6 Mar 2007

Fiji Human Rights Commission awaits military response to probe alleged abuses

3:00 pm on 6 March 2007

Fiji's Human Rights Commission says it hopes for some response from the military soon over allegations of human rights abuses.

The Director, Dr Shaista Shameem, says the accusations were handed to the Attorney General so that he could facilitate discussions with the military and the police over the matter.

Dr Shameem says she expects some answers in the near future:

"I'm given to understand that those responses are coming back very shortly. We are also undertaking other inquiries that haven't been by way of formal complaint to the commission and that is something we are pursuing separately."

The Director of Fiji's Human Rights Commission, Dr Shaista Shameem.

Meanwhile, in the case of the alleged fatal beating of a 19-year-old late last month, the acting police commissioner, Romanu Tikotikoca, says police needed the permission of the army to interview the six soldiers alleged to have killed the man.