2 Apr 2013

United Front in Fiji says draft constitution meetings should let people speak

6:05 am on 2 April 2013

A spokesperson for the United Front for a Democratic Fiji says meetings being held this week are an opportunity to create awareness of the future under the regime's draft constitution

Meetings will be held in Suva tomorrow and Nadi on Thursday, before the Friday deadline for feedback on the document.

The United Front includes the leaders of now disbanded political parties - Ratu Jone Kubuabola, Mahendra Chaudhry, Attar Singh and Mick Beddoes.

Mr Singh, who is also the head of the Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions, says there has to be opportunities for people to speak.

"This forum will be an opportunity to discuss what the issues are, what is contained in the draft constitution, what kind of constitution may be decreed as of the 12th of April, and what kind of rights and life we may have thereafter. So this would be more in my view, an opportunity to create that kind of awareness, given that the media in Fiji is running nothing of the opposition views, they are only running whatever the regime is saying."

Attar Singh says voices of dissent have been silenced, and people need to see how dangerous the situation in Fiji is.