8 February 2001

UNITED FUTURE TO BE REPRESENTED AT SEVENS PROTEST

United Future members and supporters including party leader Hon Peter Dunne will be attending the protest organised by the Coalition for Democracy in Fiji against Fiji's participation in the rugby sevens at the Westpac Trust Stadium on Saturday.

Mr Dunne says: "The protest to be held outside the stadium will highlight the need for a full sports boycott against the racist Fiji regime and highlight the hypocrisy of the coalition government granting visas for the Fijian team while strongly criticising the events in Fiji last year.

"Clearly Indo Fijians in New Zealand are extremely concerned at this hypocrisy, and are bringing a bus load of supporters form Auckland to support the protest. It is expected other groups will participate in the protest.

He says it will be very interesting to see if other MPs turn up for the protest. If other political parties are serious about restoring racial equality in Fiji then they should be prepared to front up in person at the protest.

"No doubt the government will be hoping for a low key protest that does not highlight their hypocrisy and tacit support for racism in Fiji. If the determination of the Coalition and others is anything to go by then the protest should be spirited and well attended.

"United Future will be there and we will do everything we can to ensure the Government is left in no doubt about their short-sighted and hypocritical action in granting visas to Fiji sports teams and thereby supporting racism in Fiji," concludes Mr Dunne.

END

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