1 Feb 2008

Fiji's CCF accuses SDL of fuelling racial tension

2:43 pm on 1 February 2008

Fiji's Citizens Constitutional Forum has accused two political parties of attempting to derail the proposed People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress.

The CCF's executive director, the Reverend Akuila Yabaki, has condemned statements by the ousted SDL Party and the National Federation Party which described the charter as an initiative of the interim finance minister, Mahendra Chaudhry.

He told the Fiji Times that the SDL continues to play the race card to gain attention, ignoring the latest census findings that non-Fijian populations have dropped.

He accused the SDL of being intent on inflaming racial tensions.

But the SDL director, Peceli Kinivuwai, says the party wants to uphold the principles of good governance and adhere to constitution.

The Charter was launched by the president, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, last October.

He named the interim prime minister, Commodore Bainimarama, and the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Fiji, Archbishop Petero Mataca, as co-chairs of a 40-member National Council for Building a Better Fiji.