Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. (René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher,1599-1650)

Thursday 23 June 2011

The Human Rights Some People Choose to Forget

Mal has left a new comment on your post "How Many Human Rights Abuses are Acceptable?":

During the attempted Coup in 2000 my father was beaten up, his wife threatened, his house ransacked,items stolen, his ute stolen and wrecked. Many of the participants of these events were ferried around in Rewa Dairy vehicles supplied by Sam Speight so his recent beating up by the army is not a Human Rights abuse but justice finally served.

Some really really bad things happened in Tailevu during that time, far worse than anything that the military have done since 2006.Those events of 2000 have been swept under the carpet by supporters of the SDL and the anti Bainimarama factions. Only the most biased of individuals can claim that it hasn't been.

8 comments:

Proud Fijian said...

This is a revelation. We all read about thos assaults and abuses. Families terrorised but I don't actually think any one was charged. Tailevu was quite supportive of George Speight as evidenced by their sevusevu of food etc to Parliament. Even the Tailevu chief Ratu Jope Seniloli was found guilty.

I met an Indian couple recently and they had been terrorised as well around the time of the coup. Wife was sexually assaulted. Husband was beaten and knifed -literally. There were still scars on his face. But more importantly their spirit was scarred.

A modern balanced economy said...

@ Mal

Yes, Mal, this is known to many of us and precisely why the accounting for human rights abuse must go back to 1987 and there has to be no immunity, no impunity for any person who has perpetrated it unless full disclosure and confessions are made fully and transparently to us all.

Rewa Dairy and Police vehicles were seen to be in the thick of this orchestrated terror. We have direct witness to it. People should now Breton to feel unafraid to speak up and to reveal their trauma.

Walker Texas Ranger said...

@ human rights abuses no one was charged for ............

This is because we had an impotent and totally subverted DPP: Mr J Naigulevu. This man has plenty to answer for and what is more, he shall. Together with the former Fiji Police Commissioner late ISikia Savua he made Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee of utter incompetence, duplicity and collusion leaving a civilian population "Fair Game" in the face of depraved and full frontal attack. Not a nice nor seemly duo. Then another Police Commissioner let us down again: sadly Andrew Hughes turned his back on us and flew away to safety in Australia. A betrayal we shall never forget. After all.......we were paying half his salary from our taxes, were we not?

Islands in the Stream said...

While we are on about "forgotten abuses" let us not forget those who murdered John Scott and his partner. They had threatened John for weeks before. How do we know? He had told us so only ten days before he was cut and bludgeoned to death. Now we must remember the utter propensity for scores and terrible revenge to be exacted in the aftermath of coups d'état. All coups d'état anywhere for any suggested purpose. Is this why we are now entertaining serious organized criminals again in our midst?
People who have huge sums of laundered money and local Fiji contacts. Who are their contacts? Are they democrats by chance?

Anonymous said...

@ walker texas

It is well known that Andrew Hughs had to leave Fiji due to the threats to him and importantly his family which came from the military - the same military that is still running Fiji. I'm not sure what staying would have achieved. The first thing the military and Franl where always going to do was take over the police and thats what they did and continue to do. How do you rate the current police commissioner and the previous one (now rewarded with overseas post) ?

Cicero said...

@ islands in the Stream

We need to worry do we not when a "cult leader" named Pastor Rocco Leo Agape (yes the Greek word for love of God) sets up in our midst? We have suspected someone of his undoubted skills and experience must be hiding away somewhere. But a reported Aus$5 million? Now what would that look like? Just how did he come by it? Sounds like Funny Money? Is he by any chance related or connected to the unfortunate pastor who passed away in Australia last week?

A breach of Public Trust said...

It has often come to mind that there are certain occupations so fundamentally of significance that one does not have an option to run away while holding them? Being responsible for civilian safety and security and for the administration of the rule of law would be two such posts. If you are paid to remain at your post by public money then self evidently you stay no matter what threats you may receive. What examples are being applied? Have we all gone soft in the head? In the case of a Director of Public Prosecutions you charge those you have evidence against and you make your best effort to see that they pay for their criminal conduct. You also deploy your intelligent and imaginative powers to see how you may be viewed in the future should you fail all those who pay you to deliver justice. This is also a sacred trust which may never be betrayed without consequences to be visited upon you long into the future. Such consequences are still pending ...........

A breach of Public Trust said...

It has often come to mind that there are certain occupations so fundamentally of significance that one does not have an option to run away while holding them? Being responsible for civilian safety and security and for the administration of the rule of law would be two such posts. If you are paid to remain at your post by public money then self evidently you stay no matter what threats you may receive. What examples are being applied? Have we all gone soft in the head? In the case of a Director of Public Prosecutions you charge those you have evidence against and you make your best effort to see that they pay for their criminal conduct. You also deploy your intelligent and imaginative powers to see how you may be viewed in the future should you fail all those who pay you to deliver justice. This is also a sacred trust which may never be betrayed without consequences to be visited upon you long into the future. Such consequences are still pending ...........