May 17, 2007

PRESS RELEASE: Human Rights Violations and the Blog Debate

By Young People Concerned Network, ypcnfiji@gmail.com

The Young Peoples Concerned Network is saddened with the detainment and inhumane
treatment of the President of the Fiji Indigenous Business Council Mr. Ulaiasi Taoi. We are also very concerned that this fate may be faced by other persons suspected of operating anti military sentiments and modes of information.
We understand that Mr Taoi was detained in relation to the numerous blogs that have sprung up resonating anti military and anti government sentiments.
Bloggers must now look very closely at their posted articles and draw a line between the responsible reporting of truth and the use of propaganda.
We are very concerned with the many blogs that have sprung up after the December 5 coup and that have partaken in a personal vendetta to defame prominent people in society.
However we are equally concerned with the detainment of persons at any military installation and the continued abuse and humiliation of people suspected of having objections towards the military and the interim government.
We will do well to remind all people of Fiji of their God given rights to life and freedom from inhumane treatments.
Youths of Fiji will suffer drastically if the impending economic crisis faced by Fiji today is not solved. Foreign Aid and Healthy Bilateral Relations are the cornerstones to rebuilding Fiji and improving the lifestyles of Fiji citizens.
The reports of detainments and human rights violations will not do well for these times and have the potential to deter investors and the Aid Fiji relies on to survive.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey epeli...today at 12-1pm soldiers beatand bashed up a young man in a samll reost community 40km out of suva. he was stripped to his underwear and forced to jog in front of the a soldier. Army tents have been pitched near the police station in that community.
This was done in broad daylight for all to see....

a friend of mine just came in from Taveuni and said that the army did this to young men suspected of drug dealing. They stripped them to their underwear and made them crawl naked on the gravel.

Anonymous said...

Young Peoples Concerned Network, can you guys also state your views about Ulai's stand on affirmative action, which is regarded as discriminatory worldwide? By the way what is this YPCN, we do not need another crap, we have enough.

Anonymous said...

To Anon 18/05 9:04 - If the whole world regarded affirmative action as discriminatory, then no country would engage in it? As it is, many countries around the world practice affirmative action and there is plenty or policy and practice precedent for it everywhere. The only question is, who qualifies for affirmative action, and on what basis. That is a question which we can resolve for Fiji at the polls and in the courts. But nothing is solved by beating people up and infringing their basic human rights. None of the people who believed that indigenous Fijians deserve affirmaitve action have changed their minds about it since Ulai's beating - including Ulai himself. So what did it achieve if that was what it was done for?

Anonymous said...

gud on u

Anonymous said...

Yeah lazy buggers never change, the handout mentality