"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 Kasanita Kamakorewa Lindell on November 24, 2009 at 12:20am: The Keys of the Kingdom

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven"
(Matthew 16:19, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Keys represent access. They represent authority. Whether it's a key to a building, car, or safety deposit box; if you've been given a key to something, it means you have a right to use it. You have access to whatever that key will open.
Friend, because of Jesus, we have the keys to the kingdom of heaven! We have access to all the heavenly blessings and promises that are in the Word of God. And, we have the authority to take hold of those promises.
Are you using the keys that you have been given—the keys of faith and the power of your words and actions? No matter what you may have need of—be it physical healing, provision, wholeness, freedom from addiction—you have been given the authority to access it in Jesus' Name! Take hold of those promises by faith and begin to declare that every need is met according to His riches in glory. Take a step of faith today and use those keys you have been given to take hold of every blessing God has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
"Father God, thank You for giving me access to every promise and blessing in heaven. By faith, right now I receive everything You have for me. Help me stay focused on Your Word which empowers me to live in the victory You have in store for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen."; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike on November 24, 2009 at 3:26pm: The Commonwealth is a jamboree of repression

Tom Porteous guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 November 2009 22.00

What's the point of the Commonwealth? Every two years the question comes around in the run-up to the Commonwealth heads of government meeting. Then everyone goes home and forgets about it until the next one.

Starved of cash and political attention, the Commonwealth becomes ever more marginal. Even the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office hardly mentions it in major foreign policy pronouncements.

But is the Commonwealth redundant? Or is it, as Lord Howell, a Tory former chair of the foreign affairs committee, said recently, an "ideal soft power network" for the multipolar world?

The answer depends on whether the Commonwealth can muster the collective political will to uphold its core values of political freedom and respect for human rights. In the past it has punished errant members: apartheid South Africa was excluded; Nigeria was suspended in 1995 after the execution of Ken Saro Wiwa; Pakistan was suspended after General Musharraf's coup d'etat in 1999, and again in 2007; Zimbabwe was suspended in 2002, and withdrew from the organisation the following year.

However, in recent years the collective political will of Commonwealth members to promote human rights has all but evaporated. Only the tiny Pacific nation of Fiji, suspended following a coup in 2006, will be excluded from this month's Commonwealth jamboree in Trinidad. And beyond the summits the Commonwealth has become even more pusillanimous.

Its secretariat fails to push or fund its human rights unit as a viable mechanism to encourage its members to comply with international standards; neither the secretary-general nor the diplomats of leading member states make a serious effort to get the Commonwealth to act collectively at the UN and elsewhere to champion human rights.

Over the past six years, the Sri Lankan government – presiding over serious violations of the laws of war and a vicious assault on its critics – has even sat on the Commonwealth ministerial action group, responsible for enforcing members' compliance with the Commonwealth's core values. There could be no better symbol of its failure to protect human rights and political freedoms.

Pakistan and Bangladesh, with a nod from London and Washington, use the real threat of terrorism to justify abuses such as torture and illegal detention. Kenya deliberately avoids accountability for serious abuses during the post-election violence in 2007. Cameroon, Uganda and the Gambia intimidate human rights defenders and journalists.

Beyond failing to deal with the rights abusers and fake democrats in its midst, the Commonwealth is actively encouraging applications by repressive governments such as Rwanda which do not meet the Commonwealth's own criteria for membership as set out in the 1991 Harare declaration. The likely approval of its application at this year's summit will send a strong message that the Commonwealth is turning its back on human rights and political freedom.

If the Commonwealth is to become relevant in the 21st century, it must set itself in opposition to the gathering forces of intolerance and authoritarianism. As a global, multifaith, multiracial network of genuinely rights-respecting states, the Commonwealth could be a powerful symbol of the universality of human rights and a champion of their protection. But that means first engaging constructively with its own members on their shortcomings, taking strong action against serial abusers, and refusing to accept new members unless they are genuinely committed to human rights and democracy.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by James on November 24, 2009 at 5:13pm: Democracy will not and can't solve mens problem.

