First, some history. The Fiji Constitution Commission was set up as a body independent of the current Fiji regime and funded by overseas aid – largely Australia and New Zealand – and its membership was approved by the regime.
Professor Yash Ghai, Chairman of the Constitution Commission, has revealed that the Fiji Police (acting on orders of the Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum) seized copies of the draft constitution and burned them in his presence.This astonishing act of barbarism was apparently carried out to prevent circulation of the document. As is now usual in such cases the law of unintended consequences has resulted in a much wider distribution of the document over the internet (see it here: http://www.fijileaks.com) as the people most affected by the new constitution – the people of Fiji – read it to find out why the regime hates it so much.
The chilling interview of Professor Ghai with Radio Australia and ABC news over his experiences at the hands of the regime is a reminder of just how far Fiji has evolved into a ‘rogue state’.
These events have demonstrated that the Yash Ghai Commission, as we have reported before, was simply a screen behind which the regime creates its own ‘Constitution’ – one which will no doubt be far less palatable to the people of Fiji than the Yash Ghai version – and one which can have no credibility either locally or internationally.
The regime is shortly expected to appoint their favourite legal advisor Nazhat Shameem as Constituent Assembly’s chair leading a group of handpicked members to create their version of the Fiji Constitution. It will be interesting to compare this document, when it appears, with the one which was so symbolically destroyed.
We suggest that the final result will be a document which has been specifically drafted to control the outcome of the elections in 2014 and provide immunity from prosecution for the perpetrators of the 2006 coup and their assistants. From this latest atrocity we can see that it will ignore the input from the more than 7,000 citizens who made submissions to Yash Ghai.
The paradox here, of course, is that, if the regime and its decrees were as popular with the people of Fiji as they continually claim then they would have no need to worry about immunity. As it is, however. they are not popular, are evidently becoming less so and a rigged election will only worsen the situation for them. We strongly suggest, therefore that the sensible thing for the regime is to stop digging their hole and throw themselves upon the mercy of the population and repent their multifarious sins of the past 7 years through the medium of free and fair elections.
It is clear that the various sanctions and measures by international and regional communities to pressure the regime towards democracy have been at least partially successful and we therefore ask the New Zealand and Australian governments and their various partners to step up this pressure in the light of this latest outrage. We suggest that the following measures would increase the pressure upon the regime and therefore hasten progress towards a democratic Fiji:
Without honor, loyalty or sensible leadership, the men and women of RFMF and Police are being used by Frank and Aiyaz as a private army for their own personal interests.
- Review the appointment of High Commissioners to Fiji from Australia and New Zealand.
- Review the level of and conditions for financial support for the roadmap to democracy.
- Reverse the recent lifting of travel bans on regime ministers and senior officials, civilians and businessmen who support the illegal regime and its actions.
- The US government proceeds with a Duty Free Access Ban for breach of labour rights.
We ask the international community to take serious note of the Yash Ghai commission’s explanatory document which highlights the severe economic distress the 2006 coup has caused.
The regime is not interested in relinquishing power and the International community must stand with the people of Fiji. This election gerrymandering to preserve the financial plundering and vested interests of a small group of military and civilian elites must stop.
In this respect the refusal to publish the Auditor General’s reports from 2007 and now the attempted suppression of the Draft Constitution is evidence of the real motives of the military regime leaders and their cohorts.
Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara
Council for a Democratic Fiji
Cfdfiji.org
Fiji Today FijiTodays Open Forum Blog 
My how things have changed. Less than two years ago you were organising a coup d’etat against Bainimarama with Mark Halabe and the Australian embassy. Driti, Aziz and Khaiyum all best pals in the coup d’etat plan.
Aziz, Halabe and Khaiyum weasled their way out of it. Driti got charged and you ran away to Tonga.
Its seems that the RUM’s rate of blog posts, is inversely proportional to the size of the welcome mat in Tonga. What — no more invitations to the King’s court RUM?
Well written. Short and sweet. None can blame you for being in Tonga. You would have been rotting in a Fijian prison or mental home otherwise. This regime likes to accuse people of mental illness and fake crimes. Don’t worry about the Baini arse kissers or the “professional”bloggers. Keep it up. God Bless and stay safe.
The people of Fiji have been waiting for six long years to determine their own government through the ballot box but with current indications on the ground they will be denied such opportunity for many more years. unless there is a sudden change of power.
Fiji NGO queries constitution burning by police
Posted at 22:57 on 29 December, 2012 UTC
Fiji’s NGO Coalition on Human Rights has called on authorities to explain why 600 copies of the draft constitution were seized and the proofing copies shredded and burnt in front of the Chair of Constitution Commission, Yash Ghai.
This comes after Professor Ghai said he was intimidated by police officers at the printing shop as they poured kerosene and burnt copies of the draft document in front of him.
The regime, which commissioned the draft, has made no comment about the incident, which occurred more than a week ago.
The NGO coalition says the actions of the police demonstrate the obvious deterioration of the respect for the rule of law and a total disregard of a supposedly participatory process.
It says the people of Fiji came forward to the constitutional consultations in good faith and deserve more than just being led down a track at the whim of a few people in power.
