Government to be held accountable for the environmental justice - Lesuma

The key role we play is to hold our government accountable for environmental justice to ensure that we do not allow money or overseas development aid to sort of supersede the efforts to protect the environment.

These were the words of Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) in Fiji Nuclear Justice campaigner Epeli Lesuma while highlighting about the environmental issues surrounding the Pacific.

Lesuma says we are now in a period of the UN Oceans decade and in a time where climate change and the climate crisis is very real and pollution of our ocean is quite evident.

He says we need to be able to live in an ocean and environment that our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren can also access that is healthy and alive.

Lesuma says people need to understand that there is only one Fiji, there is one Pacific, and we need to be better custodians of what we have now.

He adds it is encouraging to know that Fiji and the Pacific Islands are not alone in moving Japan to change its stance.

Lesuma says it has also been encouraging for them to have partners in Korea, the USA, the Philippines and other parts of the Pacific reaching out to them reaffirming their support towards the organisation’s campaign to stop Japan’s wastewater dumping and this even includes community groups in Japan as well.

He has urged people not to be afraid to write to their political leaders and parliamentarians to express their views and concerns as these are the avenues as well that can make another impact.