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"Commandments Broken": Methodist Church hierarchy distances itself from controversial submissions saying the Sub-Committee tasked with looking at proposed Village By-Laws went beyond its Terms of Reference

28/4/2017

4 Comments

 

What about other demands in the submission: who was behind them?

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The sub-committee of the Methodist Church in Fiji which prepared a submission to the iTaukei Affairs Ministry on the Proposed Village By-Laws, went beyond its terms of reference in the points it made.  

The Standing Committee of the Church had tasked the sub-committee with calling for more time for submissions, open dialogue and participatory decision-making in the case of the Proposed Village By-Laws, which is the hallmark of democratic governance.  

It has been ascertained that the team that prepared the submission did not include the full sub-committee which would not have agreed to the version of the submission which was sent out.

Senior members of the Church were not at the meeting and not consulted on the final draft. This represents a serious breach of Church procedure and will be addressed at the next Standing Committee meeting. The Church Leadership will be discussing this matter with the Sub-committee.

Yesterday the Methodist Church in Fiji General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Epineri Vakadewavosa, spoke with the RFMF Land Force Commander to respond to the recent statement issued by the RFMF on the Methodist Church’s submission. He made it clear that that submission is not representative of the views of the Church Leadership or the Standing Committee and not reflective of the direction that the Methodist community of faith is trying to head in its Lako Yani Vou / New Exodus.

This morning Rev. Dr. Vakadewavosa also spoke with the Prime Minister at his earliest convenience, to reiterate the Church’s apolitical stance and that the Church will maintain its integrity in terms of upholding the values of living in harmony with all people of all faiths as protected in the 2013 Constitution.  The church remains committed to working with the government on issues of Climate Change, Gender-Based Violence, Education and Social Welfare, which are part of Christian life and important pillars of the Church.  

The Methodist Church will not allow itself to be used or manipulated for political gain by any individual or organisation. The Church remains committed to speak in love to amplify the voices of those who feel they are not being heard.

As the Church leadership has previously mentioned, they will continue to work with government and all stakeholders for a peaceful and just society in Fiji.  
 
ENDS

ADDITIONAL REPORTING: According to information received by Fijivillage, a sub-committee of the Methodist Church in Fiji had asked the government not to enact proposed village by laws, the Great Council of Chiefs to be reinstated and Fiji to be made a Christian State.

The five-point submission put up by the church’s standing committee also wanted immediate open consultation with the Itaukei along with the removal of 17 decrees and policies which the church claims breach ILO Convention 169 and the UN Declaration on the rights of the indigenous people.

The sub-committee of the Methodist Church also wanted an extended timeline to review the proposed village by laws and review the 2013 Constitution.

They are again calling for the review of the constitution and also want Fiji to be a Christian state, in accordance with the clear stipulations of the Deed of Cession, and the wishes of the chiefs and people of Fiji, as expressed in the “Wakaya Letter.”

Meanwhile, we have tried to get a confirmation whether the Methodist Church in Fiji went to its members as a number of members have stated that they were never asked about the submissions and their views.
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4 Comments
Chiku
29/4/2017 06:56:06 pm

The world is focused on addressing issues like climate change, environmental degradation, threat of species loss, resource depletion, threat to food security, nuclear proliferation, threat of militarism, plight of refugees fleeing war and conflict, drought and starvation...
And in Fiji they are talking about " village by-laws ". Wow!

Reply
Villager
1/5/2017 04:43:53 am

We village people need these laws to maintain order. Those other issues you mentioned is for the big people to deal with - irrelevant to we the village people. Who gives a shit if Trump vaporises Baby Kim?

Reply
Tomasi Tabanidalo
30/4/2017 06:49:49 am

It's a shame that people who should be spreading love and humanity are spreading hatred and disharmony in Fiji. The Methodists church should never go down the path that they did in 87 and 2000. Its against everything that Jesus preached and in breach of Christian principles. Its refreshing to see that some in the Methodists church still has the humility to put things into perspective. Hope that those that were responsible for the initial mess are made accountable and shown the door out.

Reply
Rajend Naidu
1/5/2017 02:14:50 am

Editor,
Crooked Thinking Leader
Trump told CBS's Face the Nation that he reckons the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un is a " pretty smart cookie " because he assumed power at a very young age and has been able to hold onto power despite facing " formidable challenge" from " tough people, in particular the generals and others" like his uncle ( ' Trump says North Korea's Kim is ' a pretty smart cookie' Yahoo!7 news 1/5 ).
Assuming power at a very young age was no problem for Kim. He inherited the position from his dictator daddy. And, there is no prize for guessing what happens to anybody who is even remotely opposed to his rule. That's how he is able to hold onto power in that secretive, totalitarian regime.
It's perverse for the leader of world democracy to praise the dictator as
" a smart cookie ".
But Trump's worldview is understandable. He admires success no matter how the success is obtained. He himself virtually lied his way into power. By his terms of reference he too is a smart cookie.
But unlike Kim Jong-Un he might not be able to hold onto power even beyond 4 years because America is a democracy.
I wonder whether Trump also regards Zimbabwe's Mugabe as a smart cookie. The repressive ruler has been able to hang onto power for over 3 decades even though he's over 90.
We have our own " smart cookies" in Fiji who have been able to "assume power " by grabbing it through an unlawful military coup and then holding onto to power by metamorphosing the military dictatorship into a parliamentary democracy.
Was Hitler " a smart cookie "?
By Trump's logic he was.
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

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