19 Aug 2002

Fiji Labour Party leader seeks NZ aid for cane farmers

10:24 am on 19 August 2002

The Fiji Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, has sought assistance from New Zealand for displaced cane farmers.

He put the request to New Zealand prime minister during a meeting in Suva at the weekend.

Mr Chaudhry says he told Ms Clark of the uncertainty and despair faced by Indo-Fijians.

He says Indo-Fijians who make up about 44 per cent of the population of the country are being exposed to extreme racism by the political order that was put in place after the coup two years ago.

Mr Chaudhry says he also raised with the prime minister the racially discriminatory provisions of the Social Justice Act, the lack of respect for the rule of law and the delay in appointing members of the Supreme Court to hear the government's appeal against the inclusion of Labour in the Qarase government.