A number of reports in the Australian & NZ press yesterday about the release from police custody of ….
Dorsami Naidu, The president of the Fiji Law Society who has now been released from detention after spending 24 hours in custody where he told reporters he was threatened with charges of sedition.
ABC Australia writes:
Commodore Frank Bainimarama and his main spokesman have both denied publicly that anyone has been detained, but Mr Naidu says that is simply not the case.
"I was definitely detained … I couldn’t stay at my home, I wasn’t allowed to leave the police station," he said.
"I am also told that the TV reporter was released today but he had been in police custody for the last three days, so you know this question of not being in detention and effects on the ground of giving light to that."
This morning Commodore Bainimarama said that freedom of speech causes trouble and is to blame for the country’s political turmoil.
He has imposed tough restrictions on local and international media in Fiji, including stationing military censors in newsrooms and deporting ABC journalist Sean Dorney back to Australia.
Senior figures across Fiji have told ABC Radio’s The World Today that they are afraid to speak because they do not know what the consequences would be because there is no judiciary.
Mr Naidu says his members are scared.
"I think there is no freedom of speech, there’s total censorship, there’s total blanket cut out of news here that should reach the public at large," he said.
"I can see how people feel because when you’re in there you don’t have any contact with the outside world, nobody can get in contact with you. It’s a tough call."
‘Down from here’
Mr Naidu says he fears the situation in Fiji is set to get worse.
"I think it’s down from here," he said.
"We’ve just heard on the radio that the Fiji dollar has been devalued by the Reserve Bank by 20 per cent against all other currencies in Australia and New Zealand.
"So that’s going to create you know increasing inflation, and the economy … no jobs around, very little jobs around.
"We don’t have a judiciary at the moment and politically I don’t know where we’re going."
He says Commodore Bainimarama has done enough to quell the scent of any opposition, but fears communication links could be cut and Fiji could be faced with a total information black-out.
"At the moment I am told that my law society internet connections aren’t working," he said.
"I am told by my lawyer and friends that they’re not able to access the internet at the moment.
"It appears to be [a total information black-out] but heaven forbid. I don’t think all this will get us anywhere."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/15/2543491.htm?section=world
Here are a selection of other reports on his detention and subsequent release
Here’s how Fiji Radio view it
Police ensures law and order in Fiji
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
As Fiji enters its 6th day – police is assuring the general public they are ensuring that law and order in the country is maintained.
Police director operations Senior Superintendent Waisea Tabakau says they are doing their job and the situation is at the moment – calm.
Back to reality with the NZ Herald
Defiant lawyer speaks out from jail cell
4:00AM Wednesday Apr 15, 2009
Dorsami Naidu was being held in a Lautoka police cell after being interviewed by government representatives.
At the weekend he sent a letter to the country’s judges – who were all sacked on Good Friday – asking them not to swear allegiance to Commodore Frank Bainimarama’s Government.
The Scoop website republishes a NZ Law Society press release
Fiji – legal situation
Wednesday, 15 April 2009, 2:21 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Law Society
Media release – for immediate use
15 April 2009
Fiji – legal situation
The New Zealand Law Society is extremely concerned at the breakdown of the rule of law in Fiji and believes New Zealand lawyers should not accept appointment to any office under the regime.
The breakdown in the rule of law has seen judges sacked because the governing regime disagreed with a Court of Appeal decision that the regime was unlawful and the President of the Fiji Law Society, Dorsami Naidu, detained after urging judges to remain true to the 1997 Constitution.
Raw Fiji News writes this piece which almost acts as a call to arms but also leaves a lot unsaid
There can be no greater purpose
April 14, 2009
Dear independent bloggers,
I wish you all the very best in continuing to spread news to the world of developments in Fiji. I hope that the sentiments below from the former Law Council of Australia President Mr W Ross Ray QC to the Fiji Law Society Annual Convention in July 2008 provide some inspiration and hope for you.
How prophetic those words seem now.
I particularly hope that his words provide inspiration and comfort to Mr Naidu and all members of the Fiji legal profession and judiciary, the international legal profession stands behind them.
I have attached a copy and link to the speech:
http://tinyurl.com/cn4xyt
“Lawyers and Bar Associations cannot protect the Rule of Law through public advocacy alone.
Unless the Rule of Law is clearly enshrined in, and safeguarded by the law, society has no means under the law to seek to enforce the principles of equality and justice protected by the Rule of Law.
The role of lawyers is to promote and defend the law in order that that society is equipped with the laws – the tools – to maintain the Rule of Law as a foundation for a just and equitable society.
More succinctly and in the words of Marcus Tullius Cicero; whose words have been studied by advocates for over 2 000 years:
“We are slaves of the law so that we may be able to be free.”
There can be – no – greater – purpose.”
and finally you’ll also see the story in the New Lawyer
AALE contacted individuals in the Fijian legal community for comments yesterday .. we have been promised some but nothing as yet.
