Ecrea gives voice to their view of Fiji's situation

from w

ECREA keen to work with interim Govt
Sunday January 28, 2007

from one of the Fiji papers today (can't remember which one) This is from the Ecumenical Centre for Research Education and Advocacy - good guys and smart. They did not approve of the coup, but now want things to move ahead to get it right. My views generally co-incide with the things they say. I think the title in the newspaper is misleading - I don't know whether they are 'keen to work with interim Govt' but rather - 'Okay, let's move forward in the best way we can.'
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A Non-Government Organisation which promotes social justice says it’s willing to work with the Interim Administration appointed by Fiji’s President on the understanding that democratic rule is restored as soon as possible.

The director for the Ecumenical Centre for Research Education and Advocacy (ECREA), Mikaele Bulavakarua said the Interim Administration must also be held accountable to the vision it proposed for Fiji.

ECREA welcomed the return of executive authority to the President after the December 5 coup.

Bulavakarua said the NGO recognised the appointment of the Interim Administration is a critical step towards the return of parliamentary democracy.

However, he said ECREA deeply regretted the illegal overthrow of the democratically elected government and the legal and constitutional difficulties that have arisen since the takeover.

Bulavakarua called for an immediate end to all forms of human rights abuses and the need for a tangible timeline for a return to democracy through free and fair elections.

He called on the Interim Administration to clarify the continued presence of the military and the ambiguity surrounding the State of Emergency.

ECREA also expressed concern about the lack of evidence provided to the people about corruption investigations that saw the abrupt removal of certain people from their employment.

The organisation also called on interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry to resign as secretary of the National Farmers Union.

Bulavakarua also said ECREA recognised that under the former government, democratic processes had been manipulated.

He said despite opposition through democratic means like submissions, dialogue, the elected government failed to reconsider its racially divisive legislation and the impact of its economic decision on the ordinary people.