Constitution Making in Fiji
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Reflections on the 1987 Fiji Coups Sanjay Ramesh
162 Fijian Studies Vol. 5 No. 1 Dialogue: Reflections on the 1987 Coup 163 gence Agency (CIA) was behind the coups. The reasons for what has been termed as the ‘CIA chimera’, are many and varied (see Lal, 1990, and Scobell, Reflections on the 1987 Fiji Coups 1994). Immediately after the coup, the Fiji Military Forces (FMF) embarked on a propaganda campaign, informing the coup sympathisers that the coalition had relations with the former Soviet Union and Libya and as such posed a direct Sanjay Ramesh threat to the western alliance and to Fijian traditions and values. Widespread rumours of the coalition being socialist and left-wing in orientation led some The coups of 1987 have become a bitter memory for the people of Fiji, observers to conclude that the CIA was involved. Other observations, such as but unanswered questions still linger about the whole incident. Did then Colonel US Hercules carriers making brief and suspicious stopovers at the Nadi Interna- Sitiveni Rabuka, who claimed that intervention of the army in Fiji’s political tional Airport; the presence of US Ambassador to UN Vernon Walters in the process was necessary to avert ethnic bloodshed (Rabuka, 2000: 9), act entirely country for talks with the coalition in response to the coalitions non-alignment on an instinct to save the indigenous Fijian race from the Indo-Fijian political policy; the appearance of retired US army officer Larry Mackenna at the US designs, or were there other forces at work? Embassy in full military uniform; and the dubious political activities of the The deposed Prime Minister late Dr. -
Parliament of Fiji Handbook
Parliament of Fiji Handbook Message from the Speaker The Fijian Parliament resumed its work in October 2014 following an election held in September 2014. The Constitution of the Republic of Fiji outlines the role and functions of the Parliament in Fiji’s system of governance. At one of its first sittings, the Parliament of Fiji adopted the Parliament’s Standing Orders that outline in detail the way that the Parliament operates. This Handbook is not designed to be an exhaustive, technical compendium of parliamentary procedure as we already have this in the Parliament of Fiji Standing Orders. The purpose of this Handbook is to provide a brief overview of the Parliament and it is designed for the use of all citizens. The Handbook aims to provide an introductory and straightforward description of the Parliament as an institution, the parliamentary context and the main jobs of Parliament and parliamentarians. This is a first edition, and the Handbook will be updated periodically, not least because it should be the intention of every Parliament to undergo a process of continual improvement. In developing this handbook, I am thankful to the senior Parliament staff who have provided expert technical input and the UNDP Fiji Parliament Support Project for their support in developing this important publication. Hon. Dr Jiko Luveni October 2016 Table of Contents A. Roles & Responsibilities 1 i) Rights & Responsibilities of MPs 1 Rights 1 Responsibilities 2 ii) Key Actors in Parliament 4 B. Passing a Law 6 i) Development of a Bill 6 Bill Originating from the Government 6 Bills Originating from MPs 7 ii) Stages of a Bill in Parliament 9 Introduction 9 2nd Reading 10 Standing Committee 11 Committee of the Whole Parliament on Bills 12 3rd Reading 14 Coming into Force 14 C. -
VAT-Registrant-As-At-31St-August
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Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004 Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor February 28, 2005
Fiji Page 1 of 8 Fiji Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004 Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor February 28, 2005 Fiji is a constitutional republic with an elected President, Prime Minister, and Parliament. Ethnicity remained a dominant factor in the country's politics, economy, and society. Following an attempted coup d'etat in 2000 that resulted in the overthrow of the lawfully elected government, free and fair elections were held in 2001, and the political situation improved. A dispute between the ruling party and the opposition over the composition of the Cabinet was settled in November when both sides agreed not to pursue the issue further. The Vice President, a government minister, and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament were sentenced to periods of imprisonment ranging from 1 to 6 years for their participation in a coup attempt in May 2000. The Constitution provides for an independent judiciary; however, the judiciary at times has been subject to political pressure. National security is monitored and acted upon by the National Security Council (NSC), which is composed of the Prime Minister; the Ministers of Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, and Attorney General; the Commissioner of Police; and the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF). During the year, the civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the unarmed civilian police force and the RFMF. There were occasional complaints of human rights abuses by the police. Most, if not all, were investigated, and individual members of the police have been charged and tried. There were no reports the RFMF committed human rights abuses. -
