WELLINGTON (AFP) — Fijians are living in fear after the military regime repealed the constitution and cracked down on free speech, Amnesty International said Monday.
"The human rights situation in Fiji is getting worse by the day," Amnesty International researcher Apolosi Bose said after returning from the South Pacific nation."What is developing is a culture of extreme fear and intimidation," he said.
Military ruler Voreqe Bainimarama, who overthrew the elected government in a December 2006 coup, has introduced emergency regulations since the country's constitution was dumped on April 10, a day after a court ruled his interim government was illegal.
The country's judiciary was sacked, censorship was introduced in the South Pacific nation's media and Bainimarama has said dissent will not be tolerated.
London-based Pacific researcher Bose arrived in Fiji before April 10 and left on April 18 after interviewing a wide range of people, Amnesty said in a statement.
"There is a very strong military and police presence on the streets, particularly around strategic locations such as government offices, and in the nation's newsrooms," Bose said.
"That is a constant and intimidating reminder that the new military regime will not tolerate dissent and will follow through on the warnings it has issued to critics."
He added that, following a crackdown on journalists and regime critics, it was believed the military was monitoring email traffic and blogs in an attempt to block criticism.
"With no one to stand up on behalf of the abused and the vulnerable, there is a real risk of further grave human rights abuses occurring against civilians," Bose said.
Amnesty International called for the immediate restoration of the constitution, an independent judiciary and the rule of law.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Derek Sikua urged the foreign ministers of Pacific countries to meet as early as possible to develop a new approach to dealing with Fiji.
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