Just like you and me, our senior citizens and beggars have the right and freedom to live their life free of violence and they need to be respected as they have contributed to shaping Fiji and need our love and care.
This has been stressed by the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Lynda Tabuya following the assault of an elderly woman who is a known beggar by a man who is a security guard.
He has been subsequently charged by police.
Tabuya says as the Minister responsible for the welfare of older people and beggars, she is shocked at this act of cowardness.
She says abuse of older people and those most vulnerable can have serious consequences both physically and mentally and recovery for them from such incidents may take longer.
The Minister says any form of violence against a person is a human rights violation.
She further says we all as the citizens of this beloved nation have the equal responsibility to raise our voices against any form of violence and protect our senior citizens.
Tabuya has pleaded that we should stop this act of violence because our culture and values on which Fiji is built does not give us the right to mistreat anyone.
