Fiji's prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, has dismissed a threat by the Methodist Church that there would be a political backlash against the government in next year's general election.
The church made the threat after it was denied a permit to stage a march against gay sex in Suva tomorrow.
But Mr Qarase has told Fiji TV that the government should not be dragged into the gay sex debate.
He says his government will win the election on its merits because its performance in the last four years has been good.
Meanwhile, the Fiji Human Rights Commission has again warned that any further marches against gay sex will amount to hate speech which is not allowed under the constitution.
The commission's director, Dr Shaista Shameem, says any government official facilitating hate speech would be liable for prosecution under human rights laws.
