The NGO Coalition on Human Rights says Speaker Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu’s conduct in the September 6th parliament sitting towards Opposition Member of Parliament, Aliki Bia, is deeply troubling and disappointing, and they are also deeply disappointed by the collective inaction of Parliament when the Speaker made his racially charged comment.
fijivillage News had highlighted concerns being raised by some people regarding what they call are discriminatory comments made by Ratu Naiqama while responding to Bia during the end-of-week statement in the Parliament sitting.
In his statement on the Melanesian Community in Fiji, Bia highlighted some of the challenges facing his community, and that their Turaga ni Koro only received half of the normal allowances given to the Turaga ni Koro in every village.
Responding to Bia in the i-Taukei language, the Speaker said that people should be careful of what they say because there are a lot of Melanesian descendants on their land.
Ratu Naiqama says they came to eat our food and use our land, and told Bia to be careful of the words he used as he was twisting the facts.
The Speaker says they are registered in the VKB, and yet Bia still has the audacity to come and say they are being ill-treated and mistreated.
Ratu Naiqama also told Bia that their community are part of us as they are also voting.
He adds that this is through the work of former Prime Ministers and administrators in trying to take care of the minority group within our society.
He asked if they had been discriminated against all this time and how come they are living amongst us.
The Speaker says the Alliance Government ventured to pay for all the evacuation costs of removing the people from Vunilagi, the largest estate in Fiji, back to the Solomon Islands.
He says they came all the way to Suva from Vanua Levu, and before they could put into effect their evacuation procedures, some of them returned to Vanua Levu.
Ratu Naiqama says they could not leave without that place, so they had to come in and receive them because they had been there.
He says he takes exception and does not agree with the Opposition members when he says they have been mistreated because he has been offered seats in the House, the Parliament of Fiji.
He also told Bia to make up his mind whether they want to be Fijians or want to go back to the Solomons because he will not sit here and listen to all these diatribes going on that they have all been mistreated.
While reacting to this, the NGO Coalition says they are once again deeply disturbed by the actions of the Speaker of the House of Parliament, who has acted beyond the constitutional scope of his duties.
The Coalition says the Speaker’s dismissive attitude toward these critical issues, coupled with his unwarranted racially charged remarks, have not only undermined the integrity of his role but also perpetuated the harmful rhetoric that threatens Fiji's social cohesion.
It says such racially charged rhetoric undermines the principles of equality and inclusion that Fiji has strived to build since gaining independence and feeds into the systematic exclusion of the Melanesian community.
The NGO Coalition says unfortunately, these attitudes reflect the barriers faced by many ethnic minorities in Fiji when they seek to highlight the injustices they experience.
The Coalition calls on the Speaker to reflect on his conduct and the harmful impact of his words and actions.
The NGO Coalition adds that the silence in the face of such divisive rhetoric is unacceptable, and our leaders must stand up against discrimination in all forms.
Questions have been sent to the Office of the Speaker of Parliament. He is yet to respond.
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