Lal criticizes government for selective human rights policies
FIJIFIRST Member of Parliament Ketan Lal yesterday hit out at the Coalition Government for its selective application of policies on human rights issues.
Referring to the Israel-Palestine conflict, Mr Lal said the Coalition Government “harped on” about democracy, human rights and safeguarding the vulnerable such as women and children, yet they saw it proper to “endorse genocide”.
This, Mr Lal said, included the mass killings of innocent civilians, aid workers, hospital workers, and thousands of women and children.
“We have a Coalition Government which is selective in its application of policies on fundamental human rights,” he said.
Mr Lal also attacked the National Federation Party (NFP) for being silent on this topic.
“This Coalition Government has become a joke to the outside world.
“We have ministers tasked to protect and look after the welfare of Fijians, they are being disciplined for God knows what.” According to Mr Lal, the Coalition Government talked a big game when they were in Opposition, but it was now time to “walk the talk”.
“Equally concerning is the decline in youth-focused policies by the Coalition Government. It appears that the ship of our nation is sailing without a compass, lacking a clear direction for Fiji’s youth. “The lack of new initiatives and projects means a dearth of employment opportunities for our young people, further exacerbating the challenges they face in building a prosperous future. “But let us be clear: We are not here to simply point fingers or assign blame. We are here to demand accountability, to uphold the values of integrity and justice, and to fight tirelessly for the welfare of our nation.”