THE death of Joseua Lalauvaki, allegedly at the hands of police officers, a day before Fiji was elected into the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) tells the story of the grim human rights situation in Fiji, says the Fiji Labour Party.
FLP parliamentary leader and human rights lawyer Aman Ravindra-Singh said Fiji winning a seat on the UNHRC was a travesty of all that the UN stood for in its advocacy for human rights and democratic values.
“It makes a mockery of the UN Human Rights Charter and all other international instruments that protects the rights and freedoms of people,” he claimed.
“I am shocked and disgusted as to how Fiji was elected to the Human Rights Council while having such an appalling human rights record.”
Mr Ravindra-Singh claimed that under the present Government, which had governed for the past 12 years, torture and brutality had been practised by agents of the State.
“What is even more appalling is the introductory remark in the statement issued by the UN Headquarters in New York yesterday which said: ‘Fiji’s leadership in advancing and protecting human rights received a major international recognition today’.”
Mr Ravindra-Singh said Fiji’s election was a direct insult on the people of Fiji and especially for the victims of human rights violations and for those killed because of torture and brutality.
