"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 Tevita Korodrau on January 13, 2010 at 11:59am: The illegal regime into pensions is and should be an alert sign to every Fijian on planet earth.If this is going to be allowed without challenge the worse is still yet to come. I call for all to stop taking such issue lying.There are new emergencies on the horizons and all should be ready for.Schools loosing their most senior members of their staff under the compulsory 55 retirement. Some big schools findng it hard to cope with it already.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Loruama Tawawili on January 13, 2010 at 1:10pm: Fiji: This Week's Repressive Snapshop
This week, the NZ government announced proudly that it was improving relations with Fiji. Unfortunately, this improvement comes at a time when the illegal military regime is increasing its crackdown on its critics.

In the past week, the illegal Fiji regime has:

Extended emergency rule and media censorship for another 30 days;
Initiated a baseless prosecution of a prominent human rights lawyer for opposing the regime;
Sacked magistrates who ruled against the regime's prosecution;
Started a purge at the Suva City Council, targeting those suspected of opposing the regime;
Banned all religious conferences by the Fiji Methodist Church until 2014, on the basis that they are "spies" working against the military;
Deported Dr Padma Lal, solely because she is married to a critic of the regime;
Used food as a weapon to silence dissent, by cutting the pensions of regime critics
In this context, improving relations simply looks like rewarding bad behaviour; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Loruama Tawawili on January 13, 2010 at 1:13pm: This weeks snapshot is showing the lies of the illegal govt being shown to the world.There is no shame and no moral obligation to serve the people of Fiji here but just a way to keep a job and please Bainiumarama.Today it is the pensions what about tomorrow the wages of the dissenters?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Loruama Tawawili on January 13, 2010 at 1:18pm: Fiji: WLUML Statement on charges against Imrana Jalal
Source: WLUML Networkers
The international solidarity network, Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML), condemns the politically-motivated charges brought against human rights lawyer, Imrana Jalal, by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) on 1 January 2010. FICAC, as with most significant government bodies since the coup, is headed by a military officer. FICAC was established to investigate and prosecute corruption, but instead has been used to also persecute persons not supportive of the military regime.

A former Fiji Human Rights Commissioner, who has worked with WLUML on law reform and related issues, Ms. Jalal has a long record of public opposition to all unlawful (military and non-military) undemocratic regimes. These include the regimes of Sitiveni Rabuka, George Speight and now, Voreqe Bainimarama; her stance against Fiji’s 2006 military takeover is public knowledge.

On 5 January 2010, Fiji’s Military Forces Land Force Commander, Brigadier Pita Driti, warned Fiji citizens that they should remember “who is in control.” He went on to threaten any dissenters “...there are only a few people who [we] could term as adversaries, but I would discourage them from doing anything and I would like to tell them to keep low and try to cooperate with us in trying to maintain peace otherwise they will be in for something really hard in terms of how we will treat them this year.” (Radio Fiji interview)

Ms. Jalal was served with seven charges alleging breaches of the Public Health (Hotels, Restaurant and Refreshment Bars) Regulations, the Food Safety Act and the Penal Code. The charges relate to a business operated by Bottomline Investments. Ms. Jalal is a director of this company but has not been involved in its day to day operations. The restaurant charges normally attract a penalty of FJD20.00 (USD10.00) and are Suva City Council offences. A large number of businesses in Suva operate without a licence, whilst their applications for licences are being processed. This is not a corruption matter, nor one which FICAC is legally permitted to prosecute, according to lawyer, Ms. Jalal.

Threats of rape

WLUML furthermore abhors the military regime’s repeated use of grave threats against the person of Ms. Jalal, and her husband. In December 2006, after her published opposition to the military takeover, Ms. Jalal was threatened with rape, via an anonymous call to her mobile phone, and warned to “shut her mouth” or ‘they’ would shut it for her. The call was traced to a phone booth outside the gates of the Queen Elizabeth Barracks, home of the Fiji Military Forces. Twenty minutes prior to the call, Colonel (now Brigadier) Mohammed Aziz had asked Major Davina Chan to call Ms. Jalal’s office to obtain her mobile phone number. Imrana Jalal made a police complaint about the threat of rape, which is a matter of public record.

FICAC has initiated these actions against human rights lawyer and Co-Founder and Board Member of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, in order to harass and intimidate her into halting her public opposition to undemocratic regimes. Imrana Jalal categorically denies the allegations and intends to strenuously defend herself against the charges. WLUML applauds her for her courageous resistance to aggressive efforts to silence her, and asks international civil society groups and governments to put pressure on Fiji to ensure the safety and freedom of expression of Imrana Jalal, and her husband, and to uphold the rights of Fijian citizens to freedom of speech and dissent.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kasanita Kamakorewa Lindell on January 13, 2010 at 1:05pm: HERES A GENTLE REMINDER to RATU TAU TAWAWILI about why he should remain on the higher road and not stoop to gutter level attitude like unnecessarily attacking and threatening turaga naita Eddie the way he has been. (it becomes you sir)

Please take note:

LORUAMA TAWAWILI
A highly motivated individual who walks his talk and motivates others on an elevated intellectual level. Humble, caring, a good husband, father, grandfather and friend. Highly principled with great faith in God, Loruama is a force to be reckoned with behind the Democracy Movement.

No organization is stronger than the quality of its leadership, or ever extends its constituency far beyond the degree to which its leadership is representative.
-Edgar Powell; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kuna Osea Malamalanitabua on January 13, 2010 at 1:43pm: Loruyama,...e dau tukuni mai Nadro...Na yalo ga ma tju dodonu....Mo kua ni yalo hewahea...Na Dina Na Dodonu kei na Savasava na i yaragi ena valuti kina na Meca.Mo tudei ka yalo qaqa...We need you as a leader and we ask our Mighty God to protect you and your family in our fight to restore Democracy back in Fiji.Your critics willl be forgoten but your fighting spirit will stay with us always.You are a Freedom Fighter...Leqwu Vulivata..1959-1963..ME VALATAKI NA NODA UCUNIVATU.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kasanita Kamakorewa Lindell on January 13, 2010 at 2:02pm: Take mine as "CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM" kainoqu Kuna Osea!
After reading the exchange I am referring to in my above post, goodness sakes it is NEEDED IN THIS DEMOCRACY THREAD and I am ABSOLUTELY sure the owner of this thread turaga naita Suliasi Daunitutu welcomes it!! Rest assured!!!

Also if I may add, I hope this is not an OLD BOYS CLUB type (CLIQUE) movement as it is at times strongly insinuated with all the (OB) references and inner circle jargon because that will be it's undoing. Keeping a universal approach would be wiser or should I just not suggest "CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM" anymore and keep my big mouth shut? aye!! ;)

JUST another observation and DON'T take it PERSONAL, at least I hope! :)

Vinaka saka; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kuna Osea Malamalanitabua on January 14, 2010 at 8:16am: Vina Valevu Na kai Kasanita,I will take it like a man and proud to belong to the Burebahaga Kingdom.I support the fight for Democracy and a better future for us all.Moce re valekaleka na leqwu vibulou.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Eddie C.Koroitunalagi on January 13, 2010 at 3:50pm: Thanks Naita Kasa..........Yes,I think Yanu Loru need to discipline himself and have some quality of leadership so he can recognize where he stand as a leader of the movement.And if he think he's the ''ME MAN'' I'm sorry he's going to lose ground soon or later.

Kalougata tiko na bula.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Nat T. on January 13, 2010 at 8:23pm: aiyeeee turaga tau loru tou sa taura madaga na higher road kanaki tiko mai vei koya na yalewa qori kasanita. ia nona biuta tu mai va ya na nomui taba kei na kena vakamacala, iiiyeeeee, qai vakaotia mai turaga tau! intimidating se bullying tactics mai!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kasanita Kamakorewa Lindell on January 13, 2010 at 10:56pm: Checks and balances is the point here turaga nite J.T, not to mention all the points you have just mentioned!

Thanks much for re-emphasizing! :); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kasanita Kamakorewa Lindell on January 13, 2010 at 11:16pm: Oh c'mon turaga nite, trauma? hahaaaa...funny you should see it that way! :)

No no no...not even close, quite contrary in fact, good thing we both agree unless I read you wrong just as you did me.

Va tale tiko na vivuni qo gonei... akiaaa!!; ▶ Reply to This