The church's general secretary, Reverend Epineri Vakadewavosa, has responded by saying the church leaders would see the Prime Minister and "sort things".

Mr Vakadewavosa said the church was neutral and not a mouthpiece for SODELPA.

"The Methodist Church is a neutral organisation, biggest religious organisation in the country, and we were very sad with what had transpired with the programme (Parliament sitting)," he said.

Bainimarama told Parliament that the Methodist Church was a campaign mouth for SODELPA while responding to a question by SODELPA deputy whip, Mosese Bulitavu about a Parliamentary review the 2013 Constitution.

During a heated debate Bainimarama said that lies are being spread by the opposition and others like the Methodist Church that the iTaukei are being victimised under the constitution.

The Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reported that Bainimarama, who is a member of the Methodist Church, is convinced that 1987 Coup leader and current SODELPA leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, is colluding with and using the church again for political gain.

Last weekend the church released a statement entitled "Submission on Proposed Village Bylaws 2016".

The statement made reference to a number of other concerns.

According to information received by Fijivillage, the Methodist Church has asked the government:

• Extend the timeline to review proposed village by-laws
• Re-instate the Great Council of Chiefs
• Declare Fiji to be made a Christian State
• Open consultation with the Itaukei along with the removal of 17 decrees and policies which the church claims breach ILO Convention 169 and the UN Declaration on the rights of the indigenous people.
• Review the 2013 Constitution.

Source

• fijivillage.com
• fijitimes.com
• fbc.com
• Image: fijisun.com

He made a distinction between the idea of a secular state and the idea that religion is private.
"We do not have a problem with Fiji being called a secular state," he said

"The biggest issue here is we look at it from a theological point of view while others look at it from a legalistic point of view."

Chong said he would encourage his flock to continue discussions on this provision in the Constitution and he hoped the government would hold more dialogue on the issue.

Reverend James Bhagwan, secretary for communication for the Methodist Church, said the issue lay in the definition of a secular state in the Constitution.

He said this meant the church must speak the truth, in love, and responding to the issues of injustice and poverty.

Both men were speaking on religion and secular state at the 15th Attorney-General's Conference in Natadola.

At the opening of the conference Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama repeated his belief that,"nowhere does the Constitution say religion cannot be practiced publicly, as has been suggested in some quarters."

Also speaking at the conference, Professor Vijay Naidu, from the University of the South Pacific explained some of the history behind the present debate.

He said that since Independence, Fiji's constitutions have maintained the separation of religion and the state but there has been a lack of clarity and, "In terms of the country's recent history, there was a strong campaign to make Christianity the state religion."

"This was especially so during the period immediately following the 1987 and 2000 coups," he said. "The Ghai draft constitution made explicit provisions on the separation of religion and the state, and these provisions have been "further clarified and detailed by the 2013 Constitution on the secular State."

Source

• The Fiji Times
• The Fiji Times
  
• The Fiji Time
• Image: Ronald Kumar/FijiSun

The Constitution protects the right of every person either individually or in community with others, in private or in public, to manifest and practise their religion or belief in worship, observance, practise or teaching.( #22)

The Constitution also states that religious belief is personal and that religion and the state are separate. (#4)

However, Chong says Faith is not a private matter. "Faith is for Christians, non-Christians, even atheists — we all experience something," Chong said. "That is why faith is something that is public and that's why we need to challenge our Constitution that says faith is private — which is not true. The need for faith, the need for God is something that belongs to our humanity."

Source

• The Fiji Times
• Fiji Sun

He was reacting to a comment made by the Catholic Archbishop of Suva, Peter Chong, which, he said, "clearly had the potential to inflame public opinion."

Bainimarama said that it was very disappointing that someone of the Archbishop's stature does not appear to have read the provisions of the Constitution in their totality.

"We fear he is relying on the advice of some who may be deliberately misleading him."

Chong is reported to have expressed concern about the provisions of the Fiji Constitution because it says that "religious belief is personal."

The Archbishop said although religious belief or faith was a personal matter, it also had a public nature.

He said the government had somehow silenced the church and deprived the people of the right to pursue religious truth in the public sphere.

Chong said as a church leader the issue was of major concern because it would limit the church on a personal level, thus rendering it voiceless and giving it no opportunity to make contributions to society.

Chapter one of the 2013 Constitution states religious liberty, as recognised in the Bill of Rights, is a founding principle of the state.

It also says that religious belief is personal.

Bainimarama has denied there is any curtailment of freedom saying, "Nowhere in the 2013 Constitution is there any limitation on expressing religious belief publicly, individually or in a group."

He said the Constitution protects the right of all Fijians to freedom of expression in all aspects of community life, including in the practice of religion. This right is only limited to prevent the spread of hate speech or incitement to violence.

