2014 Absolutely correct: Indigenous rights are paramount: Ro Teimumu Kepa says there can never be equal citizenry between the indigenous people (iTaukei) and other Fijians. Speaking on FBC Television last night the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) leader admitted she endorsed the comments by former Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase against equal citizenry. She said: “They are the indigenous and they have special privileges because they were the first people who arrived here and because they are the owners of the land and the owners of the qoliqoli. So if you are talking about equality you have to see that there are certain things they own before everybody else came to Fiji. So what we are saying equality for all in terms of how we are living now and how we share the resources of the land.” She said the indigenous Fijians had special rights under international conventions like the UN Convention on Indigenous People’s Rights. She added: “Everybody else has their own rights but for the indigenous you have to give special consideration for any indigenous people anywhere in the world. Because there are only 500,000 of us. So if you don’t look after us, then we are lost. So we are asking everybody to help look after us as we are looking after them and we are sharing this country with everyone because this belongs to us. But when it comes to indigenous rights that is different.” (Source: Fiji Sun 13/8/2014)
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 01:35:48 +0000
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