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NFP leader: 'Stop Police Intimidation of Public Sector Union executives'

6/10/2017

9 Comments

 
October 6, 2017
 
Stop Police Intimidation: NFP
 
The National Federation Party will alert the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) if officers of the Fiji Police Force do not immediately stop harassment and intimidation of executives of Public Sector Unions following their decision to hold a secret ballot to seek mandate for strike action following Government’s unilateral action to put civil servants on contracted employment.
 
The NFP has viewed correspondence from the Fiji Public Service Association (FPSA) to Public Services International (PSI) informing PSI that on Thursday 5th October, two of its Union Executives were interviewed by Police and emails and newsletters were confiscated. Furthermore, one of the Executives was warned not to talk to a Union Organiser.
 
We have also been informed by Trade Unionists and Union staff members who do not represent public sector employees that they have received calls from police seeking information from them on the proposed strike ballot.
 
The questioning by police is harassment and intimidation of Union Executives. This action is in gross violation and complete disregard of the dispute resolution machinery since a dispute on the matter is now before the Employment Relations Tribunal as widely reported by the media last Saturday.
 
The Commissioner of Police should reveal whether or not police acted on a complaint filed by Government or any other party. 
 
The Attorney General and Minister for Civil Service as well as the Minister for Defence should immediately ask the Police Commissioner to tell his officers not to get involved in this dispute.
 
We are not a Police State. Such actions do not augur well for Fiji’s bid to become a member of UNHRC.
 
Authorised by:
 
Professor Biman Prasad
NFP Leader
 

FLP leader Mahendra Chaudhry: "Fiji is turning into a Police State"

As police question unionists, Labour Leader Mahendra Chaudhry asks whether Fiji is turning into a police state?

The Fiji Public Service Association has written to Public Services International complaining of Police harassment in its attempt to take a secret ballot for strike against government’s imposition of short term individual contracts in the civil service.

FPSA general secretary Rajeshwar Singh says two of its Western Branch officials were questioned and harassed by a team of CID detectives from Suva.

“We are extremely concerned with the government’s strong arm tactics against us in what is an employment dispute,” said Mr Singh.

Labour Leader Mahendra Chaudhry says this is proof enough that Fiji is turning into a Police state.

“Why is the Police interfering in an industrial dispute? This is the kind of weapon they use to intimidate and harass those who stand up for their rights. The unions must stand firm and assert their rights,” Mr Chaudhry said.

Mr Singh has called on PSI to take the issue up with international organisations.

“You are already aware of Fiji government’s agenda of completely destroying the Public Sector Unions and the trade unions generally. The time has come for the international trade union movement together with the ILO, international human rights bodies, Amnesty International and others to raise their concerns on the current policy stance taken by the Fiji government,” he said in his letter to PSI.

9 Comments
Chiku
6/10/2017 10:45:38 am

Professor Biman Prasad is wrong. Fiji is a police state. It is only a democracy in name. What's why you have the police hounding the trad union leaders . They are acting as the henchmen of the post coup gangster government masquerading as a democratic government.

Reply
Bahuki
6/10/2017 12:04:17 pm

The damn country is already a police state with martial law a possibility that its no wonder protesting of any kind could lead one to end up being either detained or worse, shot by the military.

The military itself recently couldn't even stand up to that Al-Nusra group like the genuine cowards that they are. And now the police threatening to arrest anyone who tries to either protest or go on strike as is their democratic right that it seems to be a threat to Frankie and his partner ASK.

A dictatorship is a dictatorship, a real shame that the police are starting to become like gestapo wannabes.

Reply
Chiku
6/10/2017 12:14:36 pm

Mahendra Chaudhry you are wrong. Fiji turned into a Police State after Bainimarama's unlawful takeover in 2006. It has been a police state ever since. You should know. You were a part of that state when Hunter was rounded up by the Gestapo and deported in that undignified manner from Fiji. The 2014 election merely allowed the police state to acquire a democratic camouflage. Nothing has changed in any real terms. The evidence of that is there for people to see - who are prepared to face the truth.

Reply
Sanjay Sharma
6/10/2017 05:14:22 pm

Fiji is ruled by dictators so its no surprise that such things are happening. Freedom is only written on paper but in actual fact, Fijians have no freedom. We only see suppression and oppression of Fijians

Reply
Chiku
6/10/2017 09:14:22 pm

Why do you think a military mate of the coupist commander Dictator Franko was installed by him and his right hand man Khaiyum as police commissioner?
Yes, to do the bidding - the hound dogging - for these twin dictators of Fiji.
Sanjay Sharma is spot on in his reading of the political reality in Fiji in 2017.

Reply
Tomasi
7/10/2017 06:05:39 am

I agree with all of you. Only those who are either blind (mentally) or refuse to accept the truth will still say that Fiji is a democracy. The truth is that this dictatorship /police state has been here since the 2006 coup. But things have surely become more difficult and unbearable because of the gradual erosion of our freedom to live according to our values and the corresponding accumulation of power and control by the two dictators and their accomplices.

However, while this is a sad state of affairs for the majority of us, the tragic truth is that if we allow these thugs to rule over us with impunity, we will surely create a much more dangerous future situation that will be very destructive to our nation.

Whatever we sow, that we shall also reap. We sow arrogance, we shall reap a terrible blow on the face. We sow frustration, disappointment and anger, we shall reap the whirlwind.

Mark my words Khaiyum and Voreqe, as you read this. The day of judgement is coming to you soon. You have become two monsters and dictators. Please STOP, LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE. They do not like what is happening. They will come back at you like a fierce storm the likes of which you have never imagined.If you really care for your families, your children, please stop now. Get back to the people of Fiji. Admit your wrongs and seek their forgiveness. Its not too late. But if you don't do this soon, you may never have the chance again. It will be tragically and truly late for you, your families and all those who support you.

Reply
Mesake
9/10/2017 09:52:03 pm

Chaudriy is as much to be blamed as Bainimarama for the present crisis in Fiji. For his own political and financial ambitions , he joined the IG in 2006. And then the Indian money affair followed in which he came out as a dishonest and fraudulent person. He had hidden the money in Australia and did not share it with the poor people of Fiji , for whom it was intended in the first place.

He approved $180,000 to Bainimarama for his leave pay without any legal and moral basis.

When in power in the IG, he has acted against the unions especially the nurses.

He was a cohort conspirator of Bainimarama until he was kicked out.

All his criticisms of the current government sounds hollow and hypocritical and he has lost all trust and credibility.

He has helped create the Bai kai monster and he should never be allowed to get close to any kind of power ever in Fiji.

Reply
Rajend Naidu
7/10/2017 09:25:49 pm

Editor,
BewareThug State At Door
This is the title of a letter written by Ross Kelly to the Canberra Times (7/10/17 ). It captures the phenomenon of the demise of citizens civil rights and human rights as a consequence of State " security " and
"thought police " measures increasingly being adopted by the State together with " brute force". The "thought police" modus operandi has had the effect of instilling in the citizenry a well founded fear of venturing " beyond the flags" in their critical thinking.
The citizens in post coup Fiji would be very familiar with the characteristics of the " thug state " described by Ross Kelly.
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Reply
Rajend Naidu
8/10/2017 01:12:42 am

Editor,
Apologising For State Violence
The Spainish State has apologised for allowing fascism to rear its ugly head in the Catalonia Independence referundum when its police brutalised people wanting to peacefully cast their vote in what is supposed to be a model democracy in the European Union.
The State violence was counterproductive and it pushed more people to lean towards independence for Catalonia, according to Catalan former president ( abc interview 8/10 ).
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Reply

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