Fijians Stading Up for GCC Against Illegal Fiji regime

Lawyers file more papers in GCC case
www.fijilive.com - Thursday May 24, 2007

A class action law suit between Fiji’s chiefs and the interim government will be called for hearing on June 29 after more papers were filed in the High Court today.

Lautoka lawyer, Kitione Vuetaki who will represent sacked members of the Great Council of Chiefs says the filling of papers was necessary to allow the chiefs to meet without any interference.

He said that the interim government had no right to terminate the august body because they had no authority.

He also claimed to have obtained a copy of a proposed paper written by Ba lawyer, Doctor Shamshud Dean Sahu Khan, where he has proposed to the Fiji Law Society to appoint a three member committee to recommend to the government to change the land legislation to ensure that anyone can utilise the idle native land.

"We need to get this case off the ground because the indigenous Fijians are loosing out in with the ‘current leadership’.

"More than 200,000 acres of indigenous land will be lost due to the sacking of the GCC and there is no law to stop this because the interim government is having their own way."

He said the GCC will not be there to protect the people’s interest after the august body was suspended two months ago.

"Right now the chiefs cannot stand up to protect the interest and rights of the people after they were humiliated by the interim government."

"The protection of the land is at stake and we must do something to see that this is not lost," Vuetaki said.

He said that the Interim Fijian Affairs Minister, Ratu Epeli Ganilau had no right to terminate the chiefs because they were serving the people.

"It’s a disgrace that this has happened and this is the first time ever that a government has sacked members of the GCC."

Vuetaki will be representing Ratu Apenisa Cakobau, Ratu Ovini Bokini, Ratu Ratavo Lalabalavu and Ratu Sakiusa Makutu.

He also said that more chiefs will be joining soon.