Human Rights In Fiji

Amnesty International has become the latest group to voice their outrage at Fiji’s military regime.

They have warned that human rights are deteriorating rapidly as a result of measures implemented by Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama (Frank Bainarama) and his regime.

Apolosi Bose, an Amnesty International expert says “With no-one to stand up on behalf of the abused and the vulnerable there is a real risk of grave human rights abuses occurring against civilians.”

“The human rights situation in Fiji is getting worse by the day.”

Amnesty international say the control over the media has meant that the work of human rights groups is even more important.

A human rights group advocate, who cannot be named, says “All of our meetings have been banned. As we have a different point of view from the government we are considered a threat to national security.”

“We can’t meet to discuss anything, everything we do is considered political to them.”

On April 13 Bainimarama cracked down on media deporting foreign journalists and imposing strict regulations on Fijian media. They are banned from publishing anything against the regime and have military censors in their newsrooms.

Organisations and individuals that also oppose the regime can face harsh penalties.

Politically-motivated attacks are becoming more common, with lawyers politicians, journalists and unionists being hit.

Attar Singh, the head of the Movement for Democracy, was attacked in his home in March.

Singh believes the attacks were related to his stance on democracy.

“It was definitely political, I think there can’t be any doubt about that because there were several cars parked outside in my neighbour’s compound, which is not fenced at all, there’s no extra security. Those cars were not attacked.” He told the ABC

“I think it can be safely concluded that these are people who do not like what we are saying regarding our calls for democracy.”

Employment issues

Bainimarama received further criticism last week when all civil servants aged over 55 were made redundant.

This move impacted all government departments, excluding the police and military.

The human rights advocate says this will mean Fijian citizens will suffer far worse than they already are.

“Fijians are already suffering financially, 1600 more redundancies will effect many people and many families. “

The coup has also seen Fiji’s two main industries suffer.

Tourism has been badly hit as New Zealand and Australia warned people from visiting.

Dr John Overton, head of Development Studies at Victoria University says other Pacific Islands will see the benefits of this coup.

“Fiji’s reputation will be effected. New Zealanders and Australians still want to go to the Pacific Islands but will go to Samoa and Tonga instead. “

The sugarcane industry has also been heavily hit, and the garment industry is now almost non-existent, resulting in huge female unemployment rates.

This has pushed the average Fijian family under the poverty level, says the human rights advocate.

“People can’t even afford to live anymore. We were alright, but now no one is coming here, and all the redundancies have meant people can’t afford to feed their families.”

Dr Overton says that those worse effected will be people living in rural areas of Fiji who rely on these exporting industries for survival.

“Poor people in Fiji are too busy wondering where they are getting their next meal, clean water and employment; they don’t care what the military does, even though their actions will hit them worse.”

“Squatter settlements will also be badly hit. Ex-Farmers have been turfed off land because they can’t afford to renew their leases . . . and can’t find jobs that they can do.”

“The economic downturn and this coup mean these people are really struggling.”

Media Fights Back.

These sources all believe freedom of speech is the most severe human rights breach.

“By restricting the media Fijians have no idea what is happening in this country, the media is a key part of democracy. They have put an end to our democracy,” says the human rights advocate.

Fijian media are not allowed to publish information that would cause “disorder”, “public alarm” or any material that would undermine the interim government.

An editor of one of Fiji’s daily newspapers say they are fighting back by refusing to publish any information about the government at all.

“If we can’t write negative things about the government or any information about what they are doing, then were certainly not going to publish anything that makes them look good, or any positive stories about them.”

The editor, who cannot be named, says Fijian journalists are the main bloggers in Fiji.

“We know what is happening, we still have our sources in the military and government, if we can’t discuss these issues in the mainstream media then we are going to get the information out. We go to our blogs to write them; because they’re anonymous blogs they haven’t figured out it is us”

“We have to be careful though; the military are running around in civilian clothing”

He says it is important that blogs exist as it allows Fijian citizens to have some information outlets.

The newsrooms are now supervised by the Ministry of Information and the Police from late afternoon until the newspapers are published.

The ministry check over each story before it is published, although the journalists are quite aware what is and isn’t allowed.

“We have heard of some editors and journalists being sent up to the military camps, they were asked why they wrote what they did. Although now with the presence in our newsrooms we can’t really break the rules.”

“The main problem is that there is very little public knowledge about what they’re doing, what they’re not doing, and the public are left out in the dark. The media are in no position either, we are totally shut out.”

The human rights advocate says “people on the ground have some idea what is happening with the media, but I don’t think they realise the extent to which freedom of speech is affected.”

The media ban was initially only meant to last for 30 days, although the Fijian editor says this is very unlikely.

“We are unsure how long this will go on for. We have had indication that it will be extended for at least another 30 days.”

What now?

Amnesty International New Zealand held their annual general meeting in Auckland over the weekend where they decided to work harder on lobbying governments to act on the human rights issues in Fiji.

In a press release they say “A report on the situation is being prepared by Apolosi and his team and this will be used to lobby Governments and multilateral institutions on how the developing human rights situation and the steps which they can take to act for a positive outcome”

Amnesty’s aim is that this will then make New Zealand take action.

“New Zealand tends to hitch onto international backs,” says guest speaker Sasha McMeeking.

The New Zealand Human Rights Commission refused to comment on this story, saying “we don't tend to comment on human rights in other countries. Our role is to promote human rights in NZ.”

Amnesty International is preparing an action letter which worldwide Amnesty members will be able to sign and send to the Fijian Military Government

Olivia Wix is a journalism student at AUT

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