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Thread: Govt bans Fiji rugby squad members from entering country

  1. #1
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    Govt bans Fiji rugby squad members from entering country

    The Federal Government has banned two members of the Fijian rugby squad from entering Australia to play a test match on Saturday night.

    Australia imposed sanctions on Fiji after the military coup last year.

    Travel bans prevent members of the Fijian military from visiting Australia - a ban that will be felt at Perth's Subiaco Oval this weekend.

    The Western Australian newspaper has revealed a player and a coaching assistant from the Fijian team have been denied visas because of their military connections.

    Fiji plays the Wallabies on Saturday night.

    The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, used his discretion to impose the ban.

    Australia also recently stopped some fijian cricketers playing in a tournament in Darwin and an Australian team recently pulled out of a Fijian seven a side rugby tournament.

    Govt bans Fiji rugby squad members from entering country

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    Legend Contributor fulvio sammut's Avatar
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    Dolly Downer sticking his fishnet stockinged foot in someone else's business again.

    Why can't these halfwitted, pompous, overblown, self important, cretinous Liberal Party twats stick to what they do best, stuffing up the country, and leave sport alone?

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    (formerly known as Coach) Your Humble Servant Darren's Avatar
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    because they are halfwitted, pompous, overblown, self important, cretinous Liberal Party twats...

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    Good on the Govt for doing it - don't tell me because Rubgy is coming to Perth you're against it but banning Aust sport in Zimbabwe is ok ???

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    Veteran Contributor LarryNJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Happy
    Good on the Govt for doing it
    Does that mean you are a halfwitted, pompous, overblown, self important, cretinous Liberal Party twat? I know that TEF is!

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    Senior Player Contributor hopep's Avatar
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    actually Happy it very different to Zim.
    the Zim cricket tour is a govt to govt protest about regime and human rights.
    The Fijians have been excluded on a visa clause for 'undesirable persons'.

    So, it OK for drunken, drug carrying 'celebrities' fro hollywood to come here. But Downer says its wrong for a sportsman, to come if he also serves in the military of a country that had an internal political row. Thats a bit rich when you consider that Fiji has compulsory national service, and at one time most of the team would have served - just not when Aust Gov. had it nose out of joint with Fiji Govt.

    It is not a sign of consistency in policy towards international sport. Note that the minister made a decision, not 'the department made a reccomendation'. This is typical dry liberals inteference politics, aimed at Fiji and not the players.

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  7. #7
    Apprentice
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    It's a bit of a token match anyway isn't it? How are ticket sales going?

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    it may be different circumstances hopep but the point made that goverments should keep out of sport is narrow minded and opportunistic!

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    Senior Player Contributor hopep's Avatar
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    Yes your quite right there, the whole international sport (especially olympic) is actually and extension of builiding links between nations. You can't use it to develop relations and that not expect sport to be used for political reasons when relations breakdown.

    People also need to remember that in Aust, as in most countries, the vast majority of sport is paid for in some way out of public funds. He who pays the piper etc.

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    Legend Contributor fulvio sammut's Avatar
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    As opportunistic and narrow minded as I may be, it pales into insignificance in the face of the Government's high handed action in this matter.

    Where are the human rights abuses in Fiji?

    What public discussion has there been on this issue? At least in the case of Zimbabwe the whole issue was publicly aired well before a decision was made (a decision which, incidently, I wholeheartedly agree with in the circumstances surrounding that unfortunate country).

    What private discussion has there been with the ARU? If there was any we would have heard about it before the decision was made.

    Why has the Government vilified otherwise decent Fijian citizens and worthy human beings as undesirable for the ulterior motive of making a political point?
    Why doesn't this miserable excuse of a government and its risible foreign minister have the courage of its so called convictions and cut diplomatic ties with Fiji and impose economic sanctions or exercise its military muscle if it is so offended by what occured there?

    Because its playing silly petty political games with an election in the wings, that's why. look how tough we are when we step on the rights of poor people from poor countries, but we wont say boo to Indonesia, indeed we abjectly apologise to it for the temerity of our legal system in wanting evidence from someone who may have had knowledge surrounding the circumstances of the murder of five of our citizens.

    That, the end of my rant on this subject. Don't get me started again.

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  11. #11
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    "cases of human rights abuses in Fiji are being highlighted in a United States Human Rights report as having ''increased after the military takeover of the Laisenia Qarase government on 5 December last year''.
    "It referred to claims of torture and other cruel and inhumane violations against six pro-democracy activists who were taken to the Fiji Military Forces barracks in Suva on 24 December.

    ''Soldiers took the six pro-democracy supporters from their homes, including young persons who had erected a pro-democracy shrine outside a house in Lami, just near the capital, Suva, and brought them to the RFMF's Queen Elizabeth barracks, where they were reportedly beaten, stepped on, and threatened with weapons.

    ''They were then forced to run several miles through Suva followed by soldiers in vehicles.

    ''Some women detained for speaking out against the coup were sexually molested.''
    All I'm saying is that if people are involved in the military of a country then you have to expect you are going to be checked prior to being allocated an overseas visa a little closer than someone who isn't.

    And I don't see anything written that before the government makes such a decision that they need to go to public consultation before hand.

    Sure they might be seen as being tough during an election year, but your an educated Labor supporter FS, do you think Kevin Rudd will have any more of a spine towards Indonesia than Howard??

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