Regime behind extortion, evictions

Issue No: 648; 2 April 2001


Recent evidence reveals that the Qarase regime is behind the moves by the NLTB and the ethnic Fijian landlords to extort money from tenants and evict them.

One landowner in Lautoka claimed that the regime's Minister for Lands and ALTA, Apisai Tora visited them and told them to do whatever they like to with land which belonged to them but which were leased to largely the ethnic Indian tenants. The claim was made as ethnic Fijians claiming to be landowners gave an ultimatum to a tenant to move out of the land 3 months before the end of the grace period allowed for under legislation.

The National Farmers Union officials state that some ethnic Fijian villagers went to the tenant and demanded to stay in one of the rooms in his house. When the tenant rejected the demands, the villagers threatened the tenant and demanded that he remove whatever he can from two attachments to his home by 5pm Saturday. They also threatened him and demanded that he not touch the main house which has a concrete portion, as the `landlord' himself would like to stay in the house. The villagers entered the compound and kept a menacing presence as the tenant dismantled whatever he could and carted them away. The villagers claim that Tora had visited them and gave them permission to enter the property and claim it. The grace period under the lease expires at the end of June this year. The villagers also threatened journalists who went to report on the matter.(The full NFU statement is at: http://www.pcgov.org.fj/docs_o/nfu_ltk_stm_2apr.htm )

In another incident, another tenant was whisked away in a vehicle sent by the landlord for `negotiation' with the landlord for `goodwill' payments in return for a lease renewal. This landlord also comes from the same area which was visited by Tora.

The constant threats, criminal trespass, and forceful takeover of property of the tenants by ethnic Fijians claiming to be landlords, is believed to be at the instigation of the regime.

Such practice has acquired a consistent pattern. On Friday the police warned landowners that they can not enter any property without an eviction notice from the court, even if the lease of the property has expired. The warning was given by the Police Force's Romanu Tikotikoca.

But as Tikotikoca was issuing the warning, Apisai Tora, who is Police Commissioner Isikia Savua's brother in law, was instigating villagers to enter and forcefully takeover land and property owned by others. Last Monday villagers from the area where Tora comes from, took over a primary school demanding $70,000 as `goodwill' if the school was to continue to remain open.

It is believed that Savua and Tora are working hand in hand to intimidate the tenants in the Nadi-Lautoka areas into submission before the next general election.

 

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