Fiji Refuses Entry to Australian and New Zealand Unions

December 15, 2011

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply concerned by the Fiji military regime’s decision to deny entry or consular support to a fact-finding mission of Australian and New Zealand unionists on December 13.

The delegation, led by Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) President Ged Kearney, was denied permission to enter Fiji at Nadi Airport and forced to return to Sydney. Apart from being denied consular access, the delegation also had their telephones confiscated until they were on the plane back to Australia.

The delegation had planned a three-day mission to investigate the worsening human and labour rights record in Fiji. It had planned to meet with local workers and unions, civil society and church organisations, and business executives.

The visit was in response to an open invitation from the Fiji military regime and requests from workers and ordinary citizens of Fiji to investigate serious allegations of repeated breaches of human and labour rights by the administration of Commodore Frank Bainimarama.

A report from the Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) issued on August 26 identified systematic attacks on workers’ rights in Fiji that have occurred since the abrogation of Fiji’s Constitution in April 2009, and the subsequent introduction of a series of decrees which have eroded the conditions of Fiji’s Employment Regulations Promulgation of 2007. These issues were raised by the IFJ in an open letter to Commodore Bainimarama on September 16.

These attacks have since extended to the arbitrary arrest, assault and detention of senior trade unionists in Fiji, including FTUC National Secretary Felix Anthony, and the pressing of criminal charges against FTUC President Daniel Urai and National Union of Hotel and Catering Workers organiser Dinesh Gounder for unlawful assembly under Fiji’s Public Emergency Regulations.

“The right to free association is a fundamental right owed to the workers of all countries,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.

“The Fiji authority’s refusal to engage with unions reflects its disregard for the rights of all workers in Fiji.

“The IFJ calls upon the military regime of Fiji to end its aggressive campaign against unions, and engage with the international community on this issue in a more positive way.”

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries

Find the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific

Find the IFJ on Facebook: www.facebook.com/IFJAsiaPacific

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