Fiji Rugby Campaign » Actions » Global Solidarity

Fair Play for Fiji!

Eugene and Felix Anthony, General Secretary of the Fiji Trades Union Congress Congress President Eugene McGlone and Felix Anthony, General Secretary of the Fiji Trade Union Congress at the recent ITUC General Council meeting in Amman.The Fiji international rugby union team is on a short tour of England and Ireland this month. Unlike most rugby-playing nations, Fiji is no democracy, as the country is run by a vicious military dictatorship which overthrew the previous elected government in 2006.

On the occasion of Fiji’s games against England at Twickenham (Saturday 10 November), Gloucester at Kingsholm Stadium (Tuesday 13 November) and Ireland A at Limerick’s Thomond Park (Saturday 17 November), the trade union movements of Britain, Fiji and Ireland are releasing this statement under the umbrella of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) of which we are all proud members.

Full statement here

The TUC raised awareness outside Twickenham last weekend in advance of the England match against Fiji.

Limerick Trades Council and Fiji Members of Limerick Trades Council preparing to leaflet in solidarity with Fiji at Thomond Park

We distributed this leaflet on Saturday 17 November outside Thomond Park

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The Fijian regime doesn’t seem to be bothered by what’s happening to the people of Fiji, and it doesn’t seem to care what our Governments say. But bizarrely, they do seem to worry about their public image, and they definitely care about rugby. So we’re using the Fijian rugby tour of England and Ireland as a focal point for protest: the regime’s attention will be focused on the games and on our two countries, and they will take more notice of public concern in those countries now than at almost any other time. See below to email them.

Follow @FTUC1 and use #fairplayfiji on Twitter

Useful links:

Watch Fekix Anthony from FTUC describing abuses of worker's rights in Fiji here;

Press release for leafletting outside Thomond Park here

Letter to Irish Rugby Union Players Association - no reply received yet..

Owen Tudor blog is now up on Stronger Unions

ILO mission to Fiji aborted - here

ITUC protests at Fiji being made Chair of ACP Ministerial Committee - here

ITUC survey on violation of Trade Union rights - here

Human Rights Watch on Fiji - here

Click here to send an email using your email software.

Alternatively you can cut and paste the email details from the fields below:

The e-mail should be addressed to:

The e-mail subject:
Please remove unfair restrictions on the people of Fiji

The e-mail text:
Dear High Commissioner, I know you and your colleagues in the Government of Fiji will be following the Fijian rugby team as they tour England and Ireland this month, so I wanted to let you know what the people your national team are visiting think about what’s going on in Fiji. I am appalled to learn that the Fijian regime that you head restricts the most basic human rights of the people of Fiji. Freedom of speech and of the press, freedom to meet, the freedom to join a union and bargain with employers – these are all fundamental to free societies. I urge you and your colleagues to remove these restrictions on the people of Fiji, allow the Constitutional Review Commission you have appointed to do its job of mapping the transition to democracy without interference from Government, and start treating your fellow Fijians with respect. Yours Sincerely, [Enter your name here]