- Shamima Ali
Shamima Ali is a
Fiji an political activist of Indian descent. As of January 2007, she is a member of theFiji Human Rights Commission (FHRC) and the Coordinator of theFiji Women's Crisis Centre (FWCC).Ali condemned the miliary coup of
5 December 2006 [http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=54310] and has taken a strong stand against human rights abuses alleged to have been committed by the Military-backed interim government. She has also criticizedShaista Shameem , the Director of the FHRC and a coup-sympathizer, for allegedly ignoring such violations. [http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?go=tv.resources&cmd=forumview&cbegin=0&uid=fijionenews&cid=11142] When six pro-democracy activists were arrested and allegedly assaulted by the Military in the early hours of25 December 2006, Shameem told her there was nothing the FHRC could do, according to Ali. [http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/12/27/Fijilive04.html] Ali's position in the FHRC had already been further isolated by the resignation ofSevuloni Valenitabua the previous week. [http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?go=tv.resources&cmd=forumview&cbegin=0&uid=fijionenews&cid=11174]On
28 December , Ali vowed to continue speaking up, though she admitted that she was somewhat fearful [http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=54261] [http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=54274]On
31 December , theFiji Sun quoted her as cautioning against believing the claims ofAustralia n fraudsterPeter Foster , which was being cited by the Military administration as implicating the deposed government of Prime Minister of involvement in electoral fraud.Ali spoke out on
4 January 2007 against a report written by Shaista Shameem, condoning and excusing the coup d'état as the removal of an "illegally constituted government". The report was based on Shameem's personal opinions and was neither commissioned nor sanctioned by the FHRC, Ali claimed. "The report by Dr Shameem is not in accordance with Commission procedures and policy and I presume it to be her personal opinion," she said. "The report carries numerous errors and fabrications," she added. [http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=54616] Ali called on Shameem to resign [http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?go=tv.resources&cmd=forumview&cbegin=0&uid=fijionenews&cid=11340] and declared her intention to consult with her colleagues to explore the possibility of having Shameem dismissed. [http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=54616]Ali claimed that her own intervention had secured the release from military custody of
Richard Naidu , a prominent lawyer who was detained on23 January 2007 for making what the Military called "inciteful" comments onRadio New Zealand . [http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_35345.shtml] The Military, however, denied that Ali had played a role in the release. [http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_35359.shtml]
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