Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has called all communities in Fiji to do away with racial slurs and comments against any member of the opposite community.
This after he moved a motion in Parliament yesterday to strongly condemn the statements made or published by Mosese Bulitavu in the media, including social media.
This is related to Bulitavu having called the Indo-Fiji community vulagi’s and also that their way of handling the dispute by killing and stabbing has been picked up by the i-Taukei community.
He had also called the certain Indo-Fijian women unfaithful and that i-Taukei, assaults on women were common, given their built.
Sayed-Khaiyum says people need to stop judging each other on ethnicity and race.
“We now have people justifying racial idioms, saying it’s an idiom, it’s an acceptable idiom. Mr Speaker idioms are also prejudiced idioms. It’s not only about the i-taukei people who are prejudice, there are Indo-Fijians who are prejudice too. There is prejudice all around us. We as leaders, however, have to show the way, that’s the point.”
He says the motion was tabled because Government did not want anyone to feel marginalized in the country and question their dignity.
Sayed-Khaiyum further says that as Parliamentarians, all MPs need to be good role models.
“The women, on one hand, are seen guardians of one particular ethnic group, are seen as gatekeepers of one ethnic group. That is why we have words such as mother tongue, motherland because the women are seen as people who actually expand your particular grouping. But they are the ones who are violated the most because we have a perverted nature of patriarchy, misogyny actually.”
He says women who were referred to by Bulitavu are pillars of all communities, who need to be protected at all times.
“The reality is what we have always said led by the honorable Prime Minister, that we need to be aware of how we act in parliament, not only in parliament but also outside parliament. People watch us, see us, listen to us and get influenced by us. So it is highly incumbent on us to do the right thing and highly incumbent on us to embrace every voter in Fiji.”
Parliament continues today.
