The UK’s Daily Mail blared the headline: “Attacked with truncheons and chewed by dogs: Harrowing torture video that shows Fijian soldiers beating prisoners triggers global backlash”. Hundreds of thousands of Qorvis PR dollars vanish in a flash of publicity. After a succession of pictures of Inoke Kubuabola being greeted by forgettable diplomats from even more forgettable countries, which have been reported nowhere but in our captive media and the media of the forgettable states, the name of Fiji has at last got some big publicity all around the world. And all of it is bad.
Daily Mail Friday, Mar 08 2013 Attacked with truncheons and chewed by dogs: Harrowing torture video that shows Fijian soldiers beating prisoners triggers global backlash
Fiji Democracy Now Blog 
March 9, 2013 at 2:00 am |
The Government would like to clarify the issues as published in the UK Daily Mail.
Firstly, the Government security officers were using batons not truncheons. Secondly, the dogs were biting not chewing.
Any publicity is good publicity. This event has put Fiji in the spotlight of the world’s media.
Fiji is now ready for the Government’s announcement that Sharia law is the way of the future for Fiji. This coincides with a young Muslim boy being made acting Permanent Secretary for Justice.
March 9, 2013 at 9:33 am |
So it goes global, and so what ?
Life goes on here in Fiji
March 9, 2013 at 11:42 am |
Life is normal in Fiji? Nothing could be further from the truth. Virtually every person in the country has seen the torture video. It is said that weeks prior to it hitting the internet, it was being bluetoothed from phone to phone, spreading like wildfire.
Even Qorvis’ Grubby & the regime mouthpiece during the press conference could not deny the horror of the audiovisual nightmare — it was a classic textbook error in how NOT to close down the ranks & instigate a cover up.
So no, life does not go on. Everybody (including the families of those in the security forces normally sheltered from business as usual realities of their relatives in this business), feels grossly violated to have been confronted by such terror and inhumanity. Serious questions and reflections are ticking away in peoples minds.
This is the illegal and treasonous regimes worst nightmare and they did not expect it as we all did not. All that is needed now is for the video to be re-created breaking down the torture techniques and what those thugs were trying to achieve with every barbaric thud & prod to those poor bodies.
March 9, 2013 at 11:54 am |
UK SHOULD BOOT INOKE OUT JUST LIKE WHAT HIS PUPPET BOSS USE TO DO TO FOREIGN DIPLOMATS. THEN WHEN KUBUABOLA COME BACK TO FIJI,HE CAN GO TO BED WITH BAINIMARAMA AND ALSO LET KAIUM TO ROOT HIS FAT ASS…PERIOD!!!!
March 9, 2013 at 1:11 pm |
bainimarama and all the other top brass have gone into hiding. not uttering a word against these brutalities. a real leader would go on tv and apologise and promise that these type of atrocities will never happen again. but no, he and his lamusona men are hiding behind their gated compounds and doing nothing. what a shame!t
March 9, 2013 at 9:26 pm |
@ Annon 9/3 9;33
Life goes on? Your complacency is limitless. You will be the first to complain when the future comes crashing in. You ain’t seen nothing yet.
The Spin Doctors of Fiji have attempted to compare the video with incidents that have occurred in other nations. In South Africa, the police involved in the killing of the taxi driver, have been arrested for murder and the investigation was commenced almost immediately.
In Australia, the Mardi Gras incident is under investigation with the NSW Ombudsman oversighting.
In Fiji, the PM says he is sticking to his officers. Can you spot the difference?
Once again the PM has been poorly advised (or ignored his advisors). The hole he is digging gets deeper and deeper. Ms Smith-J, Mr Davis and Mr Crosbie Wlash are wilfully blind to the ramifications of the PM’s position, which they appear to whole heartedly support. Their governments should warn them that if they are found guilty of breaking the laws of another nation then they will be subject to the penalties as prescribed by that nation. In the future, If the new constitution is repealed and the courts uphold the Appeals decision of 2009, then they will not be leaving Fiji in a hurry. Nor would they return in a hurry. This is inevitable. It is simply a matter of time.
They have supported this regime unreservedly. If they continue to do so after each massive leap backwards, after each violation of international convention, then they can accept the consequences. They will have no defence. No excuse.
