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Politics of Fiji Main article Constitution of Fiji Main article - Preamble Chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ::9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Executive government President - Vice-President Prime Minister - Cabinet Leader of the Opposition Legislative government Parliament Senate House of Representatives Speaker Judicial government Main article High Court Court of Appeals Supreme Court Chief Justice Other political institutions Great Council of Chiefs Chairman, G.C.C. Local government Political parties Historical institutions Governor Governor-General Chief Minister Legislative Council Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Ongoing events • Abramoff-Reed gambling scandal • Atlantic hurricane season • Avian influenza (H5N1) outbreak in Asia • Bali bombings investigation • California wildfires • UK Conservative Party leadership election • DeLay political financing scandal • Dengue outbreak in Singapore • FIDE World Chess Championship 2005 • Fiji Week, 2005 • Fuel prices • Gomery Comm. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Foreign relations of Fiji Fiji Suva Freedom House Atu Ratu-mai-mbula Samulayo Burotu Degei Murimuria Cibaciba and Drakulu Dakuwanga Lewalevu Lingadua Nabangatai Ndauthina Ndengei Ngendi Ngurai Tui Delai Gau Vitu OFC Nations Cup List of national flags Fijian language 1995... Constitutional Structure See main article: Constitution of Fiji and linked articles. ... Background The Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands dates from 1997. ... This article is a commentary on the Preamble to the Fijian constitution. ... Chapter 1: The State. ... Chapter 2: Compact. ... Chapter 3: Citizenship. ... Chapter 4: Bill of Rights. ... Chapter 5: Social Justice. ... Chapter 6: The Parliament. ... Chapter 7: Executive Government. ... Chapter 8 Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga) Chapter 8: Executive Government. ... Chapter 9 Judiciary Section 117 Judicial power (1) The judicial power of the State vests in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court and in such other courts as are created by law. ... Chapter 10 State Services Section 140 Recruitment and promotion policy The recruitment of persons to a state service, the promotion of persons within a state service and the management of a state service must be based on the following principles: (a) government policies should be carried out effectively and efficiently... Chapter 11 Accountability Part 1 Code of Conduct Section 156 Code of Conduct (1) This section applies to the President, Vice-President, Ministers, members of Parliament, holders of offices established by or continued in existence under this Constitution, members of commissions, Secretaries of departments, the Secretary to the Cabinet and... Chapter 12 Revenue and Expenditure Section 175 Raising of revenue The raising by the Government of revenue or moneys, whether through the imposition of taxation or otherwise, must be authorised by or under an Act. ... Chapter 13 Group Rights Section 185 Alteration of certain Acts (1) A bill alters any of the following Acts, namely: (a) Fijian Affairs Act; (b) Fijian Development Fund Act; (c) Native Lands Act; (d) Native Land Trust Act; (e) Rotuman Act; (f) Rotuman Lands Act; (g) Banaban Lands Act; or... Chapter 14 Emergency Powers Section 187 Emergency powers (1) The Parliament may make a law conferring power on the President, acting an the advice of the Cabinet, to proclaim a state of emergency in Fiji, or in a part of Fiji, in such circumstances as the law prescribes. ... Chapter 15 Amendment of Constitution Section 190 Alteration of Constitution This Constitution maybe altered in the way set out in this Chapter and may not be altered in any other way. ... Chapter 16 Commencement, Interpretation and Repeals Section 193 Short title and commencement (1) This Act maybe cited as the Constitution Amendment Act 1997. ... [Chapter 17] Schedule Oaths and Affirmations [Part 1] A. Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance Oath: I, A.B., do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Republic of the Fiji Islands, according to law. ... Fiji became a republic in 1987, when Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom formally abdicated as Queen of Fiji, following two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka. ... The Fijian vice-presidency is a mostly ceremonial office. ... Fiji received its independence in 1970. ... Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers, presided over by the Prime Minister. ... The post of Leader of the Opposition is a political office common in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. ... Fijis Parliament is bicameral. ... The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. ... Overview The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fijis Parliament. ... The Speaker is the presiding officer of the Fijian House of Representatives. ... The High Court of Fiji is independent of the legislative and executive branches of the acting government. ... The Chief Justice is Fijis highest judicial officer. ... The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. ... The Great Council of Chiefs The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a formal assembly of Fijis senior hereditary chiefs, along with some representatives of the national government and provincial councils, who may or may not be hereditary chiefs themselves. ... Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions, which are further subdivided into fourteen provinces. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ... Fiji was a British Crown Colony from 1874 to 1970, and an independent dominion in the British Commonwealth from 1970 to 1987. ... Fiji became a British Crown Colony in 1874, and an independent dominion in the British Commonwealth in 1970; the British Monarch (Queen Elizabeth II remained the Head of State until 1987, when she formally abdicated following two military coups). ... Fijis British colonial rulers established the office of Chief Minister in October 1967, along with the Cabinet system of government. ... The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970. ... Electoral system Main article Open constituencies Communal constituencies National constituencies // Historical overview Fijis electoral system is the result of complex negotiations, compromises, and experiments conducted over the years leading up to and following independence from British colonial rule in 1970. ... Open constituencies represent one of several electoral models employed in the past and present in the Fijian electoral system. ... Communal constituencies have been the most durable feature of the Fijian electoral system. ... National constituencies are a former feature of the Fijian electoral system. ... Elections in Fiji Main article 1966 - 1972 March 1977 - September 1977 1982 - 1987 - 1992 1994 - 1999 - 2001 2006 Foreign affairs Foreign relations of Fiji Elections in Fiji gives information on election and election results in Fiji. ... The general election to the Fijian Legislative Council in 1966 was the last to be held before independence from the United Kingdom was granted in 1970. ... Politics of Fiji Categories: Stub | Elections in Fiji | Fiji-related stubs ... Fijis election for the House of Representatives held in March 1977 was the second since independence from the United Kingdom in 1970. ... A general election to Fijis House of Representatives was held in September 1977, to resolve the impasse of an earlier election that had been held in March. ... Politics of Fiji Categories: Stub | Elections in Fiji | Fiji-related stubs ... The general election of April 1987 was Fijis fifth since the country had gained its independence from the United Kingdom seventeen years earlier. ... A general election was held to restore Fiji to democracy in 1992. ... Fiji held a general election in 1994, three years earlier than scheduled. ... The general election to the Fijian House of Representatives, held in May 1999, was historic. ... The Constitution of Fiji was restored by a Supreme Court decision, following the failure of the Fiji coup of 2000. ... Fiji maintains an independent, but generally pro-Western, foreign policy. ...

