"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 Loruama Tawawili on February 2, 2010 at 7:04pm: Sorby kua ni saga na katalomo vei Tau Jese.Nanuma nai vosavosa ya Sovea."Dina era kaya ni dau luvu wasoma,vei iratou na tauvu e dau ka ni sili wacala.Sorby you will be like a fish out of water in the Rewa River. It is not the Waitui that you and I are accustomed to My Brother Sorby.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Loruama Tawawili on February 2, 2010 at 7:18pm: Methodist Church Committee members detained
Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Police spokesman Atunaisa Sokomuri confirmed the arrests.
Taken from / By: FBC
Police today arrested members of the Methodist Church Standing Committee and took them in for questioning.

Police spokesman Atunaisa Sokomuri told FBC News that members of the Standing Committee were taken in as part of Police investigations into the church that began late last year.

“I would like to clarify that there are certain ministers of the Methodist church that have been taken by police. This is part of police investigations that started from last year and police are conducting investigations as such. Certain members of the church were also taken in yesterday too.”

It is not clear if the church members have been charged as FBC News has been receiving conflicting information.

Senior church leaders say they expect the members of the Committee to appear in Court soon.

Meanwhile the Methodist Church says it is surprised by allegations of political activity made against them by Police Commissioner Esala Teleni.

Assistant Secretary Reverend Tevita Nawadra says Teleni alleged last Thursday that the church was trying to form a new political party with certain elements.

“And he said that its allege that theirs a group of Methodists and some talatala and also former SDL party stalwarts have been trying to form a new political party or something like a Christian party -that’s the allegation.”

This week, government extended their ban on Methodist Church activities to include divisional and quarterly meetings. Only spiritual meetings are allowed.

The government says the church should focus on the spiritual development of its members, and not be involved in politics.

Reverend Nawadra says they received a letter on Friday informing them of the ban but says no evidence was provided to them.

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Loruama Tawawili on February 2, 2010 at 7:23pm: What happened to the New Methodist Church that brothers Teleni and Atu did the Police Christian crusade with and resulted with the police going over their budget by 19 million dolarrs in 3 months.Will the illegal regime investigate this? Afterall the evidence is there in front of them. But no Teleni still want to discredit the Lotu Wesele with no evidence but lies and vuvu.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Suliasi Daunitutu on February 2, 2010 at 7:31pm: Fiji PM assasination trial continues
Wednesday, February 03, 2010

A spy today admitted in Court that he suggested a method to assassinate Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama only to gather more information from a group of men already trying to assassinate him.

Prosecution witness Lance Corporal Peniasi Kuli made the statement under cross examination by defense lawyers, in the trial of eight man accused of trying to assassinate Bainimarama, Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and former Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.

Defence lawyer Mehboob Raza questioned Kuli on his work with the Fiji Military Forces intelligence unit and his analysis of events at that time, which he reported back to superiors.

In particular Kuli was questioned about his analysis of a newspaper advertisement put out by Naitasiri high chief, Ratu Inoke Takiveikata, who is one of the accused.

Kuli says he didn’t think the ad put out by Ratu Inoke calling for reconciliation was genuine.

He says he believed Ratu Inoke was trying to mislead the people and incite them against the government.

Kuli said the newspaper ad had a hidden agenda to create instability, ill feeling and uncertainty.

It was revealed in court that Kuli gave this assessment to superiors within the military intelligence and was also part of his police statement.

When asked of his involvements in the meeting that allegedly hatched the plot to assassinate Commodore Bainimarama, Kuli says he was acting as a spy and only suggested they poison the PM’s food and drinks because he wanted to gather more information.

Kuli told the court he suggested the plan, only after he had been told that a plot already existed to assassinate senior government figures.

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Loruama Tawawili on February 2, 2010 at 8:03pm: So Kuli suggested the poison plan after he was told that a plan already existed.This evidence will be torn to pieces by any criminal. Kuli's admitteance to the plan now makes him axcessary to the crime. Jus an opinion. But I sill say that Ballu Khan had already walked so why waste time and money on these men now.Even JB who was charged with these lot has been cleared with no evidence. Wat is happeneing here?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Suliasi Daunitutu on February 2, 2010 at 7:36pm: New section included under treason offence

A new section is included under the Treason and other Offences Against Government Authority part of the Crimes Decree, and it mainly focuses on the court to have regard to which a conduct occurred including whether the person charged with an offence under this part conducted the act in good faith.
The section deals with the determination of certain elements of offences under the part of the decree which the court should take into regard.

