1.0 Introduction The Fiji Human Rights Commission makes its submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD Committee) as established under Decree Number 11 of 2009 . This report has been prepared by the Staff of the Commission and is an independent one. The report has addressed certain recommendations of the CERD Committees Concluding Statement only. The information contained below is supplementary. 2.0 Mandate The powers and duties of the Commission are provided by Section 12 (1) (h) and (n) of the Human Rights Commission Decree which includes the duty-; (h) to advise the Government on its reporting obligations under international human rights instruments and, without derogating from the primacy of the Government’s responsibility for preparing those reports, to advise on the contents of the reports; and (n) to take part in international meetings and other activities on human rights; and to co-operate with other national, regional and international human rights bodies. 3.0 Concerns and Recommendations of the CERD Committee on Fiji as reflected in CERD/C/FJI/CO/17 (16 May 2008). Reservations The Commission agrees with the Committee’s recommendation to the State party to consider withdrawing its reservations and declarations in light of the development in international law with regard to indigenous peoples’ rights. We do urge the State Party to consider the withdrawal of the reservations as it has remained in place since 1973. The removal of reservations would be in view of the/Commitments made by the State party to the Durban Declaration and Plan of Action as well as in line with the Policy Direction expressed in the People’s Charter for Change, Peace & Progress. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Level 2, Civic Tower Phone: (679) 3308577 Victoria Parade Fax: (679) 3308661 1 SUVA Email: info@fhrc.org.fj