History of Fiji Timeline Discovery The rise and fall of Cakobau Colonial Fiji Fiji since 1970 Main article Constitutional crisis of 1977 Coups of 1987 Coup of 2000 Main article Timeline - Mutinies Aftermath - Investigations Trials - Military unrest Reconciliation Commission Main article Supporters - Opponents Qualified positions Military opposition Military-church relations Foreign reaction The timeline below shows a thumbnail sketch of Fijian history, from ancient times to the present day. ... Located in the central Pacific Ocean, Fijis geography has made it both a destination and a crossroads for migrations for many centuries. ... The first three quarters of the Nineteenth Century were marked by tribal warfare, incursions from neighbouring Tonga, and the increasing encroachment of foreign powers. ... The United Kingdom turned down its first opportunity to annex Fiji in 1852. ... Categories: Pages needing attention | Stub | Fiji-related stubs | History of Fiji | Politics of Fiji ... Fiji Coups of 1987 refers to the 1987 overthrow of the government of Fiji by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, then third in command of the Royal Fiji Military Forces. ... Timeline (2000) May: 19, 20, 26, 27, 29, 30. ... The Constitution of Fiji, which had been abrogated by the Interim Military Government of Commodore Frank Bainimarama (who organized a counter-coup to neutralize the civilian coup détat instigated by George Speight in May 2000), was reinstated by the High Court on 15 November that year. ... Following the quashing of George Speights civilian coup détat in 2000, the Military handed power over to a civilian administration led by the banker, Laisenia Qarase, who won the parliamentary election held to restore democracy in September 2001. ... The controversial legislation proposed by the Fijian government to establish a Reconciliation and Unity Commission has the strong support of Prime Minister Qarase, Attorney General Qoriniasi Bale, and other members of the ruling coalition. ... Commodore Frank Bainimarama, Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, has been a vociferous and uncompromising critic of the governments proposal to establish a Reconciliation and Unity Commission, with the power to grant compensation to victims of the 2000 coup, and amnesty to perpetrators of it. ...

