USP Journalism online (new UTS host): http://www.journalism.uts.edu.au/
USP Journalism ("mirror" of gagged site): http://www.sidsnet.org/pacific/usp/journ/
Wansolwara Online: http://www.lookinglassdesign.com/wansolwara/wansol.html
Have your say: http://www.TheGuestBook.com/vgbook/109497.gbook
SUVA: Fiji cane grower union leaders have warned Indo-Fijians to refuse
to serve as "puppets" of the proposed civilian administration being
worked out by the military regime in cooperation with rebel leader
George Speight.
"Indians should not serve on the military-appointed interim government,
considering the objectives of the coup to marginalise the Indo-Fijian
community," said general secretary Jaganath Sami of the Fiji Cane
Growers' Association.
He said that Indians invited to serve would be only puppets in an
indigenous Fijian-dominated intertim government.
Two Indo-Fijians have been named in a leaked list of the military's
planned government - the president of the Fiji chapter of Transparency
International, Ikbal Jannif (education portfolio) and Thomas Raju (trade
and commerce).
But Speight was quoted on Radio Fiji today as saying he had changed his
mind and that he now again opposed non-indigenous Fijians in the
administration.
Sami said the presence of Indo-Fijians would be "purely window-dressing"
to show the world that they were represented in the interim government
to gain international recognition and support.
The union believed that Indo-Fijians who were sincerely concerned about
the future welfare and security of the community should not allow
themselves to be used as "pawns to legitimise the unlawful and
unconstitutional" actions of players in the political crisis, Sami said.
He said the military should appoint an all-indigenous Fijian interim
government, seek immediate release of the 31 hostages held in Parliament
and allow the elected Indo-Fijian leaders the freedom to decide the
future for their own people.
Meanwhile, the Daily Post reported today that a mass resignation of
teachers was expected as a result of the month-old political crisis.
Fiji Teachers Union general secretary Agni Deo Singh said many teachers,
especially those teaching in secondary schools, had been making
arrangements to leave the country.
"Many secondary school teachers will be resigning and we will be left
with a shortage of teachers in the near future," Singh said.
The Fiji Times reported that civil servants faced a 20 per cent pay cut
from August 1.
A spokesman for the regime said resistance by public sector unions would
not deter it from implementing the salary cut.
Public Service Commission secretary Anare Jale said the pay cut was the
"best option" for the service, the Fiji Times reported.
Jale added that if the economy deteriorated further the interim
government would consider redundancies.
+++niuswire
Subject: [pasifik_nius] 2816 FIJI: Indo-Fijians told: 'Don't be puppets of regime'
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 15:55:27 +1300
From: Journ12 <robie_d@usp.ac.fj>
Organization: Journalism, University of the South Pacific
To: Pasifik Nius <pasifik_nius@lists.c2o.org>
Title -- 2816 FIJI: Indo-Fijians told: 'Don't be puppets of regime'
Date -- 21 June 2000
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pasifik Nius
Source -- USP Journalism Programme, 21/6/00
Copyright -- USP Journalism
Status -- Unabridged
-------------------
This document is for educational and research use only. Recipients
should seek permission from the copyright source before reprinting.
PASIFIK NIUS service is provided by the niusedita via the Journalism
Program, University of the South Pacific.
Please acknowledge Pasifik Nius: niusedita@pactok.net.au
http://www.usp.ac.fj/journ/nius/index.html
This site is best viewed using Netscape 4.0 or higher.
Any problems or kind suggestions, please email: webmaster@lookinglassdesign.com
last revision June 19, 2000