1 EXPLANATORY NOTE This Is the Report of the Commonwealth
EXPLANATORY NOTE This is the Report of the Commonwealth Observer Group which was present for the General Election in Fiji Islands, held from 6 to 13 May 2006. The Group’s report is reproduced here in the form in which it was signed by the Observers prior to their departure from Suva on 21 May 2006. It was transmitted to the Commonwealth Secretary- General on Friday 2 June 2006. During the following week he sent it to the Prime Minister of Fiji Islands, the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, the Supervisor of Elections, the leaders of the main political parties and Commonwealth governments. It was placed on this web-site and released to the media on Monday 12 June 2006. Printed copies are available from: Democracy Section Political Affairs Division Commonwealth Secretariat Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom Tel: +44 207 747 6407/6397/6398 Fax: +44 207 930 2189 • Please note that the page numbers shown on the contents page relate to the printed version of the report. Only Annexes II and IV are shown. The others will be added at a later date. 1 Fiji Islands General Election 6-13 May 2006 REPORT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP 2 CONTENTS Page Letter of Transmittal CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION 1 Invitation 1 Terms of Reference 1 Activities of the Group 2 CHAPTER TWO – POLITICAL BACKGROUND 4 Brief Historical Background 4 Political Overview 4 The Development of the 1997 Constitution 5 1999 Elections 6 2000 George Speight Coup 6 Commonwealth Engagement 7 2001 Election and Section 99 (5) of the Constitution 7 Talanoa Process 8 CMAG Meeting -
WANSALAWARA Soundings in Melanesian History
WANSALAWARA Soundings in Melanesian History Introduced by BRIJ LAL Working Paper Series Pacific Islands Studies Program Centers for Asian and Pacific Studies University of Hawaii at Manoa EDITOR'S OOTE Brij Lal's introduction discusses both the history of the teaching of Pacific Islands history at the University of Hawaii and the origins and background of this particular working paper. Lal's comments on this working paper are quite complete and further elaboration is not warranted. Lal notes that in the fall semester of 1983, both he and David Hanlon were appointed to permanent positions in Pacific history in the Department of History. What Lal does not say is that this represented a monumental shift of priorities at this University. Previously, as Lal notes, Pacific history was taught by one individual and was deemed more or less unimportant. The sole representative maintained a constant struggle to keep Pacific history alive, but the battle was always uphill. The year 1983 was a major, if belated, turning point. Coinciding with a national recognition that the Pacific Islands could no longer be ignored, the Department of History appointed both Lal and Hanlon as assistant professors. The two have brought a new life to Pacific history at this university. New courses and seminars have been added, and both men have attracted a number of new students. The University of Hawaii is the only American university that devotes serious attention to Pacific history. Robert,C. Kiste Director Center for Pacific Islands Studies WANSALAWARA Soundings in Melanesian History Introduced by BRIJ V. LAL 1987 " TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. -
The Case of Fiji
University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform Volume 25 Issues 3&4 1992 Democracy and Respect for Difference: The Case of Fiji Joseph H. Carens University of Toronto Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjlr Part of the Comparative and Foreign Law Commons, Cultural Heritage Law Commons, Indian and Aboriginal Law Commons, and the Rule of Law Commons Recommended Citation Joseph H. Carens, Democracy and Respect for Difference: The Case of Fiji, 25 U. MICH. J. L. REFORM 547 (1992). Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjlr/vol25/iss3/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform at University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform by an authorized editor of University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DEMOCRACY AND RESPECT FOR DIFFERENCE: THE CASE OF FIJI Joseph H. Carens* TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ................................. 