"What's more, the fact that the Archbishop is able to freely discuss the role of religion in public life, as he did in the media today, contradicts the very premise of his argument."

Source

• Island Business
• The Fiji Times
• Image: entiregospel.com

Church general secretary Reverend Tevita Nawadra said they were grateful that government kept its promise for a new Constitution before the general elections in September next year.

"Fiji needs a democratic government and we are on the right path to achieve that," Mr Nawadra said.

When asked of his view on the content of the Constitution, Mr Nawadra said he had not read the document.

"But I am glad we have a Constitution that will guide us through democracy."

The New Zealand Government has also recognised that progress is being made towards the restoration of democracy.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully says the New Zealand Government welcomed recent moves toward elections, including the release of the final constitution, and wanted to support the elections process.

"A senior official from the New Zealand Electoral Commission has recently participated in elections planning work in Fiji. New Zealand will now offer to resource the on-going work that is taking place."

"The Cabinet has also agreed some changes which recognise both the progress that has been made in Fiji and the need for support for free and fair elections."

Not everyone is happy however. Last Friday when about 100 people assembled across the road from Fiji's presidential residence in Suva to protest against the promulgation of a new constitution, Police took fourteen of them into custody and then released some hours later without formal charge.

Source

• Fiji Times
• Pacific Scoop
• Lowy Institute
• Image: The State.com

This was confirmed by church general secretary Reverend Tevita Nawadra on Monday.

Nawadra said the special committee was headed by church senior officials.

"We will make sure the submissions are handed in to the government before the deadline," he said.

Last week Nawadra said neither the head office nor any of their branches will have anything to do with politics in 2014.

Nawadra says the church will not affiliate itself with any political party.

He added that political involvement in the past has hurt the church.

"The Church has learnt their lesson from the past and we are coming out of that and we are even discouraging the use of the Methodist Church building or premises for politics because we have suffered from that in the past."

Nawadra says office bearers have also been informed that they must leave office if they are planning to contest the 2014 polls.

"If they are forming a political party, that is good and that is their prerogative but the hope is that the current Government have to resign before hand to enable another form of Government to continue or deal with this election and that will be fairer to other members."

Source

• The Fiji Times
• FBC News
• Image: FBCNews

There are concerns that the document could be used by the current military ruler Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama to maintain his hold on power.

Critics say that what Bainimarama is doing amounts to a "constitutional coup".

In an interview on El Jazeera Bainimarama denies this. He says he is committed to holding free and fair elections late next year.

Earlier he stated that everyone should make their own decisions regarding the draft Constitution and they are free to make any submissions they like.

He also said all submissions will be considered but that only the best one that will help the country move forward will be taken on board.

A civil society group, Citizen's Constitutional Forum, says the draft constitution concentrates power dangerously in the offices of Prime Minister and Attorney General.

The CCF's head, Reverend Akuila Yabaki, says the power that the latest draft vests in the Prime Minister and Attorney-General is unprecedented in most modern democratic constitutions.

"The draft is reflecting what actually is taking place at the moment unfortunately and not what should be taking place in future. They control nearly all appointments to the judiciary and independent commisions."

Source

• Pacific Media Centre
• Island Business
• Radio New Zealand International
• Image: Screenshot ElJazeera

The report has been circulated for a meeting to get feed-back from local experts and public servants.

It says that as a result of this colonial policy Fiji is now "a nation in crisis with its two major ethnic groups in conflict, creating deep uncertainty amid a declining economy".

It says both Fijians and Indians were victims of forces beyond them; deprived of free choice and will; both communities suffered greatly in the colonial system.

Instead of dealing with the forces that subordinated and in many respects exploited them, they regarded the other community as the obstacle to the advancement of its members - and made little effort to understand the suffering of the other.

The Chairman of Fiji's Constitution Commission, Professor Yash Ghai, says people shouldn't regard preliminary proposals for the constitution as final.

He said it is inaccurate to claim that a document with the preliminary proposals is a "leak", as has been reported in Australian and New Zealand media.

Ghai clarified that the document was circulated for a meeting with leading local experts and public servants on some preliminary proposals for the constitution.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• FBC
• FijiLive
• Image: Zeetraveller.blogspot.nz

"This doesn't mean that the State is anti-religion but just a feeling that the function and responsibility of religion of beliefs within societies should be separated from the functions and policies of the institution of the State," he explained.

"We will have to look at the views we have received on this, some have been in support of separation but most have been made by Christians who want a Christian State."

"I didn't get the impression that people who asked for a Christian State fully understood what is generally meant by a secular State or separation of religion and State."

A separation of church and State is one of the guiding principles set by Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.

Source

• The Fiji Times
• Image: Coup four and a Half