Bulitavu says all political parties need to have a levelled playing field during the political party campaign period. [File Photo]

Politicians in Fiji have been misleading voters for long by using issues pertaining to indigenous rights and race to gain votes in the 2014 and 2018 General Election.

This, according to Social Democratic Liberal Party MP Mosese Bulitavu who says it needs to stop.

Bulitavu says Fijians, especially the iTaukei, need to be made aware that the 2013 Fijian Constitution safeguards their land and also ensures equality.

Bulitavu also confirmed that SODELPA had crafted their campaign message around 17 matters to get votes in their favour during the last two elections.

The 17 sensitized issues include the suspension of the GCC Regulation of 2007, Native Land Trust Decree no2 of 2009, Land Use Decree no36 of 2010, and iTaukei Affairs (Amendment) Decree no22 of 2012, amongst a few others.

“And I think for long 2014 and 2018 elections, indigenous issues, or racial issues has been used to gain votes. We try to put emotions into issues, so people to gain people‘s support.”

Bulitavu says all political parties need to have a level playing field during the political party campaign period.

“One of the things that we really need to ensure that, that’s what I’ve been saying- the vote for this year is just to vote for stability. We are on our economic recovery path and we’ve got the new foundations in our 2013 Constitutions and some of the things that have been misunderstood by many for a long time so politicians twisting it needs to come out so people make good decisions on their choice and we should not be misled by things that have already been taken care of by the law.”

The SODELPA MP says iTaukei and other minority ethnic groups in Fiji are not subjected to any form of inequality.

“We have to vote on facts on what is already there. And I think the requirement now if any political party is going to put forward an argument coming into a community during the campaign, they need to prove what they say base it on the law or any other documents to support the argument that they put forward, and we have the right as voters, to ask those candidates. Where are they getting it? What’s the base? And what’s the legal authority behind any document any argument that they put forward.”

Bulitavu says he decided to put his statement on record because as a patriotic Fijian, he believes that unity is required, in order for a nation to survive a crisis and this is not the time to play politics.