Feature: The people of Fiji matter: who is standing up for them?

"The unelected regime of Commodore Frank Bainimarama...deposed Fiji’s democratically elected government on 5th December 2006 in the country’s fourth coup in 20 years. 

"Since then, he has ruled the country with an iron fist abrogating its 1997 Constitution, imposing harsh public emergency regulations curtailing freedom of speech and assembly, violating human rights of persons targeted as dissidents, dissolving elected municipal councils, and disestablishing the Great Council of Chiefs – the umbrella body of indigenous Fijians. 

"His regime has also presided over the economic decline of a once prosperous country. The economy performed poorly for three consecutive years from 2009 to 2011 and the IMF identified “resolution of political uncertainties” as one of the priorities to spur investment and raise the growth rate. There has also been heavy emigration of both Indo-Fijians and indigenous Fijians.

Read the feature report by Sir Ronald Sanders: 

The people of Fiji matter: who is standing up for them?