SUVA – Fiji’s Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, says the opposition needs to be “in tune with the ground realities in Fiji” after its reaction to last week’s allegations of intimidation and torture by a local lawyer.

The opposition says it is concerned about Aman Ravindra-Singh’s claims of torture and threats by security forces which he detailed in an interview with Radio New Zealand International last week.

Opposition leader Ro Teimumu Kepa says it appears Fiji is still governed by fear and intimidation.

According to the Fiji Sun, Sayed-Khaiyum says the opposition should stop feeding off what he describes as the “insatiable appetite of certain media organisations in New Zealand and Australia to always portray Fiji in a negative light”.

He says this portrayal comes at the expense of compromising the truth.

Ravindra-Singh has denied backtracking on his claims as reported by the Fiji Sun and he says he will put out a statement later this week.

The Lautoka-based lawyer says there have been three attacks by men he believes are members of Fiji’s security forces, on people close to him in recent weeks.

He says he believes this is because he is acting for dozens of people charged with sedition over recent months.

Fiji’s Acting Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho says the police have not received any complaint from Ravindra-Singh.

Brigadier-General Qiliho told the Fiji Sun: “The Fiji Police Force has not received any complaints from the lawyer.

“We can’t do anything, there is no complaint lodged with us.”

He said he would not go around getting extracts from overseas media for information about civilians claiming to be threatened in order to open an investigation.

“Maybe the overseas media is investigating for him,” he said. “If he is being threatened and he lodges a complaint with the Fiji Police Force, we will surely investigate his claims.”

Ravindra-Singh told Radio New Zealand threats were also made to people close to him and included three attacks by men he believed to be members of the country’s security forces.

He said the men were in plain clothes and their faces were covered but he believed they were evidently of the security forces.

“In all of these attacks the men had military boots on, they were well-trained, they were very fit.”

When contacted for comment by the Fiji Sun Ravindra-Singh said he was not living in fear but was “concerned”.

In an earlier story the Fiji Sun said Singh “backtracked on his Radio New Zealand International claims when approached by the Fiji Sun”. - PNC sources

Local heroes take the honours in Hawai'i's monster surf challenge

Maui’s Billy Kemper (above right) won Sunday’s Pe‘ahi Challenge in massive 40-50 foot-plus surf conditions at the popular surf spot often referred to as ‘Jaws’ along Maui’s north shore. Surfers paddled into the swell with no tow-in assistance making the risk that much more daunting. The Pe‘ahi Challenge is the second Big Wave Tour event to run in the 2015/2016 season and the first of the Northern Hemisphere window, according to the World Surf League. Kemper – who grew up near the break – earned the win over fellow local Albee Layer, earning 15,625 points and is the current Big Wave Tour rankings leader. This is a dream come true,” Kemper told the WSL. “We’ve been talking about this moment for years, and to have a paddle event in my backyard at, to me, one of the most premier, outstanding waves in the world, means everything to me. To paddle Pe‘ahi has been a dream of mine for a very long time,” he added, “and to be out there with some of my favourite surfers and best friend – I’m just speechless.” Three more contests remain on the schedule, including Oregon Challenge at Nelscott Reef in Lincoln City, Oregon; the Punta Galea Challenge in Spain; and the Todos Santos Challenge, in Baja California, Mexico. AFP/WSL