Fiji politician says police hindering her campaign

Transcript

An aspiring independent elections candidate in Fiji, Roshika Deo, says police intimidation and surveillance are affecting her campaign.

She says police are monitoring her whereabouts, attending and filming her meetings with the public, and talking to attendees afterwards.

Ms Deo has told Sally Round that it puts potential supporters off coming to her meetings and talking freely.

ROSHIKA DEO: When I was in Labasa apart from the police consistently calling which was fine, there was also police questioning people, asking about my whereabouts, asking for my schedule, asking who am I meeting, what am I saying. There was an incident at Taveuni when I was there, a policeman in civilian clothes came and sat in a meeting with a group of women and I wasn't aware he wasn't from the community but the women were, so initially they were talking but as soon as he came he started recording quite evidently and the women stopped talking and interacting so that also affected our interaction with the women. It wasn't a safe space anymore. I have been told that in past elections, it also happened but this is not the past, this is the current context. We've been in a military dictatorship for eight years, there is a culture of militarisation. People are apprehensive and scared. I go to certain communities and when people talk about the current context, they whisper. They whisper. As if someone's going to hear them. So there is still that element of fear.

SALLY ROUND: Nevertheless people are coming out, why do you think this is going to affect your chances?

RD: I'm not able to widely promote where I'm going and where I'm not going and whom I'm meeting and whom I'm not meeting. I'm not able to advertise because of the primary target groups that I have which are youths and women, people living in poverty and people in rural areas. I'm more wary of the information that I put out because I'm thinking if I say I'm having a meeting at this place, at this time there will be a police presence there and as such it will prevent us form interacting in a way where we are able to address issues, concerns, have a vibrant discussion over issues. We're not being able to reach as many people as we could if there was no police intimidation. We've also had the police call our volunteers, sometimes pretending to be from other government institutions like the Ministry of Education. So it happened with one of our volunteers a few months ago where the police had already called him once or twice and the initial time when he was called he identified himself as from the police force but then after that when this person hung up the phone on the police a few times, then he called again and he was pretending to be from another government department. And when this person started questioning why he was from another government department, calling him and asking him where is he going today and who is he meeting, and that person hung up but the number appeared on the caller ID and he called back and it was the police.

SR: Do you know where they're from in the police force?

RD: The ones that call me, the ones that go and talk to the people I've spoken to identify themselves as from the intelligence.

SR: They do identify themselves?

RD: Yes, when we ask, when we question, they say they are from the intelligence unit and because they are in civilian clothes, we are also aware of that.

SR: Do you ask them why you are being monitored?

RD: They said that they've been given directions from Suva.

SR: From who?

RD: They don't go into much detail but they say they have been given direction from Suva and that the reports go to Suva.

SR:  So you're being reported on?

RD: Yes that's what the police indicate, that that's the reason and they have to do surveillance and monitor when we question the police officers, that they have to report.

SR: And are other aspiring politicians like yourself also being monitored?

RD: I think they would be, I'm sure they are. I can't say because it hasn't really come out. I know that I'm being monitored because they're everywhere (laughs). Sometimes it's hard for us to say who's police and who's not. In instances where we've identified it's the police we've tried to deter them. We've tried to ask them to leave. We've told them we don't want them within the meeting space. We're happy if they come as a civilian.

SR: And do they leave when you ask them?

RD: There has been some instances where they have left when I've asked them. One or two instances when they have not and there's been one or two instances where I was being .. imposed ..security ..that was how one of the district officers told me that he was going to send a police officer with me for security and I said I don't need security, I have my campaign people, and he says 'oh no, that's the law, we have to send security' and I said 'no that's not' and I said 'no, you have to show me where the law is and we'll talk to the Commissioner about this but I do not want a police officer with me'

SR: You're still, nevertheless, going forward for election. This hasn't deterred you?

RD: No it hasn't deterred me, it's just made me more determined to make sure we get out of this kind of environment.

Fiji police have so far refused to comment on Ms Deo's claims.