WUNRN
Solidarity &
Support Needed for Women of Fiji - World YWCA
15
Apr 2009
World YWCA
YWCA of Fiji
It
was not such a blessed Easter for the people of Fiji. The country has become
increasingly unstable in the past few days after its Court of Appeal ruled last
Thursday that Commodore Bainimarama's regime was illegal under the country's
1997 constitution. In response, the country's ailing President, Ratu Josefa
Iloilo, sacked the judiciary, dissolved the constitution, ruled out any
election for five years and briefly removed Commodore Bainimarama before
re-appointing him as prime minister.
Bainimarama
has blamed free speech for causing instability in the country and as a
consequence local media have been censored, papers are no longer covering
political events and international media have been expelled. Media freedom
group Reporters Without Borders has called the restrictions on media a
"mortal blow" to press freedom.
"The military government is heading dangerously towards a Burmese-style system in which the media are permanently subject to prior censorship and other forms of obstruction," Reporters Without Borders said.
The military also took over the Reserve Bank in Suva and sacked Governor Savenaca Narbue, along with a range of government appointed constitutional offices including the Human Rights Commissioner, Dr Shaista Shameen.
Safety and security for the people of Fiji is paramount. The theme for this year's World YWCA Day is ‘Women Creating a Safe World’ and the YWCA of Fiji will use the day to call for a safe Fiji. “We are concerned for the welfare of woman and children and that life will be harder. Life is already a struggle but we have our faith in God and this is holding us up, “ says Leba Halofaki-Mataitini, National President of the YWCA of Fiji.
Women’s groups in Fiji are asking for international support and solidarity as they call for protection of media personnel, civilians and the resumption of normal media operations along with compliance of all international human rights commitments including United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which calls for women’s full participation in peace building.
“ Without an elected government, Fiji cannot be assured of the economic security now so desperately needed in our country. Women and children will continue to bear the brunt of the economic insecurities. Children will bear the brunt of growing up during a time when political insecurity affects the core of our communities, and our society at large will continue to suffer due to the curtailment of our human rights,” said a leading women’s advocate in the Pacific.
The 16-nation Pacific Island Forum had given Fiji until May 1 to set a date for a democratic election or be suspended; the Commonwealth is also likely to suspend the country. The Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum and Premier of Niue, Toke Talagi, has condemned recent developments in Fiji.
“The events of the past few days amount to wanton disregard for constitutionalism and the rule of law in Fiji and confirm my fears that there is no commitment on the part of this military regime to return Fiji to democracy through free and fair elections in any acceptable timeframe as urged by Forum Leaders,” the Chair said. “It is a very difficult time for the Pacific Islands Forum as the military regime in Fiji have now confirmed that they are unable to abide by the core commitments to democracy, human rights and justice which lie at the very heart of our Forum family in the Pacific.
The Chair reiterated that the Pacific Islands Forum stands ready to support any legitimate and balanced efforts to return Fiji to freedom and democracy. “We will not abandon the people of Fiji, nor doubt Fiji's ability to contribute greatly to strengthening the Pacific region. We wait anxiously for its early return to democracy and good governance and resumption of normal relations with its Pacific neighbours,” the Chair added.
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