The Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption’s statement issued yesterday about the need for the public to be vigilant about politically motivated speeches is timely.
The statement was issued as FICAC laid charges against a National Federation Party provisional candidate Pradeep Chandra for allegations of inciting racial or religious vilification.
Mr Chandra is innocent till he is found guilty in the court of law. There are many others who may have been doing and saying worse things than he is alleged. It becomes our responsibility to expose them.
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Anyone who remembers the bloody history of Fiji’s coups, the first of which was introduced by the same man fighting to become the country’s next Prime Minister- SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka would applaud FICAC’s statement.
Anyone who remembers the days leading up to the coup of 1987 will agree that comments which incite racial or religious vilification have no place in Fiji.
These comments must stop, those behind it must be taken to task and the responsibility is on us Fijians to help the authorities in stopping a repeat of the dark days.
A large chunk of our voting population were either not born in 1987 or were toddlers when Mr Rabuka led a team to storm the Parliament and marred Fiji forever.
They do not remember the ethno-nationalist agenda being used as a front for people’s own political agenda, they do not remember how back then the “Indo-Fijian” community was the target. Today, the target is the Muslim community.
A large portion of our population who will be voting in the upcoming general election do not remember the Sunday ban which was imposed by Mr Rabuka where no commercial activities were allowed.
They do not remember that Mr Rabuka had a ‘plan’ he had devised for the Indo-Fijian community and they do not remember that there were people who did not want appointments to be done on merit but that it should be done based on which race a person is.
But, they need to be reminded that comments which vilify any community in Fiji will not lead to any good for this nation.
For far too long people with their own political agenda and for their own gain preyed on emotions and unfounded fears of the Fijian people, of the iTaukei people. They did this only for their own gain.
They are once again doing this for their own gain.
FICAC has made a timely call and reminded people that they will listen. They will act even if political party leaders do not.
They have remindedthe public that engaging in racial or religious vilification is unlawful and should they come across this at any instance, they should lodge a complaint with FICAC by calling toll-free line 1322.
FICAC says inciting hatred towards race or religion is a detestable form of campaigning and it is not in the public or national interest to take such statements lightly.
FICAC reminds all political parties and aspiring candidates to refrain from this type of campaigning as severe actions will be taken against individuals doing this.
Kudos to them. They are doing their part. It is up to us to do our part now and to put an end to this nonsense.
Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj
