Unity Fiji lawyer Naomi Raikaci told the Supreme Court today that the past 16 years in Fiji have been marked by silencing of citizens who attempted to challenge the 2013 Constitution.
Speaking during oral submissions in the ongoing constitutional reference, Mrs Raikaci said Unity Fiji had filed affidavits to provide the Court with context on rights violations and political intimidation that have defined life in Fiji since the 2006 coup and the adoption of the 2013 Constitution.
“We filed affidavits to bring to the Court some light on what has been happening in Fiji over the past 16 years, the violation of rights,” she said.
“People who speak out or want to protest the 2013 Constitution are stopped, picked up, taken to the station and tortured.”
Mrs Raikaci described a country where fear has become ingrained and where protest and political criticism were met with swift retaliation.
“This country has developed a system of remaining silent because of fear.”
“We have been silent all this time until this new government came in.”
She highlighted a recent example from Rakiraki, where a group were finally able to march in the streets to publicly express their non-acceptance of the 2013 Constitution.
“When that group managed to march in Rakiraki, they showed the world that there are people in this country who do not accept this Constitution.”
Unity Fiji, according to Mrs Raikaci, had already planned to legally challenge the validity of the 2013 Constitution, a plan reflected in their election manifesto.
However, the party had been seeking financial support from the public to fund a case that was intended to be filed in October.
“Luckily, this reference came up. It gave Unity Fiji the opportunity to raise its voice in this Court,” she said.