Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama stresses that racial or religious attacks will never be tolerated in parliament.
While speaking in parliament on the recommendation to suspend SODELPA’s Ratu Isoa Tikoca for the rest of the parliamentary term, Bainimarama said that this is how hatred starts, and hatred can easily lead to violence like what happened in Nazi Germany and the issues of racial inequality and now racial stereotyping seen in the US.
He also says that Fiji has a long history of racial vilification - pointing out the 1987 and 2000 coups when ethnic prejudice was used to justify the overthrow of the government.
Opposition Whip Ratu Isoa Tikoca has been suspended for the rest of the term of parliament until 2018.
Tikoca has to make a public apology and cannot enter the parliamentary precincts during the term of his suspension.
30 parliamentarians voted for the motion to suspend Tikoca, 13 MPs voted against it while 7 MPs did not vote.
Bainimarama had filed the matter of privilege regarding Ratu Isoa Tikoca's comments in parliament during the National Budget Debate.
Tikoca had read out the names of selective people in government positions - all the names were of people who follow the Muslim faith.
Suspended Opposition Whip Ratu Isoa Tikoca who spoke before the vote, said that he was speaking on behalf of his community when he made those comments.
Meanwhile Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa says Ratu Isoa Tikoca was entitled to make personal comments when he said in parliament that Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is leading Fiji with his own kind.
She said Tikoca is responsible for the comments which he makes in parliament.
Kepa says the word “your kind” can be interpreted in many ways and Tikoca himself has explained what he meant.
She says she does not have a problem with Tikoca reading out the names of selective people in government positions because they are of the Muslim faith as it was factual.
Kepa says Tikoca’s suspension is disappointing.
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