DO NOT BELIEVE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

THAT CAUSES FEAR, PANIC AND INSTABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES Many of the perpetrators live overseas and do not care what happens here. They operate in cyberspace in an environment of lies and want to see unrest here from the comfort of their homes

Sometimes we cannot blame people when they react to social media posts on instability and unrest. The latest post that has been doing the rounds was generated by a Fijian who lives in Australia.

He plucked a date, September 23, from thin air and sent a message that there would be unrest on that day.

Many people have not forgotten the political turmoils that divided this nation in the past.

They do not want to go back to that past because of the pain and suffering it caused to many innocent people. Our economy was one of the big casualties.

It has taken a long time to recover and to be where we are today.

But there are elements in our communities who want to disrupt that progress for their own selfish political agendas. They have cheerleaders who live comfortably in their homes abroad and spread lies via social media to create instability.

They do not even think about their families and relatives who still live in Fiji and could suffer like everyone else if there is unrest.

It is comforting to hear from Colonel Manoa Gadai that the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and the Police are jointly ready to fulfill their role to protect the country and all Fijians should there be an emergency.

The Land Force Commander is widely respected in the force and speaks with authority.

He also represents the face of the RFMF leadership today – a leadership that is committed to supporting the provisions of the 2013 Constitution. Both the RFMF and the Police take any threat to peace and stability very seriously.

The RFMF has been mandated by the Constitution to protect Fiji and all Fijians.

So if anyone is remotely thinking of disturbing peace and stability they better be warned – they will face the full brunt of the law.

For those of us who saw what happened in 1987 and 2000, we should be grateful that our security is in good hands – and there is nothing to fear like Colonel Gadai has said.

Photo: Ronald Kumar From left: Republic of Fiji Military Forces Land Force Commander Colonel Manoa Gadai, Lieutenant-Colonel Penioni Naliva and new 3FIR Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel Aseri Rokoura at Queen Elizabeth Barracks on June 26, 2019.

Photo: Ronald Kumar Republic of Fiji Military Forces Land Force Commander Colonel Manoa Gadai, hands over the colours to new 3FIR Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel Aseri Rokoura at Queen Elizabeth Barracks on June 26, 2019.