Government is looking at the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), says iTaukei Affairs Minister Ifereimi Vasu.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday he said the FijiFirst government had labeled the International Labour Organization (ILO) 169 Convention and UNDRIP as “irrelevant” to Fiji.
Former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama while speaking during the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva in 2015 said the UNDRIP does not necessarily apply to Fiji as “approximately 91 per cent of all land in Fiji was owned through customary ownership by the indigenous people and cannot be permanently alienated under any circumstances”.
“Based on this, they executed systematic erosions and weakening of the iTaukei institutions and rights,” Mr Vasu said.
“They promulgated 37 legislation which directly marginalised the iTaukei, contrary to the ILO Convention 169 and UNDRIP.
“More importantly, they contradicted the preamble of their own Constitution and directed the assault on the iTaukei people, its institutions and culture.”
He said the journey to fight the wrong had already started since President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere has announced the establishment of the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC).
“The absence of GCC gave the Minister of iTaukei Affairs absolute discretion to make decision and allowed for the introductions of 37 legislations.
“To enable their motive the previous government choose to ignore UNDRIP and the ILO Convention 169 as the principle of free, prior and informed consent is deeply embedded in both conventions. Cabinet has approved the framework to bring it back. Fijians will be consulted on what way they think should be the best option for the GCC.”
Mr Vasu said Cabinet has agreed to review the iTaukei Land Trust Act and to remove the amendments made by the Bill 17 on Act 22 of 2021.