The Kingdom of God is here to meet your need. Human Rights are nothing compared to God's Rights

E na sega tale ni dua na Democratic Govt e na duri e Viti. Vosota e ra sa na veiliutaki e Viti na tamata ni Kalou.

Tukuni tiko e na caka na veidigidigi e na yabaki 2014. Kevaka e se bera ni raica na Kalou e so na nona tamata e na toso tale me vica tale na yabaki.

Sega ni wali ni leqa nei Viti na Democracy. Na Kingdom ga e rawa ni sotavi iko kei na nomu leqa.
Vakasaqara taumada na Matanitu ni Kalou-Mathew 6:33

Ni kalougata tiko n God Bless; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by STEE on November 24, 2009 at 6:37pm: BAHHHH..ANOTHER KULINA..!!

""The Kingdom of God is here to meet your need. Human Rights are nothing compared to God's Rights""

AND SO IT IS HERE ALREADY...THE TRUTH SEEKERS AKA DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM FIGHTERS..!!

NOTHING CAN EVER BE COMPARED TO GOD'S RIGHTS..NUMB SKULL..!! WE ARE FIGHTING AGAINST THIS ILLEGAL REGIME, NOT GOD..!

NA QAVUNI TIKINI VOLATABU KO SAKITAKA WAVOKI TIKO QORI MO KAUTA VEI BAINIVORE. BALETA KE SA RAICA TU O KOYA NA MATANITU NI KALOU, KE SEGA NI MAI TAURA TU VAKAILOA NA MATANITU DIGITAKI, ME YACO GA KINA NONA LEWA NI ULU LALA, BAVULU SESE, VADONUI KOYA GA VAKATAKI KOYA KA SA YACO TU NI KUA... MOCE JO..!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike on November 24, 2009 at 7:11pm: Bula Stee,

Sa da oca mai na vakarogoci ira nai lala bavulu qo. Sa sega beka ni vakadonui na crusade sara via mai vakayacora ike na lomadra.

Yalovinaka sara James, ke sa sega ga na nomu i vavakoso brother ya sa vakaraitaka sara tu ga na levu ni macawa ni nomu i vunau. Kakua ni mai vaqara i vavakoso ike. Kakua talega ni vakatautauvata taka na matanitu ni Kalou kei na ka e cakava tiko qori o ratu suguraki. Bau vakasamataka na ka o via tukuna ni se bera ni o mai toqa ike. Sa laurai ga vei iko na totolo kei na calacala, drau tautauvata saraga kei ratu suguraki.

Vakacava mo kaya ga mai vakadodonu ni o vinakata me toso tikoga na veiliutaki macawa qori me rawa tiko kina na kemu i sau ni madrai.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kasanita Kamakorewa Lindell on November 24, 2009 at 11:54pm: @ James Jemesa - Gonei...o qai tiko mai se qai tiko yani?? Na Kingdom e lewa tiko ga o taukei ni Kingdom, warai ni du mai lewa tiko o kemudou!! Laurai sara la vi koko na qiqo ni yalo vatai na vakasama. Sa vinaka mo vuka tu la vaqori i macawa, lewa tu na tani na sika ni weli baleta ni rui sese ka yalowai tu vakasivia.

Na kena vaka Rewa na nomu i vosavosa na 'contradictory'.

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt"; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike on November 24, 2009 at 7:19pm: 'Crisis-hit' Commonwealth holds pre-Copenhagen summit

LONDON, Nov 25 (AFP) Nov 25, 2009

Commonwealth leaders gather in Trinidad from Friday in the last major international meeting before a crucial UN climate conference in Copenhagen.

The 53-nation gathering is being portrayed as an essential stepping stone to Copenhagen, where world leaders will try to draw up a post-2012 accord to slash emissions from fossil fuels that cause greenhouse gases.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said the twin challenges of the pressing need for action on climate change and the battle against the global recession made the three-day meeting in Port of Spain a "crisis summit".

