A war of words has broken out between Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry and Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission director Ashwin Raj.
This came in the wake of a statement by Mr Chaudhry criticising Mr Raj’s views on the US Human Rights 2020 report.
Mr Chaudhry said the report highlighted a violation of human rights in Fiji. In response, Mr Raj said: “I don’t have time for his antics, sorry we have people to assist.
“This routinely happens when there’s a visit to the country and politicians pop up like frogs on a rainy day, so I am unmoved by his theatrics.”
Mr Chaudhry said Mr Raj had a habit of dodging the issue when cornered and that his criticisms of the report were baseless and unwarranted.
Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination director Ashwin Raj says he will not be moved by Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chauhdry’s “antics”.
In a response to Mr Chaudhry’s criticism of his views on the US Human Rights 2020 report, Mr Raj said: “I suggest Mr Chaudhry read my response to the report closely, which does deal with issues of accuracy.”
Mr Raj said the former prime minister should contact the commission so they could brief him about the nature of complaints received and investigated, and the various interventions made.
“I don’t have time for his antics. Sorry,” he said.
“We have people to assist. “This routinely happens when there’s a visit to the country and politicians pop up like frogs on a rainy day so I am unmoved by his theatrics.”
Mr Chaudhry said Mr Raj had a habit of dodging the issue when cornered and that his criticisms of the report were baseless and unwarranted. He said the report was well-researched, backed up by facts and balanced.
“Indeed, it cites specific instances and mentions names of persons who were abused, even those of the magistrate and the judge whose rulings were later overturned, showing interference,” Mr Chaudhry said.
“It is the director of FHRAD, Ashwin Raj, who is seen as being highly selective in his choice of human rights abuses that he investigates.
“He needs to look critically at his own record.”
In a response last year, Mr Raj said the 2020 report on human rights in Fiji by the US Department of State was “perfunctory, scant in its interpretation and deconstruction of the law, saturated with generalisations and selective in its treatment of facts”.
