The chair of a group of Fiji NGOs has defended its human rights credentials after accusations of cowardice from the Prime Minister.
Rear Admiral Frank Bainimarama was referring to their silence after allegedly xenophobic comments by a former Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase.
Shamima Ali says the government can't have it both ways, and section 115 of its Electoral Decree has effectively silenced them in public debates leading up to the election.
"The decree has come back to bite them because I think the decree was especially designed to keep activist NGOs quiet about the present regime and then now when other political parties are saying things that are anti-human rights, anti-democracy and so on, when the government wants us to say something the decree is keeping us quiet."
Shamima Ali says the groups, such as the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre, have been fighting for human rights for 30 years and their stance on issues raised by Mr Qarase are very much on the record.
