Speeches 2003

Presentation of Cheque to Citizens Constitutional Forum

We are pleased to provide funding of FJ$100,000 to Citizens Constitutional Forum which will be used to address public knowledge of the constitution; land use issues linked to ethnic group and class, and general knowledge of Fiji's human rights issues. The project will specifically include the following activities:

• Grassroots constitutional and human rights education
• Grassroots land workshops between tenant farmers and Landowners and
• Human Rights Film Festival

The United States government is pleased with the progress the Government and people of Fiji have made so far in resolving the constitutional crisis facing the country. As a result, we have fully restored our relations with Fiji and are providing necessary support for grassroots awareness of individual human rights and group rights as protected under the 1997 constitution and through international human rights conventions. We see the current situation in terms of resolving multi party issues between Prime Minister Qarase and Mahendra Chaudhry as part of democratic process. Land issues are another important factor that needs to be resolved through dialogue, goodwill and understanding from all stakeholders. We are happy to be supporting dialogue between the tenant farmers and the mataqali through various workshops that will be conducted by CCF under this funding. Resolving land issues is critical for the viability of the sugar industry in Fiji.

Fiji has gone through three coups and the country has always bounced back to normalcy and economic growth through the immense resilience and goodwill amongst the people of Fiji. This project intends to educate and further empower average citizen to embrace values of democracy and human rights. It has been widely observed that those countries which value democratic principles and human rights also do well economically. As a friend and partner to the United States we would like to support Fiji as it moves through this period in resolving outstanding issues pertaining to constitution and land issues.

In fact for United States, Human rights and Democracy is the benchmark that determines our relationship with other countries. We are pleased to welcome Fiji to the family of democratic nations and as I always said that Fiji's success is our success. Fiji is a leader in the South Pacific and other island countries depend upon Fiji for guidance and direction.

I am sure that CCF will play a constructive role in promoting human rights and democracy in Fiji.

It's a pleasure to handover the cheque of FJ$100,000 to CCF.