10:23 AM |
Title – 6676 FIJI: Regime threatens to quit Commonwealth
Date – 25 February 2010
Byline – Bonnie Malkin
Origin – Pacific Media Watch
Source – Daily Telegraph (UK), 24/2/10
Copyright – DT
Status – Unabridged
----------------------------
* Pacific Media Watch Online - check the website for archive and links:
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz
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www.pacificmediacentre.blogspot.com
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FIJI THREATENS TO QUIT THE COMMONWEALTH
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/fiji/7305750/Fiji-threatens-to-quit-the-Commonwealth.html
By Bonnie Malkin
SYDNEY (Daily Telegraph/Pacific Media Watch): Fiji's military government has threatened to pull out of the Commonwealth because of ongoing pressure from the international organisation to hold democratic elections.
Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama lambasted Commonwealth countries for trying to force him to take the country to the polls.
"The Commonwealth has not tried to understand or listen to Fiji's aspirations, but have been posing the same questions over and over again about the return to democracy," he told Fiji's state broadcaster.
"I have clearly stated over and over again, what needs to be done, and when Fiji will return to democracy and this will be done with or without the support of Australia, New Zealand or the Commonwealth."
Fiji would consider withdrawing from the Commonwealth in order to "stop being harassed", the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation report said.
Commodore Bainimarama seized power in a 2006 coup and last year sacked the judiciary and took control of the country's media. He has resisted international calls for a return to democracy but has said he would hold an election in 2014 at the earliest.
In September, Fiji was fully suspended from the Commonwealth after Commodore Bainimarama broke a promise to hold elections by March 2009.
Commodore Bainimarama said re-engagement with the Commonwealth could take place after the 2014 elections, but that would be the decision of the new government.
He said his government planned to complete the electoral reforms that will end the ethnic-based voting system tipped in favour of ethnic Fijians and fulfil their mandate to put in place a new constitution before the elections.
* Comment on this item www.pacific.scoop.co.nz
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PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is a media and educational resource compiled by the AUT Pacific Media Centre for the Pacific region.
(c)1996-2010 Creative Commons
http://creativecommons.org
Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original producers as indicated in the header. Recipients should seek permission
from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views
of PMW or the Pacific Media Centre.
For further information or joining the Pacific Media Watch listserve, visit:
http://lists.apc.org.au/listinfo.cgi/pacific_media_watch?apc.org.au
Email:
pmc@aut.ac.nz
Fax: (+649) 921 9987
SnailMail: Pacific Media Centre, School of Communication Studies, AUT
University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, Aotearoa/New Zealand
Website: www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz
_______________________________________________
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Date – 25 February 2010
Byline – Bonnie Malkin
Origin – Pacific Media Watch
Source – Daily Telegraph (UK), 24/2/10
Copyright – DT
Status – Unabridged
----------------------------
* Pacific Media Watch Online - check the website for archive and links:
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz
* Post a comment on this story at PMW Right of Reply:
www.pacificmediacentre.blogspot.com
pmc@aut.ac.nz
* Pacific Media Centre on Twitter - http://twitter.com/pacmedcentre
FIJI THREATENS TO QUIT THE COMMONWEALTH
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/fiji/7305750/Fiji-threatens-to-quit-the-Commonwealth.html
By Bonnie Malkin
SYDNEY (Daily Telegraph/Pacific Media Watch): Fiji's military government has threatened to pull out of the Commonwealth because of ongoing pressure from the international organisation to hold democratic elections.
Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama lambasted Commonwealth countries for trying to force him to take the country to the polls.
"The Commonwealth has not tried to understand or listen to Fiji's aspirations, but have been posing the same questions over and over again about the return to democracy," he told Fiji's state broadcaster.
"I have clearly stated over and over again, what needs to be done, and when Fiji will return to democracy and this will be done with or without the support of Australia, New Zealand or the Commonwealth."
Fiji would consider withdrawing from the Commonwealth in order to "stop being harassed", the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation report said.
Commodore Bainimarama seized power in a 2006 coup and last year sacked the judiciary and took control of the country's media. He has resisted international calls for a return to democracy but has said he would hold an election in 2014 at the earliest.
In September, Fiji was fully suspended from the Commonwealth after Commodore Bainimarama broke a promise to hold elections by March 2009.
Commodore Bainimarama said re-engagement with the Commonwealth could take place after the 2014 elections, but that would be the decision of the new government.
He said his government planned to complete the electoral reforms that will end the ethnic-based voting system tipped in favour of ethnic Fijians and fulfil their mandate to put in place a new constitution before the elections.
* Comment on this item www.pacific.scoop.co.nz
+++niuswire
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is a media and educational resource compiled by the AUT Pacific Media Centre for the Pacific region.
(c)1996-2010 Creative Commons
http://creativecommons.org
Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original producers as indicated in the header. Recipients should seek permission
from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views
of PMW or the Pacific Media Centre.
For further information or joining the Pacific Media Watch listserve, visit:
http://lists.apc.org.au/listinfo.cgi/pacific_media_watch?apc.org.au
Email:
pmc@aut.ac.nz
Fax: (+649) 921 9987
SnailMail: Pacific Media Centre, School of Communication Studies, AUT
University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, Aotearoa/New Zealand
Website: www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz
_______________________________________________
Pacific_media_watch mailing list
Pacific_media_watch@lists.apc.org.au
_______________________________________________
Pacific_media_watch mailing list
Pacific_media_watch@lists.apc.org.au
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