Transcript
At the centre of the controversy is a selection of supposedly everyday phrases which were translated into English, Fijian and Hindi. They were being taught on the Wasea Bhasha TV programme whose two part name in Fijian and Hindi translates "sharing language. The choice of phrases has led to complaints by many, including Peter Waqavonovono.
"It is really insulting stuff like for example, indigenous Fijians they can't excel in university or tertiary education because they play too much sports. Indigenous Fijians have a problem in reading English."
Peter Waqavonovono is among youth and advocacy group leaders who filed a formal complaint with the police and with the Media Industry Development Authority.
"This is definitely not the kind of tenor that we expect from a national broadcasting corporation that is funded by our tax payers money. So as a tax payer and also as an indigenous Fijian it would be amiss for me not to even complain about this particular incident."
This complaint was filed despite the programme's producer Nemani Bainivalu issuing apologies in Fijian, Hindi and English on social media and on TV.
"The fact that examples within the lessons that I have has hurt some of you is sincerely regretted and I take full responsibility for this and I assure you that this will not be repeated. In hindsight this was a lax oversight on my part and was sincerely not intended to cause anyone any offence."
The chair of Fiji's Media Industry Development Authority Ashwin Raj was overseas and numerous attempts to get a statement from his office were unsuccessful. One of the complainants Vani Vulaca of the Bua Urban Youth Network said she wanted to know why the MIDA chair Ashwin Raj said he would wait for an official complaint from the public before investigating the FBC. She said this was particularly concerning because of the public outcry over the programme on social media and the clear mandate MIDA has to investigate cases on its own initiative.
"People get angered when they see the rules being applied sparingly to a certain group of the society. So it is really about equality, it is really about making sure that laws apply to everyone."
The FBC's CEO Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, who is currently out of the country, has been quoted in local media as saying any suggestion of incitement is not correct.However, the opposition says he should resign. The opposition leader Ro Teimumu Kepa says three MPs have been suspended over similar incidents, and senior Fiji Times staff face possible jail terms after being charged with inciting communal antagonism. She says the apology is of no consequence and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum should go.
"So we would like him to take responsibility for what has happened with one of their stations, and in this regard he should do the honourable thing."
It is no longer possible to access the content on Wasea Bhasha's youtube channel which previously had more than 70 videos including past episodes of the TV programme.