The Prime Minister has laughed at the innocuous sanctions as imposed by Australia and New Zealand. They have had no effect whilst these nations continue to provide Fiji with funding for constitutional/ electoral purposes. China want the quid pro quo.
The new Casino will have the same effect as other places that have used this industry as a means of generating revenue. High rollers from China demand prostitutes and in some cases drugs. The beautiful city of Suva will become a cesspit. With the high rollers, comes the parasitic illegals who will fuel these markets. A few locals will prosper. The rest will see their way of life destroyed.
Is this what the people of Suva want for their families and their children?
If you think things are bad now then brace yourself. Things are going to get a lot worse as Fiji’s identity and reputation are destroyed by the hand of greedy and desperate men.
Voreqe Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum will be remembered in history as the assassins of Suva and Fiji. Malice is their friend whom they harbour with great delight.
The youth of Fiji obviously feel the burden on change on their shoulders. May God bless them, guide them and strengthen them in the carrying of this burden. As gutless fools like Annon, shrug their shoulders, drink their grog and say “life goes on”. You are a disgrace to your family and the next generation.
March 9, 2013 at 9:37 pm |
Suva is peaceful. Life carries on. Its Sunday today and families are heading to Church. Some ehading for the beaches at Deuba. Some going out for lunch at MHCC or Tappoo’s city one of the restaurants around Suva. Some doing their lovo.
Life in Fiji carries on.
March 9, 2013 at 10:14 pm |
You are a fool Anon. You think life in Suva will stay the same?
Go and sit under your mango tree and drink grog. Enjoy your regime pay packet while it lasts.
When your children’s future is destroyed you can blame no one but yourself. Back to sleep now. You need all your energy for a big afternoon at the Yacht Club.
March 9, 2013 at 10:16 pm |
Keep telling yourself that Anon. It appears that you are repeating the rosy scenario to convince yourself.
March 10, 2013 at 12:16 am |
No difference since 2006 despite all the dooms day scenario’s.
Six years now. Life is peaceful. Everything is quiet here.
March 10, 2013 at 12:21 am |
14000 public service jobs axed in Queensland.
Similar layoffs across Australia taking place now
Fiji despite the coup d’etat hasn’t laid off anywhere near this number.
EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: Queensland’s Liberal-National Party government will cut 14,000 public service jobs in a bid to get the state’s debt-ridden economy back on track.
Delivering his first budget, State Treasurer Tim Nicholls said more than 4,000 of the axed positions will come from the health system.
The government is on a collision course with the unions, but also the mining sector, over the decision to increase future coal royalties.
From Brisbane, James Kelly reports.
JAMES KELLY, REPORTER: The first non-Labor budget in 14 years will be remembered for job cuts.
TIM NICHOLLS, QLD TREASURER: We don’t anticipate that we will need to undertake this type of task again. We hope neither this government nor any other government has to do this again.
JAMES KELLY: As expected, 14,000 positions will be axed from the public service, with more than 10,000 workers expected to take redundancies. This man was one of the first to get his marching orders this afternoon.
REDUNDENT PUBLIC SECTOR WORKER: It’s a political decision as far as I’m concerned. But I’m not allowed to comment on it. It’s a shame what’s happened. That’s all I can say.
WAYNE SWAN, TREASURER: What we are seeing here is a clear warning, we’re getting a sneak preview of what an Abbott government would do to health and education nationally.
ALEX SCOTT, TOGETHER UNION: I’ve never seen a change process handled more inappropriately. You can’t have workers sitting at their desk, waiting for an email, to find out whether they’ve been sacked or not.
JAMES KELLY: Health will bear the lion’s share. 4,140 will go.
BETH MOHLE, QLD NURSES UNION: There’s devastation across the state. The uncertainty our members are feeling right now is quite unfathomable.
JAMES KELLY: 1,450 positions are being cut from transports and main roads; a similar number from housing and public works. That will save the government $3.7 billion over the next few years, despite $800 million in redundancy expenses. On top of that, Queensland Rail is cutting 500 jobs.
TIM NICHOLLS: I think the people who should be apologising to the public service are those who put them in the position they’re in today, and who actually deceived them to think it could continue to go on forever.