In a statement, it asks on whose authority the police were acting.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand
RUM you were part of this from 2006 why didn’t you shoot fb and others while u had chance? or i guess u are coward as fb says. ihear u are happy banging fulmans butt while he pays for yr. come back to fj and be brave.
Halabe’s Deovji street property deal sweetner to come from Naim via Khaiyum failed to materialise didn’t it Te ?
Trying to sell it through Khaiyum in exchange for Naim contract. Ben doing the real estate work, Neel Shivam doing the legal documents.
Percentage for you and for Padarath and for Aziz.
Pity that Ben’s Uncle Pita Driti didn’t know the nice little deal you all had going behind his back.
Did you get angry because Khaiyum cut you out of the FTIB pipeline or because the Naim percentage did not come through ?
Rogers started listening to Khaiyum and not you after a month at FTIB and so the pipeline on new investors paying you your percent cut dried up because Khaiyum doesn’t like to share didn’t it ?
Bainimarama had no idea what you and Khaiyum were doing didn’t he ?
Shameem will draft what Aiyaz wants while Frank does nothing useful. All the regime does is lie, lie and deny.
Shameful waste of time.
Khaiyum, Aziz and Halabe all got away Te. How are things over there in Tonga ?
Speaking of which didn’t George Speight also go down the same garden path in 2000 ?
$50,000 installments led Speight astray. First one in April 1999 and then in May and finally in June when he called Halabe in Sydney for more.
$250,000 was sent to Lt Col Seruvakula in a brown paper bag too by special delivery on 20th May 2000 although he didn’t accept it.
iarse seems to be the culprit in most of the atrocities committed. He is either in total control over most things or he is forced to take the responsibility. Whatever it is the latest episode does not bode well for the people of Fiji and also reinforce our continuous suspicion of the army’s intention of holding on to power indefinitely. With most international organisations and countries acquising to the rule of military thugs in Fiji what hope is there for our return to civilian democracy and restoration of hope for its citizens. In many ways these international organisations and countries are directly to blame for our dilemma and suffering. Now that the regime has shown its hands in this matter i.e. its ingenuinity in the constitution building process what is the way forward for the people who are the victims of a body of connivers who are there for themselves and not the general public. How can we force the hands of the military into doing the right thing for the people. Right now that is quite unforeseeable with their current stance and assertive hold of power. However concerted effort and deliberation of ideas and suggestions and action plans could produce a breakthrough.
Well said RUM .Dont worry about bloggers trying to distract your good work
.god bless bro.
Some bloggers are commenting good its pure democracy/freedom.
Fijian army have to wake up from the deep sleep.Army was there to protect its country and people .
Army is been used as Bai/Khaiyum body guards. shame on you fijian army.
Just go home and look at your family and pray to god and see if you are doing right or wrong.
god will never lie.he will ans your prayers .
stop been used anymore.
Khaiyum and Frank have destroyed Fiji.
I only wish the Council for a DemocraticFiji could use another name instead of Roko Ului to sign on it’s behalf. The letters are usually spot on and very well written but Roko Ului’s name just puts me off!!!!!
I have been reading the Fiji Times every day on the Internet. Did I miss their article on the burning of the constitution, or did they fail to publish such an article? If they did not publish it, why?
If the Fiji Times avoids such issues, it will have no credibility.
fiji media are controlled by khaiyum .shame on fiji media .
press freedom.they were very fast to question and write about us in ft/other media.
Here is a letter which I sent to the Fiji Times; do you suppose that they will publish it? They published my letter entitled “The Liturgical Year” and have published many of my other letters.
My letter to the Fiji Times follows:
“Subject: Constitution Burning (147 words)
“According to information appearing in various places on the Internet, the government of Fiji ordered the burning of the draft constitution and the burning was carried out. The matter cannot be kept secret. There is no doubt that millions of people have already read about it on the Internet.
“Rumors are often more lurid than fact. Therefore, to ensure that people will learn the actual truth instead of being misled by rumors, it would be a good idea for the Fiji Times to investigate the matter and publish an article explaining the actual facts.
“Moreover, unless the Fiji Times does cover this important matter, its credibility will be impaired because readers will rightfully suspect that the Fiji Times also avoids covering other important matters, for whatever reasons. Any persons discouraging the Fiji Times from publishing such matters should fully understand that their credibility will also be impaired.”
RFMF will rule Fiji for 20 years .We hate Khaiyum the thief.
Nobody believes Ului Mara ……………… full of hatred and poison words to twist the minds of good ordinary citizens.
@ Qilio,
You may be correct, but let us hope not. Attempts to predict the future usually fail. We’ll just have to wait and see.
ah you are talking about burining things now Roko Lui … how bout the yellow little car you rented from Niranjans that you sent to knolly street with ledua your dog, he parked the car at the tennis court and went to the building on the corner .. he broke a whole in the glass of the office and poured fuel and then burnt the building down .. oh and you called the soldiers on the checkpoint only meters away to go down to comsol while all this was happening.
All this cause you didnt like whats its owner was saying in the media. Suddenly you become a freedom fighter … youre the kind of freedom figher you find at rups .. cheap and plastic never lasts .. probably even made in china disguised with a Lauan logo… find a job .. Fiji freedom doesnt need you .. you had your chance and you blew it. Let Fiji sort out its own problems now