Labour complains

Fiji

Labour complains to ILO

The leader of the Fiji Labour Party Mahendra Chaudhry says racial discrimination is rife in the country’s public service, armed forces and other areas. Chaudhry says the party is lodging a complaint with the International Labour Organis ation on what he says are policies of discrimination.

And he says the political situation in Fiji is to be raised at September’s meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

Chaudhry also says a resolution expressing concern at Fiji’s 1990 constitution is being sponsored in the European parliament. He says the resolution calls for trade and aid concesions to be tied to a satisfactory review of the constitution.

Meanwhile, the Fijian nationalist Taukei Movement has warned of a repeat of “the events of 1987” if the Labour party continues what the movement calls its confrontational approach. 1987 was the year of two military coups which overthrew a democratically elected government as well as Taukei-organised riots and arson attacks. Taukei spokesman Sikovi Matenaniu says Labour has shown disrespect for Fijian chiefs and their culture by demanding the abolition of the 1990 constitution. Matenaniu says the coups restored the rights of indigenous Fijians which were formalised in the promulgation of the constitution. He says Fijians will declare war on anyone who wants to take the country back to the way things were.