The charter released by the National Council for Building a Better Fiji lists one of its recommendations as “To end the cycle of coups.”
It noted that the courts should be “empowered to penalize including orders of dissolution of political parties that engage in activities that breach important values of the Constitution.”
But the former ruling Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua party leader said, “that strategy is unreasonable.”
“Coups are not caused by political parties but by people with evil intentions to cause treason. They are caused by power-hungry people with no jobs but try to get power through illegal means,” Qarase told Fijilive.
“As long as there are these kind of people around, there will always be a possibility of coups,” he added.
On the proposal that a common name, “Fijian” be adopted for all Fiji citizens, Qarase said the Constitution is very clear that “Fiji Islanders” be the common name for all.
“We already have a common name. It’s just that it has not been promoted and marketed both overseas and locally and that’s what the interim government should do,” he said. “Citizens in the Solomons are known as Solomon Islanders, so are the Cook Islanders and the New Zealanders so why can’t we be recognized as Fiji Islanders?”
He added, “We should stick to that because when the term ‘Fijian’ was first used, it referred to the indigenous population. That term (Fijian) is embedded into the indigenous population. It is a very sensitive issue and it will be opposed very strongly.”
Charter architect John Samy said the support of the people of Fiji to embrace the People’s Charter will be enough to give it legitimacy.
Samy said there are a lot of questions on the legality of the Charter. “Some say it is an illegal document and others say the Charter replaces the Constitution,” he said.
He added that his was a very narrow view.
“It will only become the People’s Charter if a good majority of the people of Fiji embrace it. It’s not about the government, it’s about the people of Fiji making a commitment at family level, community level, village level etc,” Samy said.
He said the Charter will only remain words “unless the people of Fiji breathe into it — I hope they will seize it.”
When asked what will happen if there is a lot of opposition to the Charter after consultations, Samy said it will be “their own free will and God help Fiji.”
