29 Jul 2010

Wellington Council of Fiji Communities says Fiji ethnic policy robs indigenous of rights

10:17 am on 29 July 2010

Wellington's Council of Fiji Communities says the direction of the interim government's ethnic policy robs indigenous Fijians of their rights.

Fiji's interim Government declared in May that all people from that country are to be known as Fijians, with terms such as indigenous Fijian and Indo-Fijian made redundant.

The co-ordinator, Elisapeci Samununu, says the council plans to canvas the views on ethnic identity of all Fiji people living in New Zealand before it takes a human rights action over the issue.

"It's almost like, I now live in New Zealand, can I call myself a Maori? And see how much I can insult a Maori by doing that? You know all of a sudden we've been sort of shafted and say 'Move over, I'm also called this', without consultation."

Elisapeci Samununu of the Council of Fiji Communities in Wellington.