JAMES KELLY: The Budget predicts a small operating surplus next year and a fiscal surplus in the following year. Revenue will drop by $3.5 billion from last year because of lower than expected mining royalties and transfer duty.
But a confrontation is looming with miners and the Commonwealth over the state’s decision to increase future coal royalties from 10 to 12.5 per cent, and the price is $100 to $150 per tonne. And 15 per cent when the price is more than $150 a tonne.
MICHAEL ROCHE, QLD RESOURCES COUNCIL: Today’s announcement of a coal royalty increase is worse than we ever feared. It will mean job losses. It risks further mine enclosures.
CURTIS PITT, QLD SHADOW TREASURER: This government is using in as a political exercise to start a brawl with the Federal Government.
JAMES KELLY: Spending measures are relatively modest, but include $1.3 billion for hospitals, $465 million for Social Services, and $200 million for school maintenance.
DAVID GOODWIN, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY: This is a budget that’s seen the end of the funny money. We’re back to state growth of expenses at 2.5 per cent, not 8.5 per cent.
JAMES KELLY: The building industry was looking to the budget for relief.
PAUL BIDWELL, MASTER BUILDERS: We’ve got it in the sense: we got the first home-owners grant redirected to new construction only. That’s good. A tremendous outcome.
JAMES KELLY: Tomorrow, unions will stage a day of protest over the job cuts.
Do you have a comment or a story idea? Get in touch with the Lateline team by clicking here.
March 10, 2013 at 12:35 am |
Mounting poverty in Australia as layoffs kick in
March 10, 2013 at 10:14 pm |
Price. Tea. China. Fiji?
Real Jack’s doing his blinkered thang again.
March 11, 2013 at 1:32 am |
From:The Australian
January 17, 201312:00AM
BIG job cut numbers always make for ugly headlines. The 885 job cuts announced at Boral mean one in 10 employees at Australia’s biggest building materials company start the new year with the uncertainty and loss of earnings that comes with being in the job hunt.
They join 170 workers from BlueScope Steel’s Western Port facility who will be looking for work following cuts announced on Monday.
National Australia Bank and Rio Tinto may also swing the axe. The diversified global miner warned this week that it needed to find cost savings at its Australian coal operations, while NAB chief executive Cameron Clyne will next week hear back from a taskforce set up in November to find cost savings.
It’s an inauspicious start to a year that is expected to test the domestic economy’s ability to absorb widespread job cuts, which have touched most sectors of the economy.
Tom Kennedy, a senior economist at JPMorgan, expects the unemployment rate to rise to nearly 6 per cent by the end of the year, as job growth fails to keep pace with population growth.
“The Australian jobs market needs to generate close to 25,000 jobs a month to keep the unemployment rate steady and it hasn’t been doing that recently,” he said.
“And losses in the manufacturing and retail sectors are unlikely to be offset by gains in the more resilient and growing health and education sectors.”
In the past year, some of Australia’s biggest employers have been quietly shedding jobs through redundancy programs and natural attrition.
Last year, the three big phone companies cut about 3000 jobs, with Telstra alone slashing 1000 administrative and call centre jobs.
Privatised resources hauler Aurizon (formerly QR National) cut hundreds of jobs. Its former owner, the Queensland government, announced plans to cut 14,000 public sector jobs.
Macquarie Bank and ANZ Bank cut 1300 and 1000 jobs, respectively, while Fairfax Media has targeted 1900 job cuts through redundancies.
Resource companies such as BHP Billiton and Xstrata, which helped pull Australia through the GFC, instigated a spate of job cuts last year to counter falling commodity prices and prohibitive development costs.
A number of mining services firms also felt the effects of falling commodity prices and project cancellations, with Leighton Holdings’ subsidiary Thiess announcing plans to cut 95 positions at the end of last year.
March 11, 2013 at 11:20 pm |
I don’t know what Real Jack is whining about. His blinkered views are now about censorship among freedom blogs. He has taken it upon himself to test our transparency standards ROFLMAO! Never mind the transparency (or lack thereof) of Fiji’s illegal and treasonous military regime.
Insanity is the order of the day it appears.
http://fijiboardexiles.yuku.com/sreply/36910/by-the-way-gdev#.UT5ljRyLBqU