WAR OF WORDS RAGE ON: Bulitavu refuses to back down on CHIEFS!

5/10/2015

The Great Council of Chiefs, Waikava, Vanua Levu. The Great Council of Chiefs meeting at Waikava was opened by Governor Gordon on 20 November 1876 and lasted nearly 3 weeks. Gordon outlined his plans for indirect rule and established procedures for future meetings. Numerous resolutions were adopted and at the end of the meeting a letter to Queen Victoria was signed by the principal chiefs. Various people came to the climax of the meeting which included a feast, dancing and a solevu. Partly butchered turtles presented before a chief’s house.

"It would appear as if the law has two sides: some are punished, some are not...The law says that all are equal before the law: - rich and poor, high and low. It is not among us. Some are judged, some escape, and the people of the land are wondering" - A magistrate from Macuata remarking in 1885, on more powerful chiefs in the GCC whose abuse of power generally went unpunished.

3 Comments

Dekho

5/10/2015 10:37:36 pm

What the Macuata magistrate said about there being double standards in the application of the law in 1885 remains true today in the " new Fiji" created by Bainimarama and Khaiyum. The only difference is that now instead of powerful chiefs it is the powerful politicians and their powerful business friends abuse their power and status and get away unpunished. I don't know who Khaiyum is trying to fool by pretending to present himself as Mr Clean. Like Bainimarama he is dirty like hell.

reema gokal

6/10/2015 02:37:20 am

MR LAL PLEASE HEAR ME OUT.
I AM WAITING

rajend naidu

6/10/2015 09:47:06 am

Editor,
Talking about double standards in the application of the law, this is not only a phenomenon that exists at the national level but at the international level as well.
The UN commissioner for human rights said the US air strike on a hospital in Afghanistan run by Medicin San Frontier ( Doctors Without Borders ) killing 22 people including 3 children " violates international law " and could constitute a war crime.
But nobody should hold his breath waiting for this to happen. It won't happen. That's the way international politics is played. The big guys get away.
However the horrific bombing which continue for 30 minutes after MSF raised the alarm with US and Afghan officials has drawn widespread condemnation from charity and human rights groups.
That is as should be.
But I know of doctors elsewhere who in the face of wrong doing by State authorities pretend all is well and even urge others to keep quiet.
These are doctors who are concerned only with protecting their"paachu" and their own vested interest. They don't have the conscience nor the courage to speak truth to power.
Thankfully there are many who do.
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

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WAR OF WORDS RAGE ON: Bulitavu refuses to back down on CHIEFS!

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