Leading LGBTQI Personality Breaks Ties With SODELPA
Leading Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex Asexual (LGBTQI) personality Ratu Eroni Dina has broken his ties with SODELPA.
In a candid interview with the Fiji Sun, the strong advocate on indigenous issues said “it’s no secret we all know what’s been happening within the helm of SODELPA.” When he was told that he projected himself as a strong SODELPA supporter, he said: “Not any more, I can confidently say that now.” “I can’t understand the internal politics, but I feel like it’s a disregard for actual civilian rights of people who have voted for them,” he said.
He said it was to do with power and this was the problem with political parties.
“If we could just reconnect with the people that would be the best thing to do,” he said.
He said people could understand policies in their manifestos.
“At the moment I have changed allegiance because I am not quite proud of what what’s happening within the helm of SODELPA,” he said.
Ratu Eroni actively campaigned for SODELPA’s policies in the 2014 General Election on indigenous rights and land.
But he said “it has kind of evolved over time.”
“I still hold my views but I don’t see them as racial or racist. It’s all about indigeneity – the protection of things that are precious to us. It’s about land, language, culture, tradition, all tied with each other and their protection against any infringement or any slight loss.”
Ratu Eroni has been appointed to the Oceania Board of the International Lesbian, Gay Association (ILGA) with two other colleagues Miki Wali and Maria Nailevu. ILGA is an international organisation bringing together more than 1300 LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex) groups from around the world. It continues to be active in campaigning for LGBTI human rights scene, and regularly petitions the United Nations and governments. They are represented in 140 plus countries and accredited by the United Nations for NGO Ecosoc consultative status.
Ratu Eroni said: Nominations are received from around the region because we belong to Oceania. So we get nominated by member countries from around the region. And the there’s voting that happens. And then we will get notified if we are successful.
“We are all very eager to make some changes onto how we can serve, community members from around the Pacific, especially with different responsibilities, So we just tried to make sure that we make the network stronger and see what’s happening on the ground. So we can actually build on it and intervene on the policy making level on the top here.”
Feedback: nemani.delaibatiki@fijisun. com.fj