Fiji's opposition leader has published an open letter to the prime minister outlining what he says are serious misrepresentations and disinformation in Laisenia Qarase's public statement on the Reconciliation and Unity Bill.
Mahendra Chaudhry says while the prime minister says "there will be no blanket amnesty," several provisions of the Bill allow a person implicated in the violent overthrow of his government in 2000 to qualify for amnesty or full pardon.
In his letter to Mr Qarase, Mr Chaudhry says any person implicated in criminal acts of terrorism - mutiny, murder, arson, seizure of property, extortion, intimidation and physical violence - will be entitled to walk free without being brought to justice.
Mr Chaudhry says in any civilised society the use or threat of action designed to intimidate the public or to advance a political, religious or ideological cause is an act of terrorism.
Mr Chaudhry has told the prime minister that through the Bill he is deliberately removing the criminality of these acts of terrorism and re-defining them as legitimate, politically motivated activities.
On the prime minister's statement that the Bill will meet "the requirements of the Constitution and does not compromise the Office of the President," Mr Chaudhry says it does exactly the opposite.
Mr Chaudhry says the Bill removes the president's existing constitutional right to exercise his discretion and whether or not to grant an amnesty or pardon, and make it mandatory to grant amnesty if recommended by the Reconciliation and Unity Commission.
He says all these provisions are in direct violation of the constitutional rights of the president.
