Joint Media release - ACTU and NZCTU
07 December 2006

NZ and Australian unions support peaceful people power to restore democracy in Fiji

“Unions in Australia and New Zealand are supporting the call for working people in Fiji to demonstrate peaceful resistance to the failing coup,” the Australian and New Zealand Councils of Trade Unions said today.

ACTU president Sharan Burrow and NZCTU president Ross Wilson jointly said:

“The Fiji coup is clearly failing because it doesn’t have support of Fijian people and their leaders, and the emerging pro-democracy coalition, which includes the Fiji Trade Union Congress, is encouraging Fijian people to show their support for democracy.”

“The union movement internationally is opposed to this coup and will support action by the Fiji union movement and the many other pro-democracy supporters in their opposition to this attempt at illegal military dictatorship.”

“We support peaceful diplomatic solutions, without external military intervention, and the immediate restoration of democracy and democratic rights.”

“It is the ordinary working people of Fiji who suffer when democracy is overthrown by military and other elites.”

“And it is ordinary working people who can peacefully demonstrate their power and support for peace and democracy,” Ms Burrow and Mr Wilson said.

ENDS

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