5) It would be worth to note that the Complaints Section was able to
activate the relevant agencies in “Right to Housing” complaint in
Vanua Levu whereby by 52 families were being evicted from the land
on which they had built their homes by paying a minimal fee to
Landowners. This complaint was also viewed as Unfair
Discrimination on the basis of Race. The tenants were Fijians of
Indian origin and had moved out from their sugar cane farms after the
expiry of their land leases. By raising the complaint with the State
authorities, Land authority and the Police and conducting site visits
thereafter forwarding the investigations, the eviction was averted. We
have been informed that the Land authority is in the process of
finalising the allocation of the said plots.
6) Inter- Agency Networks: The Commission has been a member of the
Coordinating Committee on Children, has contributed to the Universal
Periodic Review- Fiji Report and is has also contributed to the
CEDAW Consultations organised by the Ministry for Social Welfare
and, Women and Poverty Alleviation meetings on the Concluding
Observations on Fiji.
Summary of Statistics for Complaints /Legal
2010 (January- December)
240
2011 (January –December
250
Legal: 29 matters were taken to Court. These were largely on behalf
of women in relation to Family Court matters.
5.0
Recommendation: 15 (CERD/C/FJI/CO/17
“The Committee recommends that the State party adopt a
comprehensive law on the elimination of racial discrimination,
including regarding acts perpetrated by private persons, taking into
consideration all elements of the Convention. Furthermore, the State
party should expedite the review of its legislation so as to ensure full
compliance with the Convention”.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Phone: (679) 3308577
Victoria Parade
Fax: (679) 3308661
4
SUVA
Email: info@fhrc.org.fj