Bainimarama: 'PER Stays, Critics are Being Paid for their Dissent'

SUVA, Fiji - Since the interim government reimposed the Public Emergency Regulations, several Fijian NGOs have expressed their dissatisfaction with the move.  This local tension is joining with a growing chorus of international voices that express concern about the state of human rights in Fiji. 

Bainimarama has dismissed such criticism by insisting that the reason why certain NGOs, specifically the Pacific Centre for Public Integrity and the Fiji Citizen Constitution Forum, are being paid by the United States, New Zealand and Australia and create unrest.  In light of this, Bainimarama says, he is not surprised that the groups are being critical.  "They get paid by those people so they should be opening their mouths," the interim Prime Minister said, "they should be earning their living."  He said that he would not be swayed by the negative opinions of foreign government, but "If a local says he is bothered by the PER then I will have to look at the PER." 

In the wake of the criticize the interim government has redoubled its efforts to convince the international community that it was reasonable to reinstate the PER.  The interim Prime Minister has said that it was the will of the people to reinstate them because since they were lifted in May, many shopkeepers and homeowners have called for military personnel to be put back out into the streets to defeat the escalation of violent crime.  The interim government did not like reinstating the PER, he said, but there are threats that the NGOs are not aware of that required it. 

Bainimarama is also confused at the interest that the reimposition has sparked in the international community because the PER does not pose a threat to any other country's safety or security.

Spokespeople from both the PCPI and the CCF have flatly denied that they are receiving funds from foreign governments.  Reverend Akuila Yabiki, executive director of the CCP, thought that it was odd that the government is leveling this accusation because his organization has often been criticized itself for being pro-interim government.  He said that the role of the CCP is to educate citizens about the constitution, democracy, the rule of law, human rights and multi-culturalism, and for Bainimarama to suggest any impropriety is "quite mischievous and misleading".

Noted Fijian scholar and legal expert Brij Lal has said that the NGOs have not acted wholly within their role throughout this scandal.  "These NGO’s are not doing anything that is strange, they are simply fullfilling their role, which is to be the voice of the voiceless. Particularily in situations like this, where a public emergency regulations is in place, which curtails a number of fundamental freedoms."  With this in mind, Lal indicated that it is in the best interest of all Fijians for the NGOs to continue speaking out. 

For more information, please see:
The Fiji Times Online - Bainimarama: PER stays - 19 September 2007
Radio New Zealand International - Fiji NGOs doing their job, says academic - 19 September 2007
Radio New Zealand International - CCF rejects Bainimarama's funding claims - 19 September 2007
Radio New Zealand International - Fiji interim administration defends reimposition of emergency regulations - 18 2007