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 www.indo-fiji.webs.com       INDO-FIJI ACTION     www.tinyurl.com/indofiji

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                     Help Nabitu residents, Govt urged



Saturday August 17, 2002


It's time Government gets into some genuine business and helps 400 
Nabitu residents who continue to pay a toll to landowners for the 
use of a government access road, says Labour parliamentarian Lekh Ram 
Vayeshnoi. 

Mr Vayeshnoi yesterday said residents are being harassed by the 
landowners over their refusal to pay 'ransom'. 

He said despite public awareness over the matter, no security assistance 
has come from the Government. 

The matter, however, now stands with the Fiji Human Rights Commission. 

The deposed Information Minister stressed the Nabitu story is not 
the only case that has not received attention from the State but 
the situation of thousands of evicted farmers remains unsettled. 

Mr Vayeshnoi said Government makes promises in Parliament during 
debates but outside the House the undertakings seem only a lip-service. 

He said many children from farming families who have been evicted 
from their farms and homes have also become drop-outs, parents just 
do not have the money to afford their children's education. 

Mr Vayeshnoi said Fiji is on the path to becoming another Zimbabwe. 

'These are cases of violation of human rights, - serious breach 
of a number of sections of the Bill of Rights under the 1997 Constitution 
- life, personal liberty, freedom from cruel or degrading treatment and 
equality," he said 

'The Pacific Island leaders now meeting in Suva should have placed 
'Human Rights' as a priority on their agenda - however, it is obvious 
that our leaders are aware fully of Fiji's situation or Australian 
Prime Minister John Howard would not be asking for a bullet-proof vehicle,' 
he said.

The Daily Post