It didn’t take much. First on the hit-list was the police armoury and then all branches of Government were systematically closed down including parliament. Any resistance – and there was some – was shut down. Dissenting voices were dealt to, sometimes using violent means. It was a well organised and methodical coup. Today Fiji has an elected Government – power is hard to give up and so it has proven with coup leader and now legitimate Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama who enjoys wide support here. Particularly from the Indo-Fijian community who faced inequality in many areas at the time. Fiji has come a long way over the last decade, for many life goes on. But for others, not so much. Now it’s the turn of indigenous Fijians - they have watched their identity eroded with laws designed to do exactly that.

If you are in the area of human rights, a lawyer, a journalist, or anyone who wants to speak up against what’s happening there are archaic laws in place to control you.



Fiji Times publisher, New Zealander Hank Arts, faces ten years imprisonment for what was admittedly a highly inflammatory article about Muslims in his paper.



Public meetings are banned unless you get a permit. Even private meetings are a no-no if the people there are talking about matters of national interest.



How national interest is defined is up to the powers that be.



News is emerging of a Canadian woman who came to voice her dissent at the Justice, Law and Order and Human Rights Committee on Friday.



She was protesting the Land Sales Act which gives foreign buyers who have freehold land two years to build a $250,000 home or face a penalty of $100,000 and a fine of 10% of the value of the land.



There are allegations there were harsh words exchanged with Acting Prime Minister Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum.



Whatever the case, Immigration officials broke into her hotel room, forcefully removed her phone, refused her embassy contact and deported her.



Well, this is Fiji and this is what happens if you are a dissenting voice.



Having said that a human rights protest march has been given the go-ahead in a few days time. That wouldn’t have happened a year ago, and Fiji has ratified the Convention against Torture and is making the strongest statements yet on torture and abuse by its own security forces.



Such is the contrast of Fiji - a beautiful country grappling with some serious problems.

