December 5, 2018
On the occasion of the 12th year anniversary of the 2006 Military Coup, the National Federation Party says the country is more polarised than ever before 12 years after the 4th military coup because of compartmentalisation of the two major ethnic groups due to racial bigotry used by the ruling Fiji First party during general elections campaign.
NFP Leader Professor Biman Prasad says the myth from Government that the 2013 Constitution promotes common and equal citizenry has been destroyed as clearly seen from the results of the recent general elections.
“We recovered from the past coups. 10 years after the first coup in May 1987, the much acclaimed 1997 Constitution was passed by the House of Representatives, Senate and the Great Council of Chiefs”.
“Six years after the May 2000 coup a genuinely multiracial Cabinet based on power-sharing was appointed but overthrown on 5thDecember 2006 by the then military commander who is now Prime Minister”.
“Commander Bainimarama and his interim military Cabinet promised to return Fiji to normality and parliamentary democracy no later than 2009 but never did. Instead, it disregarded the rule of law by trashing a Fiji Court of Appeal ruling declaring the coup illegal and for elections to be held by August 2009”.
“They re-appointed themselves, imposed Public Emergency Regulations and violated all norms associated with a democracy. They abrogated the 1997 Constitution. Their decision to formulate a new Constitution through a participatory process turned out to be a cosmetic exercise when in December 2012 they burned a draft constitution formulated by the Ghai Commission”.
“Instead they imposed the 2013 Constitution with a view to entrenching their rule”.
“12 years later, their actions, both under the military regime and the Fiji First government, have resulted in compartmentalisation of the two major ethnic groups, resulting in a polarised nation”.
“This is the painful reality facing Fiji. The only way to restore harmony and peaceful co-existence is for all leaders to work together and for government to embrace bipartisanship in Parliament”.
Authorised by:
Professor Biman Prasad
Leader of the National Federation Party
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