Nawaikula’s latest Facebook post on justifying beating women shameful
When a Member of Parliament uses his social media platform to call for archaic laws such as beating women for wearing pants in villages, something is definitely not right in our country.
Niko Nawaikula over the past six years has used his Facebook page to call for a number of ridiculous things. But the latest post justifying beating of women for wearing pants in villages is by far one of the most outrageous things he has called for.
And when this post receives 320 likes and 27 heart reacts and Social
Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) supporters and Party officials are not denouncing such a message, this is not a good sign of how the main Opposition party thinks. This is what Mr Nawaikula said:
COURTS MUST HAVE JURISDICTION TO ADMINISTER CUSTOMARY LAWS.
Savusavu Courts : 9:7:2020.
There is really no hope of Indigenous culture/custom continuing unless and until our courts are vested with jurisdiction to enforce. Take the following examples of village customs or customary laws that are unenforceable:
1. Women not to wear pants in villages ,
2. No drinking of alcohol in village vicinity,
3. No smoking marijuana or consumption of drugs in village vicinity (sic), 4. No shouting or unnecessary loud noise.
5. Everyone must attend Bose
Va Koro.
6. Everyone must attend to
cakacaka vakoro and community functions.
All these customary directives exist in many villages to protect the integrity of community values that is grounded in respect for the community , the elderly and chiefly system and high morals.
Problem is that they are unenforceable and if someone exerts his/her right custom will have no place. For example if a Turaga Ni
Koro beats a young women for wearing pants (perfectly ok for custom) the Turaga Ni Koro can be charged, as has happened for assault.
What needs to be done and we are still waiting for the a (sic) government with political will to do so is to legally recognise these customs in village by laws and extend the jurisdictions of the court to enforce it.
It’s very easily (sic) done and we ask why it has not been done? Seems like many governments don’t know, are ill informed or just don’t care…
SODELPA principles versus
FijiFirst:
This is not the first time a SODELPA MP has looked at things purely on racial grounds. Once we start looking at things purely on racial grounds, we start allowing MPs like Mr Nawaikula to sow the seed of poison as obvious from his post. FijiFirst’s principles had been clearnothing is done on racial grounds and this has been one of its strong grounds during campaigning and one of the reasons why they have been successful in the last two elections.
When we start to categorise issues purely on racial grounds, we start to give space for ideas such as okay for beat up women for wearing pants.
This idea by Mr Nawaikula should be denounced in the strongest terms. We have come very far since 2006. Such ideas will only take us backwards. Younger Fijians would agree that such philosophies have no place in a developing nation.
Niko Nawaikula over the past six years has used his Facebook page to call for a number of ridiculous things, but the latest post justifying beating of women for wearing pants in villages is by far one of the most outrageous things he has called for.