Opposition member apologises but denies racism

FIJI – Fiji’s parliament has voted out a third opposition MP, dismissing calls that a two-year suspension until the end of the current parliamentary term is too harsh.

Sodelpa’s Ratu Isoa Tikoca went before the Privileges Committee this week over his speech in July which government members branded as racist.

Ratu Isoa was found to have breached parliament’s freedom of speech rules by his listing of Muslim officials serving in high offices.

In his speech in parliament in July, Ratua Isoa suggested the Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, was only giving top jobs to Muslims.

According to Fiji media reports at the time, the opposition whip read out a list of names of people he said were appointed to key positions – including the elections supervisor Mohammed Saneem and Fiji’s representative at the UN in Geneva Nazhat Shameem.

Ratu Isoa said animosity was growing among various Fijian groups over the concentration of power among a few elite.

The prime minister Frank Bainimarama laid a complaint against Ratu Isoa for the speech.

The Privileges Committee met this week and said “quite clearly and selectively – and more importantly intentionally – Ratu Isoa targeted Fijians who are Muslims or adherents to Islam.”

It said Ratu Isoa’s “thinly veiled attack against a minority community must not be tolerated.”

During a debate in Parliament that followed opposition members called for the suspension to be reduced to 30 days.

The leader of the National Federation Party Biman Prasad said he didn’t agree with the list presented by Ratu Isoa but the lengthy suspension was “unreasonable” and would catch the attention of international bodies like the Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU).

“There’s a tyranny of majority on the other side. You’ve sent two members out of Parliament. You’ve been told by the IPU that it was wrong, that it was unreasonable yet you want to go again and suspend another member.”

Professor Prasad said the government could be accused of inciting racial hatred itself by the suspension.

The leader of the government side in parliament, Inia Seruiratu, said it was apparent Ratu Isoa was attacking Muslims in his speech.

“There is a need to strengthen the instrument of parliament and take measures to protect the dignity and the supremeness of legislation.

“For this reason matters of offensive conduct towards parliament must be treated seriously,” he said.

“It is even more important that parliament upholds the required standard of behaviour in parliament, in particular the prohibition of speaking words that are likely to provoke feelings of ill will or hostility between communities or ethnic groups within Fiji.”

Ratu Isoa insists he is not a racist.

Before leaving the parliament Ratu Isoa apologised but said he was only addressing the concerns of the people he represents.

“You know that I did not address any religion, nor do I address any race,” he said.

“It is purely a concern of a guy, a peacekeeper who has gone around all the world to fight only with one thing, peace and no instability.”

Ratu Isoa is not allowed near the parliamentary precinct including opposition offices for the remainder of the parliamentary term.

He is the third opposition MP to have received a two year suspension from the parliament this parliamentary term.

- RNZI