'Hate crimes demand more than just condemnation'

The NGO Coalition on Human Rights has urged national leaders to confront the growing role of social media in fueling harm and amplifying hate.

The Coalition was responding to recent cases of sacrilege and temple desecrations in which deities and religious texts were destroyed — attacks it described as an alarming escalation of religious and racially motivated hatred.

“These crimes are a deeply troubling indictment of the environment facing minority communities in Fiji today. They are not isolated incidents. They are intended to instill fear in communities that share the same religion, ethnicity, and identity,” the Coalition said in a hard-hitting statement today.

It warned that the surge in hate crimes demands more than condemnation, calling for urgent, robust and coordinated action from both Government and society, including swift and thorough investigations.

“Words alone are not enough – it must be matched by resources, training, education, and the political will to act,” the Coalition stressed.

The group also called on Fiji’s leaders to refrain from divisive language and policies, warning that “hate speech leads to hate crimes.”

“No one should have to live in fear because of who they are or where they come from. These abhorrent attacks harm individuals, communities, and Fijian society as a whole,” the Coalition added, reaffirming its solidarity with those affected.

It further called on the Government to uphold its duty to protect everyone equally and to move “swiftly and decisively from condemnation to sustained, joined-up action” to counter the rising atmosphere of hostility and hate.