National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad, Unity Fiji Leader Savenaca Narube and Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry have released a statement strongly condemning what they term as the excessive and desperate over-reach of law enforcement agencies who are using the national health and economic crisis to curb fundamental freedoms and liberties.
A State of Natural Disaster was declared by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama on the advice of the Emergency Committee and gazetted on April 15th for a period of 30 days.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama
The Health Minister and Permanent Secretary for Health have also made COVID-19 restriction orders under the Public Health Act.
However, Prasad, Narube and Chaudhry say they would like to remind law enforcement bodies such as the Fiji Police Force that only under a State of Emergency can rights be limited as per the Constitution.
They say as there is no State of Emergency that only Parliament can give effect to Fiji being under a declared 'infectious disease' and questionable 'natural disaster' does not give law enforcement agencies a free hand to conveniently suppress freedoms under irrelevant laws that suppress valid concerns of the people.
The leaders say they are also gravely concerned about the harassment of private citizens by the surveillance and suppression of social media expressions.
They say recent cases like the ‘political persecution’ of opposition parliamentarians as well as other private citizens depict the continuation of the government’s tactic to suppress the truth under the guise of laws that are touted to protect or unite us.
The leaders have also said to the Minister of Health to step up fully according to his powers under the Public Health Act and take control of the health crisis by ensuring that all State entities under his command at this present time do not get distracted and focus only on public health measures that are necessary to arresting the crisis of COVID-19 so that Fiji can try to get its economy back on its feet.
The leaders of NFP, Unity Fiji and FLP say if the government is sincere about the “veilomani” tag-line, or to care for each other in order to beat COVID-19, central to that traditional philosophy is also the spirit of “veirogorogoci” or the ability to be able to listen to each other and accept criticism.
Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete has stated that this is a significant natural disaster in terms of the pandemic that is now around the world.
Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete
Waqainabete says this means they are combining all resources to fight the spread of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho has maintained that they do not make comments on political statements.
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