Democracy protests planned in Fiji

Date: 23 July 2000

A coalition of Fiji civic groups - in which the Trade Union Congress is playing an important part - will stage a nation-wide protest to demand a return to the 1997 Constitution.

Felix Anthony - the TUC secretary- said they expected the national solidarity demonstrations for the restoration of democracy would take place soon ... and shut down the country for the day.

Felix Anthony has told the media they were hoping to see everything totally closing down.

Mr Anthony also hinted that some of the earlier international union bans may be re-imposed as part of the campaign.

TUC opposes public service pay cuts

The Fiji TUC national council - which met in Nadi on Saturday - has called on the interim administration not to implement the 12.5 per cent salary cuts in the civil service.

"In the current situation, the confidence and morale of the public service must be maintained so various institutions of the government can continue to function properly," the TUC general secretary Felix Anthony said.

"The TUC has pledged its support to the public sector unions," Felix Anthony said after the TUC meeting.

Main strategy to get civic demonstrations

The main strategy of the Fijian union movement will now be to activate the civic groups who, during the hostage crisis, co-signed a statement condemning George Speight - and demanding the restoration of democracy.

"The TUC re-iterated its position that any solution to the national crisis outside the framework of the 1997 Constitution is illegal and we will oppose it with all our means," Mr Anthony said.

The Saturday meeting of the national council of the TUC has given a mandate to its top officials to investigate all possible actions which can be done in co-operation with the other civic groups who signed the June 28 joint agreement calling for the restoration of democracy.

The June 28 statement was signed by the TUC with the Fiji Employers Federation and a number of other NGOs.

"The TUC is concerned the interim administration is tampering with the Acts of the Parliament.

"The TUC condemns attempts by the interim administration to unilaterally change laws of the country adopteds by a democratic parliament - and calls for an immediate stop to this."

Mr Anthony said one of the resolutions that adopted by the TUC national council meeting on Saturday would stipulate smart sanctions on people who are directly responsible for this crisis.

"We will now be taking this matters up with the others who are party to the June 28 agreement. That meeting is planned for Tuesday afternoon."

TUC wants meeting with interim President

The TUC has also decided to seek a meeting with the interim President Ratu Josefa Iloilo to discuss the campaign for democracy and other matters of concern to the Fijian union movement and the international trade union movement.
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In particular the unions want to discuss with Ratu Josefa Iloilo the continuing law-and-order deterioration and impress on hims that as Commander in Chief he should discipline those sections of the military and the police who are not prepared to protect innocent citizens.

"The TUC is concerned about the Police Force's impotency and the lack of will on the part of the military to protect innocent citizens from violence and intimidation.

"We have noted with concern the way in which unarmed citizens are terrorised by armed thugs and we recognise that the deterioration in law and order in Fiji has had a disastrous impact on the economy," Mr Anthony said.

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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