Young Woman Used Emergency Fijian Passport To Flee Cooks

The Fijian Immigration Department had issued an emergency passport to a young woman which allowed her to flee the Cook Islands.

More details continued to emerge yesterday on her escape. She claimed she fled because she was sexually abused and kept as a sex slave for six years. She could not find her original passport.

Her legal counsel, human rights lawyer Sabrina Iqbal Khan, said the Director of Immigration had exercised his discretionary powers in issuing an emergency passport.

Director Nemani Vuniwaqa said: “I had made the decision to issue her with an Emergency Passport due to the fact that she had met the requirements for a Travel Document. I would rather not comment on the issues surrounding her.”

Ms Khan said he had been supportive after she disclosed what was happening.

“ A Successful Rescue Operation was put into place thereafter. If you want to know the full details of how she got out - ask God. It is by His Will and His grace that she’s been saved,” Ms Khan said.

“In the two years of knowing this girl, we have spoken every single day this year since I came to know of her suffering.

“I also came to know of avenues closed off to her for help,” she said.

She was surprised that the Cook Islands Police denied ever receiving reports regarding rape and sexual abuse.

“They’re only claiming that the victim made a harassment claim from March 11. What was done about that? Nothing. That too was left unresolved.”

The young woman alleged a male family member raped and threatened her with a knife. She also claimed an employee of the family also tried to rape her.

Ms Khan said that was the kind of situation she was exposed to.

“We could not reach out to other Fijian authorities given the risk for her life, if word got out.

Now family members are more concerned with how the young lady escaped and how she obtained a passport when they ought to be concerned with her welfare at the time.” she said.

But her mother in the Cooks denied her daughter’s claims and called on her to return to continue her law studies.

Cook Islands Police media officer Trevor Pitt said they “are looking into two reported incidents – one is a complaint of assault from about a year ago, involving a domestic argument.

“The second involving an allegation of verbal harassment on 11 March, which was levelled against a garage business employee. Neither of these involved any allegations by the woman, of a sexual nature or any suggestions related to sexual abuse of any kind.

“Today, the Police are progressing with interviews again with the parties involved. I may not have the outcomes of those investigations today but will try and keep you updated.”

A Cook Islands professional counsellor, Thomas Tarurongo Wynne, has offered Ms Khan his support. Mr Wynne said there were still victims there who were suffering a similar fate.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

Feedback: nicolette.chambers@fijisun.com.fj