8 Apr 2004

Tonga government echoes Fiji's concerns about NGOs and the Forum

11:02 am on 8 April 2004

Tonga's acting Prime Minister, Clive Edwards, expressed similar concerns at the Forum leaders meeting about civil society.

He says, for instance, Tonga would be against giving opportunities to a group such as Tonga's Human Rights and Democracy Movement.

"They are involved in activities that are highly questionable and have been the subject of police prosecutions, of seditious conduct and making trouble rather than addressing issues. These are some of the things that are happening in Fiji, in Tonga, and possibly in Australia."