August 05, 2009

Overseas Fijians keep watch on Fiji at Pacific Islands Forum

Radio NZ International has this story on the watch being kept by democracy loving Fijians in Cairns, and maintaining the pressure on the military regime.

Australia-based group calls for Forum to increase sanctions on Fiji

A group of protesters is calling for the Pacific Islands forum to keep Fiji high on the main agenda of tomorrow’s meeting.

A small handful of people are camped outside the convention centre where the Pacific Islands Forum is being held in Cairns.

The Australia-based Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement’s Usaia Waqatairewa says they have a ten-point submission to give to the leaders.

“We want to cut off the lifeblood that continues to exist in Fiji, like returning all the soldiers that are serving for the United Nations in Sinai. We’re asking that the Pacific Islands Forum countries accept all the travel ban that’s been given by the Australia, New Zealand and the United States so that they wouldn’t even be able to go to Vanuatu for that MSG meeting last week.”

Usaia Waqatairewa says he believes the people of Fiji are prepared to experience some short-term hardship in the form of sanctions for long-term benefit.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great image & admire the gentleman who is standing there with his message. Thank you for be a Voice for Fiji & the people of Fiji.

All of you that brave the elements to camp out & demonstrate to the world what you believed in is an inspiration to us all.

Keep up the great work.

SEMI MEO said...

Have a lot of respect for my tauvu Mr. Usaia Waqatairewa, Board and members of the Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement. However, we must totally refute their zest to further compound “hardship” amongst our lot.

We ask all members of the Democracy Movement to take a trip to Fiji.
Definitely, they will be amazed that our people just wanna move on. Though many do not condone the unceremonious acts of 051206 and Easter ’09 , common resolute is to move on from demonstrations, public marches and civil disobedience into dialogue and tolerance.

Even Australia and NZ have accepted that Civil disobedience has a tendency to aggravate to imminent violence.

Let’s put the placards down and support all form of moving Fiji ahead toward sanity and democracy. Let’s look away from ourselves and look towards the common good.

Anonymous said...

Semi Meo,
You're a great blogger and you do stir up lots of valid arguments & sometimes not so.

Nevertheless, you're asking people like Mr Usaia & his team to visit Fiji at this time? Anyone in their right mind & who is globally showing their opposition to what Bainimarama & his bunch of wannabes are doing only know too well what their fate will be. Please don't dangle that horrible looking carrot because Fiji people, our relatives in & out of Fiji are having to cop the flacks of what Baini is doing to Fiji. Alot of countries now, the minute you mention Fiji, the reaction is 'almost virus like & stay away, don't infect us'.

Thats the reality for those that are living overseas.

Anonymous said...

Semi au kaya mada , you are like a flag waving on the moon but like there's no breeze on the moon !!!

As if you represent the majority of the people of Fiji.

I tell you what the majority of us want to "move on" to and "away from" - is tea & tapioke !

And please dont give your version of what Aust and NZ have or have accepted ... de wanna be Ruddy!

And last I looked away from ourselves and this mess we are all in, and had a look into the crystal ball, I did not see any common good coming from where you are waving your flag from.