21 Mar 2015

FTUC urges Fiji government to be honest

5:35 pm on 21 March 2015

Fiji unions say the United Nations Human Rights Council has been misled by the attorney-general, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, who told it that the Fiji constitution was the expression of the will of the people.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Fiji's Attorney-General

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Fiji's Attorney-General Photo: RNZ / Republika

The Fiji Trades Union Congress says his statement borders on a lie and it has urged the government to demonstrate sincerity and honesty and not to mislead the international community as it only brings disrepute to Fiji.

The FTUC says the expression of the will of the people was captured by the 2012 Yash Ghai draft after more than 7000 submissions by people and organisations from around the country.

Yash Ghai who helped draft a Fiji constitution in 2012

Yash Ghai who helped draft a Fiji constitution in 2012 Photo: AFP

It says the military-led government thrashed that draft and imposed its version in 2013, adding that no amount of government propaganda will change the facts.

The FTUC says the new constitution is almost impossible to be changed, all for the sake of protecting those responsible for the coups and the atrocities that followed.

The military-led regime, which included Mr Sayed-Khaiyum, abolished the previous constuitution in 2009 when the court of appeal ruled that the post-coup administration was illegal.

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