The controversial Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill being promoted by the Fijian government throughout 2005 has generated enormous debate, both locally and internationally. The legislation aims to establish a Commission empowered to compensate victims and pardon perpetrators of the coup d'état that deposed the elected government of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry in May 2000. Support for the legislation has come from Japan, while New Zealand has opposed it. Australia, too, has expressed strong reservations about the legislation, but has also called on opponents of it, including the Military of Fiji, to show greater moderation. Non-governmental organizations in a number of countries have taken positions, also. The Reconciliation and Unity Commission is a proposed government body to be set up if the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, which was introduced into the Fijian Parliament on May 4, 2005, is passed. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fiji maintains an independent, but generally pro-Western, foreign policy. ... Timeline (2000) May: 19, 20, 26, 27, 29, 30. ... Fiji received its independence in 1970. ... Mahendra Pal Chaudhry (born 9 February 1942) is the leader of the Fiji Labour Party and currently the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), with a total manpower of only 3500 men, is one of the smallest in the world. ...

Australia

Susan Boyd

On 15 June 2005, Susan Boyd, Australia's former High Commissioner to Fiji, accused the Qarase government of promoting the controversial Reconciliation and Unity Bill for purely political purposes. The bill proposes the establishment of a Commission with the power (subject to presidential approval) to compensate victims and pardon perpetrators of the 2000 coup. Most of those imprisoned for offenses related to the 2000 coup, she told ABC Asia Pacific Focus, were members of the Conservative Alliance, whose six seats in the House of Representatives are crucial to maintaining the government's parliamentary majority. June 15 is the 166th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (167th in leap years), with 199 days remaining. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A High Commissioner is a person serving in a special executive capacity. ... The Reconciliation and Unity Commission is a proposed government body to be set up if the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, which was introduced into the Fijian Parliament on May 4, 2005, is passed. ... Fiji became a republic in 1987, when Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom formally abdicated as Queen of Fiji, following two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka. ... Timeline (2000) May: 19, 20, 26, 27, 29, 30. ... Timeline (2000) May: 19, 20, 26, 27, 29, 30. ... The Conservative Alliance (Matanitu Vanua in Fijian) is a nationalistic political party in Fiji. ... Overview The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fijis Parliament. ...

She said that the attempt to legislate reconciliation was overly simplistic. "People have to make up for their misdeeds, apologies have to be accepted by those who are harmed, and the onus is really on those who have sinned, rather than the onus on those who have been sinned against," Boyd said.

She paid tribute to Commodore Vorege (Frank) Bainimarama, the commander of the Fijian Military. "It was the military that really brought Fiji back onto the right track," she said. She expressed concern, however, that the "tremendously widespread campaign against the bill," which Bainimarama and the military strongly oppose, could lead to another coup, as she saw an ongoing power struggle between the government and the military. "The military commander Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has always expressed himself that if government goes off the rails it is his job to restore the situation," Boyd said. The military rank of Commodore is used in some navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a Captain, but is less than that of a flag officer. ... Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, popularly known as Frank Bainimarama, (born 27 April 1954), is the Commander of the Fijian military, who served as Head of the Interim Military Government from 29 May to 13 July 2000, when he handed power over to the newly-appointed President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. ...

Boyd's remarks provoked an angry reaction from Prime Minister Qarase, as well as from Conservative Alliance Secretary Ropate Sivo. Qarase said on June 20 that the majority of the Fijian population, especially Christians, supported the bill. He said that Boyd's comments as a visitor were untrue and "irresponsible." Sivo, for his part, considered Boyd to be an inappropriate person to be commenting on the situation. He accused her and others in her position of having "abandoned the sinking ship" during the coup crisis. He also disputed her claim that Commodore Bainimarama had ended the crisis, saying that that was achieved through a traditional Fijian ceremony in Parliament. The Conservative Alliance (Matanitu Vanua in Fijian) is a nationalistic political party in Fiji. ... June 20 is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 194 days remaining. ...

Alexander Downer

On a visit to Fiji from 28 to 30 September 2005, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer cautioned both promoters and opponents of the legislation. He said that Australia was concerned about certain aspects of the bill, especially its amnesty provisions. "We feel amnesties that are poorly handled and prematurely handled would be very provocative," Downer said. The Fijian government had assured him, he said, that amendments were in the pipeline, and said he was hopeful that the matter would be removed sensibly. "I'm optimistic now, without being 100 percent certain, that they're going to handle this in a sensible way," Downer told Australia's Radio National. (Redirected from 28 September) September 28 is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years). ... September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... R. G. Casey House, the headquarters of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade This is a list of Australian Foreign Ministers: Note: Prior to 1970, the office was known as the Minister for External Affairs. ... The Hon. ... ABC Radio National is an Australia-wide radio network with many various programs, involving news and current affairs, arts, music, society, science, drama, comedy. ...

At the same time, he called on one of the bill's most unyielding opponents, Military Commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama to back off. "It's not the job of a military commander to play politics, his job is to command his troops," Downer said. He also said that the future of Fiji should be decided by all the people, not just a small number of individuals. Downer said he was "optimistic", though not completely sure, that the Fijian government would handle the matter "sensibly." The military rank of Commodore is used in some navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a Captain, but is less than that of a flag officer. ... Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, popularly known as Frank Bainimarama, (born 27 April 1954), is the Commander of the Fijian military, who served as Head of the Interim Military Government from 29 May to 13 July 2000, when he handed power over to the newly-appointed President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. ...

On 29 September, Bainimarama reacted strongly to Downer's criticism of the Military's involvement in politics. Bainimarama said that the Military was disappointed by Downer's remarks, insisting that his criticism of the bill was security-related. September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years). ...

The Commander reiterated his disappointment with Downer's position on 30 September, saying that Australians have never experienced a coup and do not know what it is like to live through one. "I told him (Downer) his country has not experienced a coup to feel what the military went through here. He can't compare the situation there to this side," Bainimarama said. He insisted that the Military's opposition to the Unity Bill was not political, but security-related, and accused the ruling United Fiji Party of turning it into a political issue. "We were never involved in politics," he said. "It was the political party that pushed their agenda, the Bill, forward and we only reacted to the consequences the Bill would bring." Making these comments at a press conference at Suva's Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Bainimarama ordered the Daily Post newspaper to leave because they supported the bill and were therefore, he said, against the Military. September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... Politics of Fiji Categories: Fiji-related stubs | Fijian political parties ... A joint press conference by U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House. ...

Support for the Commander, meanwhile, came from Senator James Ah Koy, who commended him for opposing the Unity Bill and for standing up to the Australian Foreign Minister. "I really support him for his strong words against Mr Downer," he said on 1 October. "He is a strong man and we are blessed to have him in office. His priority is national security and that is why he is coming out strong on the Bill." The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. ... James Michael Ah Koy (born in Lautoka, 30 November 1936) is a Fijian businessman and politician. ... October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in Leap years). ...

New Zealand

New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Phil Goff, spoke out on 10 June, expressing concern about the legislation. Goff said that it was important not to give the impression that it was legitimate to use unconstitutional means to overthrow an elected government, any time or anywhere. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major portfolio in the Cabinet of New Zealand. ... Philip Bruce Goff (born 22 June 1953), generally known as Phil Goff, is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ...

Japan

Kenro Ino, Japan's outgoing Ambassador to Fiji, applauded the legislation on 25 August. Interviewed by the Fiji Village news service, Ino said that stability in Fiji would result from uniting the races, and spoke positively about the government's efforts to promote reconciliation through the controversial bill. An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ...

Commonwealth of Nations

Don McKinnon, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations (of which Fiji is a member) called on the Fijian government to ensure that the legislation reflected the views of its citizens. He took pains to emphasize, however, that the Commonwealth had no position of its own with respect to the controversial bill. The Right Honourable Donald Charles McKinnon (born February 27, 1939) is a former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand. ... The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as The Commonwealth, is an association of independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ...

International legal bodies

An international law body, the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA) came out against the bill on 19 May, saying that it interfered with the process of law. "It does nothing to indicate to the victims of their actions that the legal system has delivered justice, and is tantamount to interfering with judicial process," considered Girdhari Lal Sanghi, president of LAWASIA. "While efforts to establish unity and reconciliation in Fiji are essential and worthy of support, the process must not be allowed to happen at the expense of the rule of law," Sanghi said. May 19 is the 139th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (140th in leap years). ...

John North of the Australian Law Council predicted on 22 June that Fiji would become a dangerous place for tourists if the legislation were to become law. The council was concerned, he said, that a government-appointed body could overturn judicial decisions. The mixing of the powers of the executive and judicial branches of government was antithetical to democracy, he considered. He expressed hope that the Australian government would take a stand against what he considered to be a threat to democracy. He conceded that there were some good things in the bill, but insisted that "any decision to be able to grant people pardons or to overturn properly constituted sentences should not be left to a government-appointed body." June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ...

Former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer of New Zealand also condemned the bill on 22 June, calling it "unconstitutional and a recipe for division and constitutional disaster." Palmer, now a lawyer with the Chen Palmer and Partners law firm in Wellington, New Zealand, was addressing the Fiji Law Society, which had sought his advice on the bill. He said that this legislation would enable any criminal behaviour to be labelled as "political", and would render the law of treason "inoperative" for the period designated for the Commission to function. The bill, he said, undermined the constitutional status of the Prerogative of Mercy Commission, and was therefore "inconsistent with the constitution." The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealands head of government and is the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand. ... The Right Honourable Sir Geoffrey Winston Russell Palmer, AC, KCMG (born 21 April 1942), served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from August 1989 until September 1990, leading the Labour Party. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... Former parliament buildings on the left and part of the current complex, The Beehive, on the right Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara or Poneke) is the capital city of New Zealand and the countrys second-largest urban area. ... In law, treason is the crime of disloyalty to ones nation. ...

On 2 July Palmer again attacked the legislation. "It appears to me to be a recipe for division and constitutional disaster. I can see no way in which this proposed legislation as currently fashioned can advance the interests of Fiji," he said. He reiterated that the bill was unconstitutional, and called it an affront to human rights, the rule of law, and judicial independence. He also expressed concern about the wording of the bill. The power to grant compensation to victims and amnesty to perpetrators of the coup is supposed to be subject to presidential approval, but Palmer considered that to be a legal fiction. The wording of the bill, he said, made it clear that the Commission's recommendations would be binding on the President. The Fiji Times quoted a prominent Suva lawyer, whom they did not name, as supporting Palmer's interpretation. "Legally, the Government can go ahead with the Bill without the President's permission or even informing him. And the Bill, as it is, does not give any authority to the President to have a say," the lawyer was quoted as saying. July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... Fiji Times Online The Fiji Times is a daily newspaper published in Fiji. ... Suva (population 141,000) is the capital of Fiji. ...

Glenn Martin of the Bar Association of Queensland said on 27 June that if the legislation became law, local and international confidence in Fiji would be eroded. He also expressed concern at what he saw as an undermining of the independence of the Fijian judiciary. "Unfortunately, there is a real risk that a Bill in this form, which appears designed to interfere with proper judicial processes and outcomes, will erode local and international confidence in Fiji's institutions of State," he said. Another cause for concern, he said, was the expulsion of Peter Ridgeway, an Australian citizen, who as Fiji's Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions had spearheaded the prosecution of persons implicated into the coup. June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 187 days remaining. ...

Trade Unions

The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions called for the bill to be withdrawn on 26 June. In a letter to Prime Minister Qarase, union secretary Guy Ryde questioned the government's motives bringing the legislation. "The Bill does not promote reconciliation but rather promotes the illegal overthrow of elected governments for political expediency," the letter said. "It is obvious that Fiji is trying to legalise acts of treason and terrorism while the whole world is attempting to eradicate it." Claiming 157 million members in 225 affiliated organisations in 148 countries and territories, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) came into being on December 7, 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). ... June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. ...

The International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers Union (ICEM), which represents more than 20 million workers worldwide, announced on 21 July that it had written to Prime Minister Qarase on 4 July to express its concerns at the bill. General Secretary Fred Higgs said that the bill would set a dangerous precedent and threaten the rule of law, human rights, and democracy. "The international trade union movement has taken a keen interest in human and trade union rights matters in Fiji for many decades now. These are the core values the international trade union movement and the international community is upholding while your Government undermines it," he wrote. July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ...

Meeting in Papua New Guinea under the chairmanship of Fiji Labour Party Senator Felix Anthony on 26 July, the executive of South Pacific Oceania Council of Trade Unions called on the government to withdraw the bill, which, it said, was against the Constitution and the 1999 Human Rights Act, usurped the role and power of the judiciary and of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and discriminated against the victims of the coup in favour of its perpetrators. The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji. ... The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. ... July 26 is the 207th day (208th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 158 days remaining. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

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Fiji's War of the Ribbons

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See also:

• Main article
• Blue Ribbon Campaign (supporters of the bill)
• Yellow Ribbon Campaign (opponents of the bill)
• Qualified positions on the bill
• Military opposition to the bill
• Military-church relations in Fiji
• Foreign reaction to the bill