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Commonwealth urges Fiji to restore democracy

Agence France Presse - November 30, 2009

Commonwealth leaders have urged Fiji's military regime to restore civil democracy without delay and to ensure the protection of human rights.

Commonwealth leaders called on Fiji's interim government to "commit itself to a credible, inclusive and time-bound political dialogue towards the restoration of constitutional civilian democracy without further delay".

In a final statement on Sunday after three days of talks in Trinidad, the 54-nation body also urged the regime led by navy strongman Voreqe Bainimarama who toppled the elected government in a December 2006 coup, to protect rights.

Fiji was suspended from the organization of mostly former British colonies in September after it refused to commit to holding elections by October 2010.

Commonwealth "heads expressed deep concern at the further deterioration of the situation in the Fiji islands with regard to the adherence to the fundamental Commonwealth values."

The leaders also denounced in their final communique "ongoing restrictions on human rights including freedom of speech and assembly".

They also said a decision to suspend Fiji from the 2010 Commonwealth Games was in line with the body's principles under which "sporting ties are inseparable from the values of the association".

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