Fiji Political Parties Watch
A Perfect Model for Political Parties:
In a representative democracy, political parties are vitally important. Political parties function as a link between state institutions and local grassroots organizations. It is political parties that aggregate interests, present political alternatives and nominate candidates. In all such matters, the political parties play an essential role for the advancement of women and the promotion of equality, as they function as the gatekeepers of candidate selection and political power. In this section, you will find information on the role of political parties in promoting women.
Sub-topics:
- Candidate Selection
- Internal Organization
- Outreach
- Parties in Parliament
- Party Funding
- Party Regulation
- Policy and Platform Development
- Political Parties (general)
- Women’s Party Sections
http://www.iknowpolitics.org/en/library/issues/political_parties
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Today, 30 July 2009, Radio New Zealand again recorded the push by Fiji Labour Party for a Truth Commission in 2004. What happened then? Why did it fizzle out? Why did’nt Labour follow through with its plan?
Plans
We are now revisiting that moment and re-establishing the call for a Fiji Truth Commission.
Though this blog is new, it is our intention to aggressively pursue this end and keep you all posted on matters of interest with regards to this new Fiji Truth Commission Movement.
We promise to make it as interesting, thought provoking, intelligent, educational & a bit of fun to add onto to this serious topic. So watch this Space!!!
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Fiji Labour party calls for establishment of Truth Commission
Posted at 02:04 on 04 October, 2004 UTC
The Fiji Labour party says this week of national reconciliation ceremonies over the 2000 coup is a sham and a Truth Commission needs to be established.
The party’s vice-president, Krishna Datt, says the government’s apology for the events is insufficient.
And, he says there’s been no real effort by the government to compensate the many ordinary people in the country who lost their homes and incomes as a result of the upheaval.
Mr Datt says a Truth Commission should be set up.
“Let people who were affected or people who conducted the coup, come to the place and say exactly who all were involved, who were the people funding the coup, who were behind the scenes. These people are still wandering around. They are the ones who owe the nation an apology.”
Mr Datt says the party is also concerned that the reconciliation could be used as mitigation in the appeal by the vice-president, Ratu Jope Seniloli.
This has been rejected by the government’s information minister who says they remain committed to the process of law.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand
Quoting from USA Department of State ‘ Background Note: Fiji.”
“POLITICAL CONDITIONS
For 17 years after independence, Fiji was a parliamentary democracy. During that time, political life was dominated by Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and the Alliance Party, which combined the traditional Fijian chiefly system with leading elements of the European, part-European, and Indian communities. The main parliamentary opposition, the National Federation Party, represented mainly rural Indo-Fijians. Intercommunal relations were managed without serious confrontation. However, when a cabinet with substantial ethnic Indian representation was installed after the April 1987 election, extremist elements played on ethnic Fijian fears of domination by the Indo-Fijian community, resulting in a military coup d’etat.
This began what many now refer to as the “coup cycle.” The most recent coup took place in December 2006, but has its roots in the previous 2000 coup and mutiny. Military commander Commodore Bainimarama helped resolve the 2000 crisis by imposing martial law. Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase led the interim government that followed. Subsequently, Qarase was elected in 2001 and 2006, but pursued some policies favoring the indigenous Fijian community.
One of the main issues of contention is land tenure. Indigenous Fijian communities very closely identify themselves with their land. In 1909 the land ownership pattern was frozen by the British and further sales prohibited. Today, 87% of the land is held by indigenous Fijians, under the collective ownership of the traditional Fijian clans (mataqali). That land cannot be sold and is held in trust by the Native Land Trust Board on behalf of the landowning units. Indo-Fijians produce more than 75% of the sugar crop but, in most cases, must lease the land they work from its ethnic Fijian owners instead of being able to buy it outright.
In 2005 and 2006, tensions rose between Bainimarama and Qarase over legislation proposed by the Qarase government concerning land ownership, traditional non-public ownership of the foreshore, and a reconciliation bill that opened the possibility to grant immunity to some coup participants from 2000. Bainimarama began to make demands and threats, and engaged in shows of military force to intimidate the Qarase government into backing away from the controversial policies. When the Qarase government did not accede to all military demands, on December 5, 2006, Bainimarama assumed the powers of the presidency, dismissed Parliament, and declared a temporary military government.
Commodore Bainimarama’s interim government has pursued what he terms a “clean-up campaign” to root out what he considers to be large-scale corruption in Fiji. A number of civil servants, including the Chief Justice, were summarily suspended or dismissed due to unidentified corruption concerns. Many individuals who spoke out against the coup were taken to military camps where they were questioned and sometimes abused.” unquote.http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1834.htm
Fiji Labour Party condemns extension of emergency rulefrom Raw Fiji News by rawfijinews
The extension of emergency rule for a further period of 30 days by the interim government is clear evidence of its own lack of confidence in its ability to govern Fiji without imposing repressive measures on the people.
Serious violations of human rights have characterised Emergency Rule since 10 April when the Constitution was abrogated, the judiciary dismissed and strict media censorship imposed.
Today the situation in the cane belt is alarming. The cane farming community is harassed, intimidated, abused and even assaulted by certain elements in the security forces over the issue of burnt cane.
The National Farmers Union has written to HE the Acting President, the interim Prime Minister and the Interim Minister for Defence and National Security on this issue. The Union has urged that independent investigations be carried out into the instances of abuse of authority by certain elements in the security forces.
A number of specific instances of abuse and assault were cited in the NFU letter. It is now for the authorities to act in the matter or face condemnation from the public at large and the international community.
The indefinite extension of Emergency Rule without any justification (there has not been any instances of uprising or insurgency), the unsatisfactory state of the judiciary and media censorship are indicative of authoritarian and oppressive rule.
- Fiji Labour Party Statement