The vice president of Fiji's opposition SODELPA party has called for the resignation of the Fijian ambassador to the United Nations, Nazhat Shameem, after she described the past protections of the rights of Indigenous Fijians as institutionalised racism.
Ambassador Shameem's comments were part of an address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on the 1st of March.
In her comments she said, " ...racism was institutionalised in Fiji to such an extent that it instilled a 'privileged caste'".
And also said, "Rights of the majority in a democracy whether indigenous or not must not be used to suppress the rights of the minority and vulnerable communities..."
The SODELPA vice president, MP Ro Kiniviliame Kiliraki says Shameem's comments were misguided and smacked of prejudice.
He told Koroi Hawkins they amounted to a deliberate misunderstanding of the grievances of the indigenous community in Fiji and were contrary to international law on the rights of indigenous peoples.
Fijian ambassador to the UN Nazhat Shameem
Photo: Supplied
Transcript
RO KINIVILIAME KILIRAKI: She should retract that statement. In fact we are calling for her resignation. It is out of line as far as Fiji is concerned. It is an insult to the indigenous people and at that level she shouldn't be there.
KOROI HAWKINS: And Fiji is looking to join the UN Human Rights Council at the elections in June this year. Why do you think she made these comments?
RKK: I do not know where she is coming from? I know that Fiji is applying to join but the way she put that on is she shouldn't be, Fiji shouldn't be admitted with that type of statement at that level at the United Nations.
KH: And with the elections (2018) and all of this probably coming to the fore again would SODELPA and your views on these rights these indigenous rights that have been taken away would you be seeking to reinstall some of those rights or versions of those rights?
RKK: Yeah we will be in that direction to bring back those rights. It doesn't mean that it will be as some are portraying now, that it is racism, but we are very much aware that all our rights have been taken away and we would like that to be put in place. For our protection as indigenous people on the contrary Fiji is a multi-racial country and we love that. We embrace that but hopefully that position we have will not be taken out of context. We have moved forward so far in Fiji as back at 1987, 2000, 2006 and we have embraced multiracialism and we hope that other communities here will stand with us giving us back all those rights. And we will stand for that.
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