24 Aug 2011

Fiji Methodist Church spokesperson denies start of reconciliation process

12:42 pm on 24 August 2011

The General Secretary of the Methodist Church of Fiji has denied Fiji media reports that the church has begun a reconciliation process with the interim government following its cancellation of the church's annual conference.

The church has now been banned by the military regime from holding its annual meeting for a third consecutive years.

"The Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu says the church will hold a news conference tomorrow (Thursday) to discuss the reasons he and the President of the church were instructed not to chair the annual meeting."

You have a question about reconcilliation, and that will not be my own personal thought but it's going to be the collective representative of the whole church.

The Church President, Reverend Ame Tugaue, and Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu were charged two years ago with holding a meeting without government permission under the Public Emergency Regulations.