Fiji's military-led government is using systematic human rights violations, including beatings, arbitrary arrests and media censorship, to control the South Pacific island nation, Amnesty International today.
A report titled Fiji: Paradise Lostcites a deterioration in human rights since a military crackdown in April saw the nation's constitution abrogated and coup leader and army chief Frank Bainimarama reappointed prime minister.
"Security forces in Fiji have become increasingly menacing towards people who oppose the regime, including journalists and human rights defenders," said Apolosi Bose, Amnesty International's Pacific researcher. "Fiji is now caught in a downward spiral of human rights violations and repression. Only concerted international pressure can break this cycle.”
Fiji has suffered four coups and a bloody military mutiny since 1987, fuelled by tensions between indigenous Fijians and economically powerful ethnic Indians.
In April, Fiji's president reappointed coup leader Mr Bainimarama as prime minister, less than two days after a court ruled his 2006 coup illegal. Mr Bainimarama, who had promised an election this year, has now ruled it out until 2014.
Following his reappointment Mr Bainimarama cracked down on dissent, censoring the local media and arresting those who criticised his regime.
The military-led government has denied charges of rights abuses and rejected international criticism of its actions, saying Fiji will return to democracy and hold elections when it is in the best interests of the South Pacific country.
Mr Bainimarama has said Fiji's old racially-divided political system must be reformed before fresh elections are held otherwise Fiji will be condemned to more political unrest.
The Amnesty report said that between April and May 2009 the Fiji police, military and other government officials arrested some 40 people, but all have subsequently been released. It said several people arrested had been beaten.
Fiji was fully suspended last week from the Commonwealth after it failed to meet a deadline for talks on a return to democracy.
Major aid donors Australia and New Zealand have imposed sanctions against Fiji, and the 16-country Pacific Islands Forum has suspended Fiji's membership.
Reuters