Freedom of speech

SUDDENLY there is a lot of hype about the girmitiya

and their descendants.

The Minister for Education Premila Kumar told the students attending the girmit celebration in Suva last week that many descendants of girmitiya left Fiji after the 1987 coup by Sitiveni Rabuka (FT 7/5).

She further said that the 2000 coup saw further brutality, mistreatment, and the loss of the fundamental human rights, which were under threat – rights of freedom of speech, action, assembly, and religion.

As correctly noted by reporter Luke Nacei, she did not say anything about the coup of 2006. Madam minister would do well to analyse why the descendants are still migrating despite being called Fijians under the 2013 Constitution.

For it is one thing to be called a Fijian and it is quite different to be accepted as one. The Indo-Fijian population is now down to 32 per cent.

I wonder what she has to say about the way the late Professor Brij Lal was humiliated, assaulted and banned for his comments against the illegal regime.

Neither his corpse nor the ash was allowed to be laid to rest in the country of his birth which was his last wish.

Did he really deserve to be treated in that manner? I hope she can face the family to answer their questions.

Even today people are being arrested and questioned by police for their comments on national issues. So what right and freedom of speech is she talking about?

Look we all know who all were behind the 1987 coup. We all know who were the instigators and aiders and abetters of the 2000 coup.

And we also know the real reason behind the 2006 coup. So let’s stop deceiving ourselves by portraying some as evil and whitewashing others please.

SELWA NANDAN Lautoka