Fiji Sugar Farmers strike

Date: 04 June 2000

Fiji's largely ethnic Indian sugar farmers are refusing to harvest this year's crop to protest against the gun-toting thugs who have taken as hostage Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.

It is now sixteen days since the democratically elected Government of Fiji was overrun by thugs, who hold the Prime Minister and more than 30 other nembers of his Government hostage in the Parliamentary complex.

There are widespread reports of gangs rampaging through isolated Indian sugar farming communities threatening families, stealing goods, raping women and committing arson.

The Fiji Labour Party leadership have called on the military government to immediately act against the gangs who are committing human rights abuses in the name of the man who leads the hostage takers, George Speight.

Sugar is one of Fiji's top exports, and ethnic Indian farmers are responsible for about 95 per cent of the annual sugar harvest.

The cane farmers, who are predominantly of Indian origin, are mostly tenants on land owned by indigenous Fijians.

But the Fiji Cane Growers' Association says some ethnic Indian farmers are being forced off their farms.

They estimate around 2.5 million tonnes of cane will be left standing unless the crisis is resolved and the farmers return to the fields.

For further information

Contact:	Andrew Casey
Union:	Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union
Phone:	9281 9511
Fax:	92821 4480
Email:	Andrewc@lhmu.org.au
WWW:	http://www.lhmu.org.au

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