Youth Say Fiji Citizens Need to Walk the Democracy Talk

(For Immediate Release)

9th July2012

Youth Say Fiji Citizens Need to Walk the Democracy Talk
Accountability in leadership! Citizenry responsibility! Action that goes beyond talk and dialogue!

These are the changes that Fiji needs now as three of Fiji’s Youth leaders joined South African Youth Activist Amukelani Mayimele at the Citizens’ Constitutional Forum and USP School of Government, Diplomacy and International Affairs Youth Public Lecture held at the USP AusAID Lecture Theatre last Thursday, 5th July, 2012.

The three, Mr. Tura Lewai, Ms. Roshika Deo and Ms. Filomena Tuivanualevu, put the Fiji “youth in democracy” context to Amukelani’s presentation, who not only recounted South Africa’s democratic experience but illustrated how important it is to have a voice in mobilising people for change.

According to Amukelani, “South Africa’s Constitution is a very good one but it is only for South Africa drawing from it’s unique processes and it is not a “one size fits all” document and that all Fijians must do the same and participate in the current process to determine their own!”

Amukelani again added that “Change needs belief, leadership and mobilisation and to fight against unreasonable issues until they become reasonable.”
The CCF is a non-government organization that educates and advocates for good
governance, human rights and multiculturalism in Fiji. We are not aligned with any political party.

The 100 plus who attended the public lecture witnessed for the first time, Fiji’s youth exercise a fundamental freedom of expression and opinion and according to the three Fiji presenters the experience “was painful, frightening, exhilarating and liberating.”

For the first time since 2006, youth voices through the three panellists were heard openly and publicly expressing critical views that stated “Fiji’s military rule and leadership was oppressive for youth, that the rule by decree went against the principles of good governance, an honest and critical examination of the role of a few youths in the 2006 coup as defenders of human rights and the urge that all young people to take the lead in change by having a vision for a better Fiji, and to pursue this fearlessly with courage and persistence.”

Akuila Yabaki CCF CEO said, “The public lecture event was a historic occasion for Fiji’s youth and that on the back of the two day CCF Youth Dialogue held in Nadave bringing together Provincial youth leaders, Civil Society youth representatives, Ministry of Youth representative and Youth Activists, a very clear message is coming through that Youth representation is mandatory for nation building and the move to being the voting age to 18 years will breath new hope for Fiji.”

The CCF CEO added that,“If we are to be truly inclusive then representation must extend to include youth in decision-making at every level.”

In the Question and Answer session more of the young people at the forum took the opportunity to make comments on the State of youth, the future for youth and the need for all of Fiji to move forward.

Akuila Yabaki voiced the thoughts of many at the forum in adding that, “Freedom for Expression is a fundamental freedom in the process of democratisation and we should be demand and create these spaces especially now as we embark in the Constitutional process leading to elections in 2014.”

Also attending the forum were representatives of various Youth organisations, Youth Activists, members of the Diplomatic Corp, members of the public, Constitution Commissioner Mr. Satendra Nandan, and the Minister for Youth and Sport Mr. Viliame Naupoto and the Attorney General Mr. Aiyaz Said-Khaiyum.

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Reverend Akuila Yabaki
CEO - CCF

The CCF is a non-government organization that educates and advocates for good
governance, human rights and multiculturalism in Fiji. We are not aligned with any political party.

ENDS

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