Rewa leader tells Bainimarama he cannot ignore chiefs

In a second letter to Fiji's self-appointed leader, the Rewa chief Ro Teimumu Kepa, says chiefs have always had a voice in the governance of Fiji and despite criticism have been the stabilizing factor, helping control ethnonationalism.

She says recent research in three provinces show indigenous people continue to make their decisions through the chiefs. Quote: ".... the obsession of government to remove racial issues from governance is shortsighted and ill-conceived for ethnicity is a fact of life."

She tells Bainimarama: "The revolutionary changes you are making cannot be made without the involvement of the GCC. Any calamity between the races or even between indigenous Fijians themselves can only be resolved with the involvement of the GCC."

Bloody minded Khaiyum pumps out two more decrees

Dirty colluders hatch more decrees: Khaiyum and Christopher Pryde.

Two new legal decrees this week from regime 'lawmakers' but one of them comes way too late to stop them looking stupid.

Cabinet has now approved the Bail (Amendment) Decree 2012, with some bloggers saying the target is the deposed SDL member, Mere Samisoni - the 74 year old accused  of plotting to overthrow dictator Frank Bainimarama and who is on bail with several others.

Samisoni is certainly in the mix but a more likely catalyst was the abscondment last year of the regime's very own 3FIR leader, Roko Ului Mara. Out on bail at the time with fellow accused Pita Drti, Mara made an ass out of the regime when he whistled up the Tongan navy to ferry him away to Nukualofa's Royal Palace and the protection of the King.

Rewa chiefs tackle Bainimarama over Namosi mining

Rare protest from villagers including children, such is the concern about the mining.

Ro Teimumu Kepa

Growing opposition to mining in Namosi with Ro Teimumu Kepa now leading the Rewa chiefs in denouncing the plans of Namosi Joint Venture.

 

In a letter to Frank Bainimarama (titled Opposition to Mining Exploration in Namosi Province and signed by Ro Teimumu and eight other chiefs), Rewa says they oppose in the 'strongest possible term any official permission' that will allow Namosi to carry out  exploration or mining.

The chiefs offer their own environmental assessment and say they were driven to after discovering the impact studies presented to them last year at two briefings were commissioned and paid for by Namosi Joint Venture.

The letter from Rewa highlights seven areas of environmental and cultural concern, including the pollution of Fiji's biggest river (Rewa) and tributaries and the effect this will have on nearby food and water sources, especially for the Suva Nausori corridor.

It's feared the location of the Waila pumping station intake valve just outside of Rewa province will affect most of the people living in the corridor (perhaps Fiji's largest concentration of people), who get their drinking water from Waila. 

The question is asked: What will happen if the water is contaminated - what will they do, relocate us, like they are doing in Nadi to suit the interests of the cartels on Denarau?

Rewa says mining will cause irreversible damage to its river and watershed areas and no amount of compensation can restore the loss of ancestral village sites and sacred burial grounds.

Chiefs register 'grave' concerns with Bainimarama

http://www.mediafire.com/view/?n816mq4nava6vwv

Adelaide and NSW Nurses go black ... more rally pics

FDFM's Adelaide chapter and the New South Wales Nurses Association standing up for Fiji as part of the Black Tuesday rally.

South African expert joins regime's Constitution team

Murray at the time of her work with the African Network of Constitutional Lawyers

A second international expert has been named for the five-member commission set up by the regime to put together a new Constitution to replace the 1997 one it abrogated in 2009. 

 

Christina Murray is originally from South Africa and is Professor of Constitutional and Human Rights Law at the University of Cape Town. 

She joins the chair of the Commission, Yash Ghai, from Kenya who was appointed last month as the two offshore experts who'll be helping to shape the new Constitution.

The planned new Constitution remains controversial but the regime is forging ahead with its consultations and the civic education programme due to start in May.

Black for Democracy ... more rally pictures

Members of the Melbourne chapter of FDFM Australia wear black and stand up for Fiji.

About 50 people protested outside the Fiji High Commission in Canberra yesterday calling for the return of the Great Council of Chiefs and other changes to help restore democracy to Fiji. A protest was also held outside Parliament House. 

A letter was to have been delivered to the First Secretary Chery Irava but the regime appointed represnetative refused to accept it or even have it left in the mailbox telling the group she wanted it via Australian mail. Churlish behaviour considering she is supposed to be representing the Fiji people in Australia's capital. 

Situation still desperate despite culled numbers in evac centres

Volunteers still hard at work.top pic Fiji Sun bottom The Jet

Question: If fewer people are in the evacuation centres, have they been forced to return to uninhabitable homes?

Question: If they HAVE gone home, how are they feeding themselves since crops were also destroyed?

Fiji officials say just 50-odd evacuation centres are still operating with 700-and something people in them compared to close to 15,000 going into Easter. But does having fewer evacuation centres and less people in them mean an improvement in the situation?

Standing up for Fiji ... first of the Black Tuesday rally pics





Members of the Queensland unions supporting the Black Tuesday for Fiji rally today in Canberra.

Black Tuesday rally in Canberra going ahead

The Black Tuesday protest by FDFM in Australia is taking place today despite a suggestion it be deferred because of the floods in Fiji.

Organisers say the plight of the flood victims has not been forgotten but the Canberra protest must proceed as planned at 10am this morning outside the Fiji High Commission at 19 Beale Street, Deakin ACT 2600.

Supporters are being reminded to wear black as are those who are standing up for the cause today wherever they are in the world be it Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, the US, Canada, Britain and Iraq and so on.

Flood evacuees promised hotel stay

A family in an evacuation centre. pic Fiji Live

A promise tonight from the regime to relocate flood victims to a hotel if officials can't find anywhere decent for them.

Officials are trying to move evacuees on from school halls to allow schools to reopen tomorrow but there is concern people are being bundled out even though their homes are still wet and full of mud and silt.

Reports initially said it would be at least two to three weeks before worst hit areas such as the west and central division would be on its feet. In recent days, though, there has been lots of noise about 'progress' with the promise of schools opening tomorrow.

UN fed up with Fiji 'sex missions' in Baghdad

UN chief Ban Ki Moon with Fiji peacekeepers. file pic

Big leak from inside the Green Zone in Baghdad about the embarrassing behaviour of Fiji's peacekeeping force there.

A female officer has given birth to a baby with a second officer owning up to being pregnant as well.

The Commanding Officer has been trying to get a visa for the newborn and the controversy is delaying the six-month change over of the battalion as the RFMF tries to cover up the incident.

Coupfourpointfive has the name of the officer who gave birth.

Locals look to God's grace rather than regime's know how

Shops trying to re-open asap

Still no sign of Fiji's new best friend China although a local 'Chinese' delegation has turned up in Nadi bearing gifts.

Hoping for quick reovery

The delegation has been described as 'high powered' and included the Chinese Association of Fiji, Fiji Chinese Federation, Chinese Education Association, Chinese Culture and Sports Association and various provincial association heads. 

The Fiji Sun says they brought money and food and met with local Chinese businesses who had concerns about the way food items were handled and then the Ba Town Council to relay those concerns. 


An FBC report says a tour of Nadi shows none of the shops were spared. But no mention by the state-owned news organisation of the crucial matter of insurance. Nadi is a no go area for insurance because it is flooded regularly so none of the shops have insurance.