549 I. A Short History of Fiji ................. .... 554 A. Native Fijians and the Colonial Regime .... 554 B. Fijian Indians .................. ....... 560 C. Group Relations ................ ....... 563 D. Colonial Politics ....................... 564 E. Transition to Independence ........ ....... 567 F. The 1970 Constitution ........... ....... 568 G. The 1987 Election and the Coup .... ....... 572 II. The Morality of Cultural Preservation: The Lessons of Fiji ................. ....... 574 III. Who Is Entitled to Equal Citizenship? ... ....... 577 A. The Citizenship of the Fijian Indians ....... 577 B. Moral Limits to Historical Appeals: The Deed of Cession ............. ....... 580 * Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Toronto. -
CONSTITUTION of the REPUBLIC of FIJI CONSTITUTION of the REPUBLIC of FIJI I
CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF FIJI CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF FIJI i CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF FIJI CONTENTS _______ PREAMBLE CHAPTER 1—THE STATE 1. The Republic of Fiji 2. Supremacy of the Constitution 3. Principles of constitutional interpretation 4. Secular State 5. Citizenship CHAPTER 2—BILL OF RIGHTS 6. Application 7. Interpretation of this Chapter 8. Right to life 9. Right to personal liberty 11. Freedom from cruel and degrading treatment 12. Freedom from unreasonable search and seizure 13. Rights of arrested and detained persons 14. Rights of accused persons 15. Access to courts or tribunals 16. Executive and administrative justice 17. Freedom of speech, expression and publication 18. Freedom of assembly 19. Freedom of association 20. Employment relations 21. Freedom of movement and residence 22. Freedom of religion, conscience and belief 23. Political rights 24. Right to privacy 25. Access to information 26. Right to equality and freedom from discrimination 27. Freedom from compulsory or arbitrary acquisition of property 28. Rights of ownership and protection of iTaukei, Rotuman and Banaban lands 29. Protection of ownership and interests in land 30. Right of landowners to fair share of royalties for extraction of minerals 31. Right to education 32. Right to economic participation 33. ii 34. Right to reasonable access to transportation 35. Right to housing and sanitation 36. Right to adequate food and water 37. Right to social security schemes 38. Right to health 39. Freedom from arbitrary evictions 40. Environmental rights 41. Rights of children 42. Rights of persons with disabilities 43. Limitation of rights under states of emergency 44. -
I~N~ 2 4I~ 7~~ 4~II 888 ~I ~I ~II C - ~~9 ~~ 6 I~II C ~~I E CONSTITUTION of THE
Date Printed: 01/14/2009 JTS Box Number: IFES 27 Tab Number: 25 Document Title: CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS Document Date: 1998 Document Country: FIJ Document Language: ENG. IFES ID: CON00070 *I~n~ 2 4 I~ 7 ~~ 4 ~II 888 ~I ~I ~II C - ~~9 ~~ 6 I~II C ~~I E CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS 27th July 1998 I CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS CONTENTS PREAMBLE CHAPTER I-THE STATE I. The Republic of the Fiji Islands 2. Supremacy of Constitution 3. Interpretation of Constitution 4. Languages 5. State and religion CHAPTER 2-COMPACT 6. Compact 7. Application of Compact CHAPTER 3-CITIZENSHIP 8. Retention of eXisting citizenship 9. Way in which citizenship may be acquired 10. Citizenship by birth II. Infant found abandoned in the Fiji Islands 12. Citizer.ship by registration 13. Citizenship by naturalisation 14. Loss of citizenship 15. Renunciation of citizenship 16. Rights to enter and reside in the Fiji Islands 17. Powers of Parliament concerning citizenship 18. Laws relating to calculation of periods in the Fiji Islands 19. Deprivation of citizenship 20. Prevention of statelessness CHAPTER 4-D1LL OF RIGHTS 21. Application 22. Life 23. Personal liberty 24. Freedom from servitude and forced labour 25. Freedom from cruel or degrading treatment 1 F Clifton Wl:ii~ Resource Center flit; International Found'![!on for Election Systcnls 26. Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizure 27. Arrested or detained persons 28. Rights of charged persons 29. Access to courts or tribunals 30. Freedom of expression 31. Freedom of assembly 32. -
Fiji Maa: a Book of a Thousand Readings Daneshwar Sharma
Subramani’s Fiji Maa: A Book of a Thousand Readings Daneshwar Sharma Abstract The spread of English is like the spread of the plague of insomnia in Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude. At first it is convenient; English (and insomnia) frees one to work more and improve connections, but soon one realises that they are losing memories of their past and unable to have dreams of their future. Living in a present with no ties to the past and no hopes of a future, one becomes an alien, speaking an alien language. To counter this erosion of memories, one has to write, label common household objects and describe their function in black and white. Márquez’s character does so, and so does Subramani in his upcoming book, Fiji Maa: Mother of a Thousand. Subramani recreates the world of Girmitiyaas and their descendants; a world lost long, long ago is made alive in front of the reader’s eyes with the power of his magical words. Reading this book will be like starting a journey back towards the grandparents’ village. This book, yet to be published, encapsulates the history of a time which will never return. The descendants of Girmitiyaas have migrated to far off places and have lost all ties to their collective memory. Fiji Maa: Mother of a Thousand will remind them what they were before the ‘plague’ of the foreign tongue. This paper proposes that Subramani’s upcoming novel should not only be supported and celebrated by the present generation but also be gifted to the coming generations by the present generation. -
History of Inter-Group Conflict and Violence in Modern Fiji
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Sydney eScholarship History of Inter-Group Conflict and Violence in Modern Fiji SANJAY RAMESH MA (RESEARCH) CENTRE FOR PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY 2010 Abstract The thesis analyses inter-group conflict in Fiji within the framework of inter-group theory, popularised by Gordon Allport, who argued that inter-group conflict arises out of inter-group prejudice, which is historically constructed and sustained by dominant groups. Furthermore, Allport hypothesised that there are three attributes of violence: structural and institutional violence in the form of discrimination, organised violence and extropunitive violence in the form of in-group solidarity. Using history as a method, I analyse the history of inter-group conflict in Fiji from 1960 to 2006. I argue that inter- group conflict in Fiji led to the institutionalisation of discrimination against Indo-Fijians in 1987 and this escalated into organised violence in 2000. Inter-group tensions peaked in Fiji during the 2006 general elections as ethnic groups rallied behind their own communal constituencies as a show of in-group solidarity and produced an electoral outcome that made multiparty governance stipulated by the multiracial 1997 Constitution impossible. Using Allport’s recommendations on mitigating inter-group conflict in divided communities, the thesis proposes a three-pronged approach to inter-group conciliation in Fiji, based on implementing national identity, truth and reconciliation and legislative reforms. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis is dedicated to the Indo-Fijians in rural Fiji who suffered physical violence in the aftermath of the May 2000 nationalist coup. -
Converging Currents Custom and Human Rights in the Pacific
September 2006, Wellington, New Zealand | STUDY PAPER 17 CoNvERgiNg CURRENTS Custom and human rights in the paCifiC The Law Commission is an independent, publicly funded, central advisory body established by statute to undertake the systematic review, reform and development of the law of New Zealand. its purpose is to help achieve law that is just, principled, and accessible, and that reflects the heritage and aspirations of the peoples of New Zealand. The Commissioners are: Right Honourable Sir geoffrey Palmer – President Dr Warren Young – Deputy President Honourable Justice Eddie Durie Helen Aikman qC The Manager of the Law Commission is Brigid Corcoran The office of the Law Commission is at 89 The Terrace, Wellington Postal address: Po Box 2590, Wellington 6001, New Zealand Document Exchange Number: sp 23534 Telephone: (04) 473–3453, Facsimile: (04) 914–4760 Email: [email protected] internet: www.lawcom.govt.nz National Library of New Zealand Cataloguing-in-Publication Data New Zealand. Law Commission. Custom and human rights in the Pacific / Law Commission. (Study paper, 1174-9776 ; 17) iSBN 1-877316-08-3 1. Customary law—oceania. 2. Human rights—oceania. 3. Civil rights—oceania. i. Title. ii. Series: Study paper (New Zealand. Law Commission) 340.5295—dc 22 Study Paper/Law Commission, Wellington 2006 iSSN 1174-9776 iSBN 1-877316-08-3 This study paper may be cited as NZLC SP17 This study paper is also available on the internet at the Commission’s website: www.lawcom.govt.nz <http://www.lawcom.govt.nz> LawCommissionStudyPaper He Poroporoaki The New Zealand Law Commission acknowledges with deep regret the passing of two notable Pacific leaders shortly before the printing of this study, the Maori queen and the King of Tonga.