....hypocrites!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Samuela Tawakilai on November 17, 2009 at 5:52pm: "Qo sa vaka na "play cowboys and Indians." Na vakatatalo ga!

They are experimenting on how to run a government without the consent of the people and call it democracy- Bainimarama style!

It has never worked anywhere in the world and will not work in Fiji.

Why experiment when there are proven ways to govern that will bring peace, prosperity and good will both to the leaders and the people?

This illegal government is hell-bent on saving it's own neck at the expence of the country. The people must find a way to rid this people and bring the country back to democracy. They are playing for time and the likelihood of people surrendering because of needs.

Let us move forward with everything we have to have them removed- NOW!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Iceman on November 17, 2009 at 3:14pm: Tish..This is the end product of a country riddle with coup culture..As mentioned above, low investor confidence, trade embargo and other measures which is enforced to ensure the crippling of the nations economy which will lead to poverty and starvation. Even though we boast about our natural resources which is land and the sea, but other non-essential food items are not available locally and that is why we need to engage with other countries through trade.. E sa sega ni macala na mataqali mentality vakacava e sa tu veiratou na veiliutaki tiko qo...e laurai ga veiratou na yalo kaukauwa kei na vakau lomadratou..; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tevita Korodrau on November 17, 2009 at 2:31pm: Read this..... Sub clause of Chandrika submission.

1. The UN Charter, Article 21 of the UDHR and Article 25 of the ICCPR (bolstered by state practice referred to above, the writings of jurists and the decisions of the Human Rights Committee (see its General Comment No.25) confirm that the right to vote and to be elected, and to freely determine political status and choose governments, has crystallized into a norm of international law: see Thomas Franck, ‘The Emerging Right to Democratic Governance’, cited above. It is not contended that the ‘right to democracy’ has entered customary international law in an absolute form, but rather as a normative presumption or rule that individuals (like Chandrika Prasad) or ‘peoples’ who have enjoyed democratic governance may not have it removed by force. State practice in support of the emergence of this rule may be seen in the unanimous vote of the General Assembly for the restoration of the democratic constitution of Haiti in September 1991, and most recently in the UN intervention in East Timor to protect the fledgling right to democratic self-determination.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Suliasi Daunitutu on November 17, 2009 at 3:28pm: Raw Fiji News
HomeAbout.Frank Bainimarama’s disgraceful interview on TVNZ
November 17, 2009
Part 1 http://tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/sunday-november-15-discourse-dictator...

Part 2 http://tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/sunday-discourse-dictator-part-2-7-28...

ends; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike on November 17, 2009 at 4:00pm: Suli,

Vinaka me da rogoca sara mada na nodra nanuma o ira na vakamuri koya tiko me baleta na interview qo. Sa qai dua na tamata veilecayaki.; ▶ Reply to This