"We have all had a bad few years of crisis upon crisis. The fuel and food crises of last year have been compounded by a financial crisis in 2009, in which less no less than half of our members are suffering negative growth," he told Commonwealth civic leaders in Trinidad ahead of the talks.

Founded 60 years ago, the Commonwealth now stretches around the globe, encompassing two billion people and accounting for a fifth of world trade.

The club of mainly former British colonies could grow further as the meeting will consider a membership application from Rwanda, a move backed by Commonwealth heavyweights though opposed by human rights campaigners.

But with the clock ticking to the start of the talks on December 7, the issue of climate has risen to the top of the agenda.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon as well as Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen will go to Trinidad for discussions on climate warming with Commonwealth leaders on Friday.

In an unusual move, French President Nicolas Sarkozy will also attend, fresh from taking part in a meeting of eight Amazon countries in the Brazilian city of Manaus, in the heart of the Amazon jungle.

Sharma said he wanted the Trinidad meeting to produce a strong political statement to take to Copenhagen but stressed the need to ensure that the voice of the Commonwealth's smaller nations is heard.

"The ones most starkly affected in many instances by global warming are the many small and vulnerable states that have negligible carbon footprints," he told reporters in a pre-meeting briefing in London.

Politicians from one tiny Commonwealth member, the Maldives, donned flippers and snorkels for an underwater cabinet meeting in October to warn against rising sea levels that threaten to submerge the low-lying archipelago.

Its president, Mohamed Nasheed, has warned that if every developed country enters the Copenhagen negotiations seeking to keep their own emissions as high as possible, it would be a "recipe for collective suicide."

Rwanda's bid to join the Commonwealth, 15 years after hundreds of thousands of people were killed in a genocide, is supported by Britain and Canada, two of the organisation's main financial contributors.

They argue that if the former German colony, which later came under a Belgian mandate from the League of Nations, joined the club it would be forced to raise its standards under increased international scrutiny.

But Human Rights Watch claims President Paul Kagame's administration suppresses democracy, freedom of speech, the press and human rights.

The group says the Commonwealth's claim to uphold those values would be undermined if it opened its doors to Rwanda.

The Commonwealth must also consider how to persuade Fiji to return to democracy.

The Pacific country had its membership suspended in September after its military ruler refused to meet Commonwealth demands to call elections by October next year, following a coup in December 2006.

Earlier this month, Commonwealth members Australia and New Zealand expelled Fiji's top envoys in a tit-for-tat retaliation for a similar move by the country's military regime, abruptly raising regional tensions.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, the Head of the Commonwealth, will officially open the talks on Friday.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike on November 24, 2009 at 8:32pm: International Monetary Fund urges Fiji to stop borrowing

Posted at 01:46 on 25 November, 2009 UTC

The International Monetary Fund has urged the interim government in Fiji to stop borrowing.

Fiji Village reports the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Chief Ray Brooks says the government must reduce its reliance on the Fiji National Provident Fund as a source of finance.

He says reforms are also needed within the provident fund

After a two week visit to Fiji, Mr Brooks said the government must shrink its expenditure, and said one way to do this was to reduce spending salaries and wages.

The Reserve Bank of Fiji has said the government’s outstanding debt totalled 1.5 billion US dollars at the end of June, or 51.3 percent of gross domestic product.

The IMF has also revealed it did not receive a formal request for the funding of the planned reforms.

The interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, had said the IMF and World Bank were coming to Fiji regarding the funding of the government’s reforms, and to check the state of the economy.

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

Permalink Reply by Mike on November 24, 2009 at 8:34pm: Isa, sa na sega tale beka na backpay vei ira nai lala nei ratu suguraki....hihihihi!!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Amete Bai Nasoqeqe on November 24, 2009 at 9:33pm: Mike oiratou e ratou waraka tiko mo qai solia eso na vakacavacava mai yasana qori. Au guess you have alot out there.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike on November 24, 2009 at 9:55pm: Hahaha!!! sa rawa ga ni dua na kau...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Wota on November 24, 2009 at 9:55pm: Bula vinaka marama nyte au kila e levu tale tikoga mai
yasana qori...........; ▶ Reply to This