CCF has 'high hopes' for Fiji's new Commission

Transcript

Fiji's Citizens Constitutional Forum says it holds high hopes for the country's new Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission.

The Commission is a statutory body that is being established under Fiji's constitution.

The Government is  expected to announce the Commission's members in the near future.

Akuila Yabaki told Amelia Langford the Forum welcomes a focus on tackling discrimination but only time will prove whether the Commission is to be effective.

AKUILA YABAKI: We welcome the announcement by the government that they've established the Human Rights and Anti-discrimination Commission. We welcome the focus on anti-discrimination, whereas before it was the Human Rights Commission, but now they have recognised the racial issues and the need for anti-racism in the political context in Fiji and so the commission is called the Human Rights and Anti-discrimination Commission.

AMELIA LANGFORD: Tell me in Fiji, what are people facing in terms of discrimination?

AY: We need to make these laws understandable, so we need to make people aware that as ordinary citizens they can take action in making the law relevant to everyday relationships. But we still witness racially inappropriate comments on social media. You see when you have restrictions on the media -- the media decree -- it gives rise to social media as happened in Egypt and other places. So this has become an avenue for freedom of expression - that's a good thing but it's also become an avenue for lack of responsibility in the use of media.

AL: How confident are you that this commission will be independent and will be able to carry out its powers?

AY: Already the opposition have proposed a name, but the Constitutional Offices Commission needs to be in place first. Then out of that you can appoint members and finalise member numbers of the Human Rights and Anti-discrimination Commission. The answer to your question is that people will have to see that it is independent and you have to engage people and you have to test it by sending complaints, that is what it is about, people send complaints to the commission and ensure that it is not dominated by whoever is in power. It's got to be proven.

AL: Yes.

AY: When it is set up it will open up the opportunity that people can send in complaints to be investigated and steps will be taken for appropriate redress if human rights have been violated. We have four years in front of us before the next elections so that's an open space there to test the independence of the commission.