pn776. Fiji: Covid, Opposition detentions, the iTaukei Land Bill, and the spate of Suspicious Fires

 

Tappoo's warehouse, Raiwaqa. Credit: Fiji Times.

News from Fiji has been dominated by Covid, which runs unabated on the main island of Viti Levu despite the high level of vaccinations, the detention of Opposition MPs (see pn774) who have been protesting amendments to the iTaukei Land Trust Act, and the outbreak of a number of suspicious fires possibly related to the proposed amendments and the detentions.

While over 80% of the target population have now received their first vaccination, new cases typically exceed a thousand daily, and the total number of deaths since the pandemic started is now 272. (So much for a friend's comment barely two week's ago when numbers seemed to be dropping  that government was concealing numbers by not taking swabs!)  

pn768. Avoiding Unrest about Bill to amend iTaukei Land Trust Act

 

Amended. See post links at end.

The Fiji Police Force is reminding Fijians not to allow their emotions cloud their judgment when making comments on the Bill to amend the iTaukei Land Trust Act.

Acting Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu says they are concerned about the increasing number of hate speech and threats of unrest being made on social media.

pn618. Fijian land. It has long been thus—Indians/Muslims/the Bainimarama's government are stealing the land from us

Click and spread to enlarge

Nawaikula

The iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB)—which administers the 87 % of Fiji's land that remains in "native" title—has once again had to refute false and misleading allegations made by lawyer and SODELPA Opposition MP Nik Nawaikula  on social media on the status of iTaukei land in the hope, presumably, of persuading grassroots iTaukei that the FijiFirst government is trying to steal the land from them. 

The cartoon from the anti-Government blog Truth for Fiji  is typical of others that perpetuate the falsehood of the land steal. Notice Indian businessman Tappoo and Muslim Attorney-General Khaiyum eating into iTaukei land.