 |   Ratu Mara Interview, April 1982 |
*Meanwhile, that reputational damage to Japan is already having a huge impact on local communities around the Fukushima area and on Japan's relations with its neighbours.
*China, for one, is particularly opposed. A foreign ministry spokesperson has described it as "selfishness and irresponsible" and it has banned all fish and seafood imports from 10 Japanese prefectures - including Fukushima and Tokyo.
* South Korea has also banned seafood imports from Fukushima.
* Hong Kong, another key market for Japan's fisheries, has moved to impose bans too.
Fijileaks: The RFMF must read out to Sitiveni Rabuka and his Coalition government Section 131 of the Constitution of Fiji. Rabuka does not have the constitutional PREROGATIVE to poison our ocean and kill the population of Fiji, including members of the RFMF and Navy personnel.
 | "For too long, Pacific people have been an audience to scientific findings instead of the authors, and it is dismissive, dangerous, and insulting for Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to pit our Pacific champions against the broader scientific community." |
The coalition government is failing future generations by allowing Japan to dump its nuclear waste into our ocean without any strong assurances for Pacific people’s wellbeing and advancement.
Our region is scarred by past betrayals, where we were misled and lied to about nuclear testing and its consequences, which included the early death of Frank Bainimarama's father. Prime Minister Bainimarama and I shared a deep skepticism of Japan's disposal plan when it was first proposed. While we were presented compelling evidence from Japan that indicated the safety of the proposal, the real issue – then and now –– is trust.
For too long, Pacific people have been an audience to scientific findings instead of the authors, and it is dismissive, dangerous, and insulting for Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to pit our Pacific champions against the broader scientific community.
Real leadership takes real commitment. It’s not about showing up at events, drinking cocktails, taking photos and globe-trotting. It’s about giving voice to the voiceless, ensuring that our voices are actually heard, and having a vision for a better future.
Fiji should be demanding support from Japan that helps our people stand side by side with scientists, understanding and critiquing evidence firsthand. Because any country that asks us to "trust the science" should first invest in future Pacific oceanographers, scientists, and environmentalists — voices that are globally informed yet deeply rooted in our unique heritage. And given that we don't have the tools to verify that our ocean is unharmed, Fiji and other Pacific Island Countries should be provided with the instruments and resources to monitor our waters for ourselves.
To all of our Pacific advocates: Your passion is invaluable. The current Fijian government should never have accepted the dumping of nuclear wastewater into our precious Pacific without assurances that allow us to assess the impact for ourselves. For a nation that once led the world on climate action and ocean preservation - such as through our 30 x 30 commitment – this is a shameful step backwards from our rightful role as the stewards of the Blue Pacific.
Our region is scarred by past betrayals, where we were misled and lied to about nuclear testing and its consequences, which included the early death of Frank Bainimarama's father. Prime Minister Bainimarama and I shared a deep skepticism of Japan's disposal plan when it was first proposed. While we were presented compelling evidence from Japan that indicated the safety of the proposal, the real issue – then and now –– is trust.
For too long, Pacific people have been an audience to scientific findings instead of the authors, and it is dismissive, dangerous, and insulting for Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to pit our Pacific champions against the broader scientific community.
Real leadership takes real commitment. It’s not about showing up at events, drinking cocktails, taking photos and globe-trotting. It’s about giving voice to the voiceless, ensuring that our voices are actually heard, and having a vision for a better future.
Fiji should be demanding support from Japan that helps our people stand side by side with scientists, understanding and critiquing evidence firsthand. Because any country that asks us to "trust the science" should first invest in future Pacific oceanographers, scientists, and environmentalists — voices that are globally informed yet deeply rooted in our unique heritage. And given that we don't have the tools to verify that our ocean is unharmed, Fiji and other Pacific Island Countries should be provided with the instruments and resources to monitor our waters for ourselves.
To all of our Pacific advocates: Your passion is invaluable. The current Fijian government should never have accepted the dumping of nuclear wastewater into our precious Pacific without assurances that allow us to assess the impact for ourselves. For a nation that once led the world on climate action and ocean preservation - such as through our 30 x 30 commitment – this is a shameful step backwards from our rightful role as the stewards of the Blue Pacific.
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Reverend James Bhagwan, an anti-nuclear activist and the general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, holds the view that insufficient data is available to ascertain the safety of disposing of Fukushima’s nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean.
Bhagwan says we haven’t seen what the impact is as there hasn’t been a test done on what this does to fish, marine life, recognizing that the ocean is already under stress.
Pacific Conference of Churches and Alliances for Future Generation will be conducting a rally on Friday to condemn Japan’s planned dumping of Fukushima nuclear wastewater. FBC News
Bhagwan says we haven’t seen what the impact is as there hasn’t been a test done on what this does to fish, marine life, recognizing that the ocean is already under stress.
Pacific Conference of Churches and Alliances for Future Generation will be conducting a rally on Friday to condemn Japan’s planned dumping of Fukushima nuclear wastewater. FBC News
