Fiji parties, unions welcome EU help with 2014 election Updated 23 October 2013, 18:08 AEST Fijis opposition political parties and trade unions are welcoming the European Unions offer to assist with the countrys elections next year. Dr Gerald Sabathil, Director of the European External Action Service for North-East Asia and the Pacific, has been in Fiji this week to start a political dialogue between Fiji and the EU, and hes offered help with the elections due by September next year. The elections next year are supposed to return Fiji to parliamentary democracy, after the installation of a military government in the 2006 coup. Dr Sabathil says the European Union is keen to do whatever it can to help Fiji with that process. Presenter: Bruce Hill. Speaker: Dr Gerald Sabathil, director of the European External Action Service for North-East Asia and the Pacific; Tupeni Baba, Fijis opposition SODELPA party SABATHIL: We have made available already funds from our democracy program as this allowed experts to arrive in the country, theyre here and we introduce them to the government. This was, of course, in agreement with the government to get involved in the drafting of the electoral decree now rather soon and we offered also the possibility of election of service to come. For this we need a formal invitation of the government to make clear this should happen half a year before the election date, which is not yet fixed. So we stand ready to support Fiji in all respect on these issues. HILL: That potential assistance is being welcomed by trade unions. Daniel Urai, President of the Fiji Trades Union Congress, says if the interim government is serious about holding free and fair elections next year, it ought to take the EU up on the offer. URAI: Well, for a government thats hardly is an expert in terms of elections going into this for the first time, Im sure that would be the only plausible thing they could do will meet with the acceptance of the people of Fiji. HILL: Were you in any way disappointed by the fact that the didnt really talk to much about some of the problems with governance in Fiji, that Opposition parties and trade unions have been complaining about quite loudly in recent months? URAI: Yes, thats the only disappointing bit. The EU officials not officially accepting the rules in reply to the way people have been governed in Fiji for the past eight or so years. They have never raised issues on that. They seem to turn a blind eye on that and are concentrating moving towards an election. HILL: The EU and also other international development partners with Fiji, Australia and New Zealand, are being very positive about these elections and saying that they definitely want to work with the Fiji government towards that. Is that something that the Trade Union Movement in Fiji supports or opposes? URAI: Well, look we have criticised a lot of things in this country, including the Constitution that has been put out. Theres a lot of things in the Constitution that we disagree with. Nevertheless, when this government, the EU, Australia and New Zealand are wanting to work with the regime towards having the election, everybody in this country are fed up with the way weve been ruled for the past eight years. Everybody in this country wants democracy to come back and those are the positive aspects to see New Zealand, Australia and the EU making positive contribution to ensure that Fiji goes for election next year. HILL: On the other hand, couldnt some people in Fiji look at the European Unions offer to help out with the elections and send independent observers as a sort of external interference in Fijis internal affairs? URAI: Oh no, well, that could be a perspective of the current regime, but to have people coming to observe us in the elections is a normal thing in any country that takes an election and they should be seen as a form of assistance and not as a form of something negative towards a country thats holding elections. HILL: Fijis opposition political parties have also welcomed the European offer of help with the 2014 elections. Dr Tupeni Baba, of the SODELPA party, says neutral outside observers are needed if the election is the regarded as free and fair. BABA: I feel that the European Union have got a lot of resources, have got a lot of experience. Theyve been working in Africa, Asia and Carribbean and in the Pacific as well. They have so much to offer Fiji at this time and we feel they have the competence. This is why, when we had a discussion with them, we were very, very happy that theyre being involved. HILL: Do you think that the interim government of Commodore Frank Bainimarama will take them up on that offer though? BABA: I would hope that any good government, any government that is intent on fulfilling hes obligations to the Cotonou Agreement, any or is concerned about bringing about democracy among African-Carribbean-Pacific countries should really consider very seriously the offer by such a body to come and help in Fiji. HILL: There has been talk from the interim government about not allowing international observers, except from the Melanesian Spearhead Group or Papua New Guinea. Do you think that for the elections to be regarded as free and fair, there have to be observers from the European Union and the Commonwealth and other countries. BABA: It has to be, we need something independent in the like of the European Union. Fiji, the internet has been commenting negatively about Australia and New Zealand and there maybe implicated by their offer and so forth in the past. But at the moment, there is the European Union, which is competent, and bring a lot of backing, a lot of resources, and I think it will be really wise for us in the Pacific to engage and to come, and any government that is really concerned with bringing Fiji back to restoring democracy, I should really seriously consider about their offer. radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/pacific-beat/fiji-parties-unions-welcome-eu-help-with-2014-election/1209066
Posted on: Mon, 04 Nov 2013 23:55:53 +0000
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