GOPIO Opposes Fiji PM’s Visit to India

“We believe this is a major negative departure of India’s established policy towards Fiji, particularly after the brutal sabotage of a freely elected government in 2000 when a person of Indian origin was ousted in the coup. There are some genuine reasons why we do not believe India should be entertaining Mr. Laisenia Qarase at this sensitive stage of developments in Fiji when there are definite signs that Indian community will be in the advantageous position in the coming election. This government of Mr. Laisenia Qarase is very unpopular, and even the international community is not pleased with some of the actions that the government has been implementing in Fiji.”

The statement adds that ever since he assumed the position of Prime Minister and interim PM before that (after the 2000 coup), Qarase has been engaged in actions of racial discrimination and has shown minimal tolerance towards the Indian community. “He has initiated the so-called affirmative action programme for the indigenous community which blatantly discriminates against the people of Indian origin. This is so contrary to all international standards that the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (UNCERD) has found 22 areas in which the policies of the Fijian Government are racially discriminatory in nature and in action and has asked the government to take corrective measures as a matter of priority.” 

“Then there is the multi party Cabinet case in which Mr. Qarase has denied the Fiji Labour Party, and through it, the entire Fiji-Indian community, their constitutional right to participate in government at the Cabinet level. Mr. Qarase’s stance in this case is racist, as there can be no other reason for him to deny the right of the duly elected Labour Party representing the PIO community in Fiji to participate in national policy making.”

“Mr. Qarase was very devious and manipulative in the manner in which he finally responded to Fiji’s Supreme Court ruling that the Labor Party must be invited to participate in government and be given Cabinet seats in proportion to their representation in Parliament. But tokenism was not acceptable to the elected officials of the PIO dominated Labor Party, so having exhausted all other avenues; they finally and grudgingly opted to take up the role of official opposition.”

“There is now the matter of the so-called Reconciliation Tolerance and Unity Bill which the Labour party has rightly dubbed ‘Terrorist Amnesty Bill’. Mr. Qarase is adamant in going ahead with this Bill designed to pardon George Speight and his close accomplices now serving jail sentences for their criminal activities in the 2000 coup that ousted the then ruling Labor party.”

“That so-called “Unity” Bill has been widely condemned in Fiji by people of all races and from all walks of life. In particular, the Fiji Law Society, the Army and Police are vigorously opposed to it. Likewise, international legal and judicial opinions have also expressed opposition to the Bill.”

“We also urge Government of India to reconsider any grant of technical and financial assistance to Fiji unless and until the above issues have been amicably resolved,” said Dr. Thomas Abraham, GOPIO Chairman. 

The people of Fiji go to the polls next year and GOPIO says it is expected that Mr. Qarase will use his visit to India as a major public relations exercise with the PIO community in Fiji as a means of legitimising his actions in Fiji. “India should not – and must not --be seen condoning the anti-law and order activities of this government at this point in time, or at any time for that matter,” says the statement. 

“A state visit to India by Mr. Qarase would also be assessed as very detrimental to Government of India’s image among the PIO community worldwide. India will be viewed to be colluding with a government which has openly backed George Speight and the 2000 coup criminals who brutally ousted the legitimate government of Fiji,” said Yesu Persaud, GOPIO Executive Vice President and third generation PIO in Guyana. 

“We would like the Government of India to be sensitive to the issues of PIO communities worldwide, and not be viewed as giving legitimacy to the actions of a person such as Laisenia Qarase, “ said GOPIO President Inder Singh.