By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania
SUVA, Fiji — The Fiji government has allegedly misrepresented its human rights record in a report to the United Nations.
The UN Human Rights Council is scheduled to review the human rights situation in Fiji on Thursday, February 11 in Geneva.
The report allegedly contains statements indicating that Fiji’s Government is indeed respecting human rights, such as freedom of speech and religion. However, in its submission to the Council, Amnesty International claims this is inaccurate.
According to Amnesty International’s Pacific Researcher, Apolosi Bose, “[g]overnment assertions that human rights are protected in Fiji are an insult to its citizens, who have had to endure surveillance, intimidation and threats by the military.”
Since April 2009, when Commodore Frank Bainimarama refused to continue to abide by Fiji’s constitution, the government has violated human rights and upset the rule of law in that country. Several magistrate judges have been dismissed without explanation. The media has also been subjected to censorship on a daily basis.
Furthermore, pastors and administrators at the Methodist Church of Fiji have been arrested since July 2009. Not only did the government suspend the church’s annual conference until 2014, but it also arrested church officials, detained them and charged them under the Public Emergency Regulations (PER).
In April 2009, the government enacted these regulations, which allowed it to violate basic human rights while at the same time it shielded itself from dissent or criticism. These regulations enable the government to suppress news and other comments which are highly critical.
According to Amnesty, “[m]ore than a thousand people have been assaulted, threatened, intimidated or subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment, arbitrary arrests, and detention by the military for either being critical of the authorities or on trumped-up charges.”
The PER, extended every thirty days, authorize Fiji’s security forces to prohibit meetings, use lethal force where they feel necessary, and to regulate the use of any public place.
Human rights organizations have suggested that Fiji not renew the PER upon their expiration this month.
Human Rights Watch has also expressed concern over Fiji’s submission.
The organization believes that abusive policies undertaken by Fiji’s military government must be corrected to ensure the nation returns to a democratic rule. Otherwise, the human rights situation will worsen.
The deputy director of Human Rights Watch Asia, Phil Robertson stated that UN involvement in Fiji is necessary. “Without an impartial judiciary and other independent institutions to provide checks and balances on the military government, an active role by the UN human rights office is crucial… The UN and its member states need to insist that Fiji abide by its international human rights commitments.”
The UN Human Rights Council is conducting the review in accordance with the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, where the Council assesses the human rights record of every state that is a member of the UN. The UPR occurs on a rotating basis once every four years.
This is the first review of Fiji’s human rights record.
For more information please see:
Amnesty International – Fiji: Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review: Seventh Session of the UPR Working Group of the Human Rights Council, February 2010
Pacific.Scoop – Amnesty accuses Fiji regime over human rights record report to UN – 10 February 2010
Radio New Zealand – Human rights groups scathing about Fiji claims to UN body – 10 February 2010
Human Rights Watch – UN Rights Council: Demand End to Fiji Abuses – 09 February 2010
