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Issue No: 695; 24 April 2001
The Citizens Constitutional Forum says that the state had accepted its objectives when it applied for registration as a charitable trust in 1996. These objects are: 1. To raise public awareness of the issues and options in the Constitution Review process and to explore ways of dealing with them both through Constitutional and other Civil Society initiatives; 2. To create an environment where fear and suspicion are lessened and where respect for others is encouraged. As such, the Registrar of Charitable Trusts has no cause to de-register the organization. A press release by the CCF states that the C.C.F . notes the serious implications of the deregistration notice for all non-governmental organisations who are registered under the Charitable Trust Act. The CCF said that the notice "is clearly a threat to victimize, limit and suppress the rights of N.G.O.s and certain citizens of this country to freedom of speech and expression and access to an impartial Court of law that are guaranteed in Articles 29 and 30 of the Bill of Rights under the 1997 Constitution." CCF's Rev. Akuila Yabaki added: "The whole episode
reminds me of the words of the German pastor, Martin Niemoller, during the
period of Nazi rule in Germany in the 1930's who said: `In Germany, the Nazis
came for the Communists and I didn't speak up because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I was not a Jew. Then
they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I was not a
trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I was a Protestant so I
didn't speak up. Then they came for me… By that time there was no one to speak
up for anyone'. |
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People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands |
