Young People's Concerned Network FIJI

YPCN Fiji - The Voice of our Future

In Memorium

RABAKA - WE REMEMBER

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YPCN's response to the report 24 Mar, 09- of Fiji's interim Police Commissioner Teleni saying that Youth's should put their lives in order "as they are the cause of disorder and that they should reflect a life like his"

*The problem in Fiji is not youth.

Teleni should look within his own house first . For one ,why did he not allow a treason complaint against him to be investigated? He is a product of militarisation & his recent comments &utterances have been unprofessional. Police Commissioners dont get up on podiums and tells youths they are the cause of Disorder and claim that they should practice his form of Christianity to be in order. That is not the role of a Police Commissioner.

Teleni has gone on record forcing his religious ideology upon other non-Christians in the police force.

He has done nothing about the countless number of Fiji citizens who get arrested & tortured everyday for nothing.

He does nothing about the rising terrorism targeted at pro-democracy activists

Who is Teleni to lecture youth? Perhaps Youth should be asking Teleni who was the cause of Fiji's cause of disorder?

Youths did not make the 4 coups this country has faced.

Youths did not kick out newspaper publishers, journalists and ambassadors out of Fiji.

Youths did not threaten activists through the media.

Youths did not make a mockery of the judiciary.

But Teleni is not capable of getting his facts straight. Current youth leaders would make better leaders in the police force and demonstrate a commitment to human rights and multiculturalism better than he has.

Youths can also better advise each other. Youths of today are not stupid. They know what they need to equip themselves with for a sustainable future and they are leading community initiatives around Fiji.

They dont need to be lectured by a 'product of militarisation'.

Press Release: Youth of Fiji sidelined in Rabaka release

DThe YPCN is disappointed with the release of men who were convicted for the death of Sakuisa Rabaka, a young man from Lautoka. The Release of the nine Soldiers and a police officer found of manslaughter is crime in itself.

The YPCN has since 2007 pushed for better standards for youth and inclusion as well as protection of young people in Fiji. We have used the memory of Rabaka as the corner stone of our work and fuel for our passion.

When Rabaka was admitted at the CWM hospital, Suva, a delegation of YPCN members visited the Rabaka and his family. We also argued that young people should not be detained just for been youth, as was the case at that time. We lobbied with many stakeholders even the than interim government for the immediate halt of youth hate crimes organised by the security forces.

Recently, we have been made aware that the murderers of Sakuisa Rabaka have been released over a Community Services Order and are in society. This is totally unfair, and speaks volumes of the value for youth in Fiji by those in authority.

The coup of 2006 was done in name of corruption and the release of coup sympathizers from prisons in Fiji has part of the coup agenda led by Voreqe Bainimarama. Now the leaders are releasing 9 murderers after 4 weeks in prison. How hypocritical and biased.

Young people who provided testimony in the Rabaka Trail are also directly in harms way, with four weeks been little time for any manslaughter prisoner to come to terms with anger and closure on emotions. The many youths who have been detained by the 9 Youth Killers will also brace themselves for sleepless nights. People convicted of youth hate crimes, must also be seriously dealt with and not allowed to roam our streets four weeks after they were convicted, for the death of a young Fiji Citizen.

Why are they different?

This is a human right violation and a miscarriage of justice. This act has made a mockery of the Justice System and placed even less trust the leadership of this country.

And than we have Pacific Island Prime Ministers of the Solomons and Tuvalu offering support to the Dictatorship we have. Is this the system they support, a system that strikes fear and intimidation into the lives of their own citizens. We call on the Leaders of the Pacific to get real with Fiji, and see the real picture and unite in means to progressively take us back to a Democracy. We owe this to the memory of Sakuisa Rabaka, our hero and the reason youth activism needs to continue under these strange circumstances.

For more information & details, contact YPCN Fiji

Students prone to smoking- Network

FIJI TIMES : Thursday, May 22, 2008

Young people in Fiji are fast developing the habit of smoking and they are forced into it at a very young age, says the Young Peoples Concerned Network.

And students in high schools are fast becoming more prone to picking up the deadly habit of smoking.

Network spokesman Peter Waqavonovono said teenagers start to smoke just because of peer pressure, image projection, being rebellious and because of adult aspirations.

"There is a danger that if Fiji does not start advocating and implementing these laws and measures, we will be raising a generation that will be sickly and prone to tobacco related diseases," he said.

"Smoking in schools and smoking among teenagers is a real problem and a disaster waiting to unfold are the respiratory illness and effects to come in the future.

"The YPCN is working with stakeholders to formulate plans that can benefit the awareness of the negative effects of smoking.

"The State should crack down on students and underage smoking.

"The enforcement of current laws is not effective and needs to be quickly improved."

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