Commonwealth Welcomes Proposed Lifting Of Emergency Laws

Commonwealth Welcomes Proposed Lifting Of Emergency Laws In Fiji

The Commonwealth has welcomed the announcement by Fiji Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama that the Public Emergency Regulation (PER) will be lifted on 7 January 2012.

“The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, called this a positive step, which was long overdue. He recalled that the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) -- the custodian of Commonwealth values and principles -- has repeatedly urged the authorities in Fiji to lift the PER and respect the human rights of all its people,” said the Spokesperson.

"The Commonwealth also welcomes the announcement of national consultations on a new Constitution commencing in February 2012. The Secretary-General hopes that such consultations will be fully inclusive and time bound and that they will lead to a genuine national consensus on the constitution, clearing the way for credible elections and the return of a democratically elected government without further delay. The Commonwealth remains ready to engage as a partner and to extend assistance as appropriate towards these ends."

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