Wednesday, February 16, 2011



Fiji: Torture

Some disturbing news from Fiji. Over the weekend, Coup 4.5 reported that the regime had detained a number of prominent Fijians for questioning, apparently over a plot to overthrow Bainimarama. But the disturbing bit is this:

All three were released but Padarath is in the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva being treated for burns received during the interrogation.
How did he get those burns? An earlier post has the details:
Ben Padarath was admitted with burns caused by hot water used by military during his interrogation at the Queen Elizabeth barracks earlier this week.
So, they're now pouring boiling water on people in an effort to get them to talk.

This is a new step for Fiji's regime. Previously they're "merely" used beatings and sexual assault to punish critics and extract "confessions". Now they're getting medieval. And now we have torture happening in one of our closest neighbours.