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FIJIANS: Struggling to hang on to their land and customary rights. |
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Detractors might be rubbing their hands with glee, but the long awaited submission by the country's biggest political party promotes honestly - and without apology - the interests of native Fijians.
The SDL party, which reminds the Constitution Commission that it had the majority to form the country's last two democratically elected governments, makes a good case for the rights of the indigenous community.
Denouncing the campaign by the Bainimarama regime to deliberately trample on customary rights by removing traditional power structures such as the Bose Levu Vakaturaga as part of a 'bigger agenda to plunder Fijian resources', SDL says the key to a stable Fiji is recognition of the rights of native Fijians.
So, yes, there is support for Fiji to be a Christian state, for Fijian to be the first language, for parliamentary seats to be allocated according to ethnicity and population but there is also commitment to nation building and achieving 'peace and security in a multi-racial country'.
Note: C4.5 has added some headings to these excerpts from the submission to summarise the information. The full submission at end of story:
Preamble in the submission
The SDL Party has reservations in taking part in the exercise and this should not be construed as lending legitimacy to the process but nevertheless, are taking part in this exercise, for one reason and one reason only. It is the means, as opposed to the many others that are available, that the Military Regime has accepted to facilitate its return to
the barracks and return this country to democratic rule. We are all acknowledging this gesture, because we owe it to the people to return this country to a democratic government.
Indigineous rights are not 'discriminatory'
It is now clear that the Regime's intentions are to remove entrenched customary laws and institutions in order to create their own idea of a unified Fiji. This will not work without the prior consultations and approval by the Fijians. History has taught us that what is imposed will never last whatever the good intentions may be.
There are less than 600,000 Fijians the world over. To take away these customary institutions is an attempt to undermine and deny Fijian cultural identity. The very essence of being Fijian in their own land is grounded in their culture, heritage, identity, language, resources, land, traditions and values and contained in their institutions.
There is nothing racial or discriminatory about upholding your birth right, your right to indigenous land ownership and your right to be identified with a particular race or tribal group. Fijians should not be ashamed to be identified as such. To deny Fijians these rights, is in direct violation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, 20075; particularly the ILO 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 19896; which had been ratified by Fiji.