Section 70 of the Treason part of the decree states that for the purposes of determining whether a person has intended that force or violence shall occur in the context of an offence under the Treason section, the court shall have regard to the context in which the conduct occurred, and whether the person conducted the act in good faith to show that the President, the Prime Minister, their advisers or a person responsible for the government of another country were mistaken in any of their counsels, policies or actions.

Under the Treason Section of the Crimes Decree, the courts shall also take into account on whether the person acted in good faith to point out errors or defects in the government of Fiji, the constitution, legislation of Fiji or another country and the administration of justice of or in Fiji, or another country, with a view to reforming those errors and defects.

The court shall also have regard on whether the person charged with an offence under the Treason section is pointing out in good faith, any matters that are producing or having a tendency to produce feelings of ill-will or hostility between different groups, in order to bring about the removal of these matters.

Meanwhile the statute of limitation of two years for the offence of treason is no longer in place after the Crimes Decree came into effect on Monday.

Under the Penal Code which is now repealed, a person could not be tried for treason, misprision of treason and instigating invasion, unless the prosecution is commenced within two years after the offence is committed.

Now there is a major change because in the past, police and prosecutors faced major difficulties and could not charge a person with treason or other treasonable offences if two years had lapsed after the offence was committed.

The two year limitation has been taken away under the Crimes Decree.

Former High Court Judge Nazhat Shameem said this problem no longer exists for the police and the prosecution.

Under the Crimes Decree, a person commits the offence of treason, if at the time of the offence being a Fiji citizen or resident, the person causes the death of the President or the Prime Minister, causes harm to the President or the Prime Minister, or imprisons or restrains the President or the Prime Minister.

Under the decree, a person can also be charged with treason if he or she instigates a person who is not a citizen of Fiji to make an armed invasion of Fiji.

The penalty of treason is life imprisonment.

Receiving or assisting another person who has committed treason with the intention of allowing him or her to escape punishment or apprehension, also carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Suliasi Daunitutu on February 2, 2010 at 7:38pm: WTF...which one is it ? is there a two years period or not in the decree for a prosecution to be valid ?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Loruama Tawawili on February 2, 2010 at 7:48pm: How does one act in good faith to commit treason? She is suggesting that if good faith is done by someone pointing out the errors of the govt of Fiji with a view of reforming those errors then they are traitors.
This description fits Bainimarama to the T except the in good faith part because overthrowing a democratically elected Govt is a bad idea.Thos interpretation by this woman is unbelievable. Now she is saying that the 2 year period for the validity of prosecution is gone. This cannot save Baini9marama nor the President anyways.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David Mitchell on February 3, 2010 at 5:13am: What ...?

Justification for Treason, redefines the word Treason itself.Expanding the stipulations to justify an act of wilful tyranny is treacherous to the english language per se. Dua tale mai gaga aule !

It clearly illustrates the IG's intent on administering policies to subjugate the civil pursuits of common men, on empowering itself to further expand its civil suppression of rights of individuals and the greater goal of harnessing support among its weak links.

Which is the greater evil?... a Military Regime never fairly voted in by the polls, justifying its act of spontaneity or expanding the stipulations of self style decrees to paint a rosy picture of the status quo... neither one because evil begets evil...

We can only ponder, as to what would infinitely come in next...a Decree to pardon individuals for premeditated - random acts of violence aganist the general public done...to keep the (good) faith. Dou bula !; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by StRYka aka LOne rAnger on February 3, 2010 at 9:55am: Bula Vladmir,

levu la na decree buli tiko me ratou protect taki tiko kina na i lawalawa nei bainipuaka; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Suliasi Daunitutu on February 2, 2010 at 7:40pm: $30m owed to Water Authority

The Water Authority of Fiji has got a total amount of $30 million owing to them from non-payment of water bills pending from past years.

Chairman of the Water Authority of Fiji, John Prasad said the amount is huge and they are tightening on some areas especially with the payment of bills while some are seen to be involved in illegal connections of metres.

Prasad said people should not be complacent and wait for the last minute to pay their bills.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Suliasi Daunitutu on February 2, 2010 at 8:14pm: Slap a decree on them Bainimarama !....I wonder why they cannot afford to pay their water rates....maybe they were not actually using water......THEY ARE BROKE !!!; ▶ Reply to This