Less obviously, anti-government bloggers based in Australia, NZ and the States and their supporters will be at work trying to influence outcomes.
MJ, in a comment to my post What Price Human Rights?, urges readers to write to the Melbourne Age in reply to one such unbalanced article. I would urge all readers to write and otherwise contact their local media, and write to the Melbourne Age. Link here. Politicians do heed the media.
P.S. Some readers may think this appeal is unbalanced and so it might be. But to restore balance, it is often necessary to lean more heavily on one side than one may wish. This blog aims to assist positive outcomes in Fiji, which means focusing mainly on the bigger picture and in this case keeping the "abuses" in perspective. The political stance of most items is indicated by +, - and o symbols, alone or in combination, as described in the lefthand column.
5 comments:
Human rights is a misnomer to me nowadays. When you look at how powerful nations of the world use (or misuse) their position to subjugate sovereign nations using lies, manipulations, etc, human rights becomes nothing but a sham.
Take a look at the war on terrorism. The US government under G W Bush, supported by Britain under Tony Blair, Australia under John Howard, and other countries, used a lie to invade a sovereign nation Iraq.
In Australia's case, it even paid Saddam Hussein to have their wheat sold in Iraq while on the otherhand, supported the US to invade the country. what does that say about Australia's foreign policy?
What is clearly apparent nowadays is the collusion between governments and their agents in media organizations to manipulate and influence the mind through the news they disseminate. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure all these out.
The funniest thing nowadays is that media organizations then fight for their so-called freedom of expressions and their right to publish freely, hide their sources, etc yet on the same token, censor comments from critics. The classic case is in Fiji when newspapers such as the Fiji Times only publish comments from readers that support their agenda while at the same time, edit comments from critics not supportive of their agenda.
The world is changing and what is emerging is that people will have enough to do with these liars and manipulators because their devious plans/agendas have been exposed left right and center for everyone to see.
Where are the human rights of the Aborigines, Maoris, Dr Haneef, innocent women, children and the elderly of Iraq and Afghanistan?
What happened to the human rights of our girmitiyas and their decendants who shed blood and tears for the Australian CSR Co? When a true son of Fiji stands up for equal rights for the slaves of CSR, it is not acceptable? A slave is always a slave? Is it because of the colour of their skin?
History suggests that Indo Fijians are also a stolen generation. Will you care to say sorry to them too Mr Rudd?
Dont forget Kevin, that there are tens of thousands of ex Fijians in your country and each one of those has at least ten Australian friends, aka sympathisers. The campaign against your foreign policies started when you first opened your mouth, as PM, with regards to the Fiji situation. The exact same applies to your Kiwi buddy.
See you at the polls.
Funglius says:
Guys .. you want NZ and AU to change their policy through electoral changes, when Fiji itself can't. And don't forget that both countries have had elections and changes of government. The new parties haven't changed their stance on Fiji.
Yes everyone write in and give their spin on what is happening. The very thing we are banned from doing here in Fiji,
BASA
“One human rights defender described being accosted by 20 soldiers in the month following the December 2006 coup: ''We were lying down and they continued to beat us up and whack us in the head . . . One thing that I still remember and hear today is, 'I could kill you, cut you into pieces and feed you to the sharks and no one will ever know where you are ''
Is the above afterpiece a true depiction of what really occurred immediately before or after the coup or is it just a fanciful afterthought?
Whatever it is the author of this article may have her heart in the right place however she lacks the most important journalistic ingredient and that is to demonstrate she has the perspicacity when disseminating news to a wide audience.
Not to disseminate a skewed or spurious version of the event.
Whilst the minorities of Fijians inveigh against this regime they ought to be mindful of this fact the free ride that was enjoyed by the few will now be shared by the many.
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