5 Feb 2016

Fiji opposition says world ignoring repression

5:44 pm on 5 February 2016

Fiji's opposition leader says the international community is turning a blind eye to what she calls the government's campaign to return Fiji to the days of repression and dictatorship.

The National Federation Party and its three MPs were suspended for thirty days this week following the authorities' concerns about the auditing of the party's accounts.

The leader of the Sodelpa party, which is now the only opposition party in parliament, Ro Teimumu Kepa, said the suspension of the NFP for a minor matter is savage and severe.

Fiji's Opposition leader Ro Teimumu Kepa.

Fiji's Opposition leader Ro Teimumu Kepa. Photo: RNZI / Sally Round

Ro Teimumu said the speaker of parliament and the supervisor of elections need to speak out about the reasons for their decision, as there has been little information about why they took the extreme step of suspending a political party.

She said Fiji is a militarised state that is regularly ignoring democratic norms, and the international community needs to speak up about what is unfolding.

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