Virisila Buadromo
Encyclopedia
Virisila Buadromo is a Fiji
an political activist and former journalist, who is currently
the Executive Director of the Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM). Previously, she was the news director for FM96.
to be legalized in Fiji. http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/08/15/08Fijilive1514.html
which deposed the elected government of Prime Minister
Laisenia Qarase
on 5 December 2006. The Fiji Times
quoted her on 12 December as saying that Fiji had a "coup culture" which was perpetuated by the failure of successive governments to prosecute perpetrators of earlier coups, from the 1987 coups
onwards.
The Fiji Village
news service reported on 9 December that she had issued a strong warning to any persons interested in applying for ministerial positions in a Military
-backed government that participation would be illegal, and that the FWRM was documenting events in the wake of the coup. On 20 December, the Fiji Times
and Fiji Sun
quoted her as extending the blacklist to persons taking up positions in the civil service. "These are not private appointments. You are being offered positions on the boards of statutory or corporatised bodies, which are partially public or government-owned. This is the same as accepting a position in the illegal interim government," Buadromo said. She had already condemned lawyer Rodney Acraman
on 15 December for accepting the position of Ombudsman and Chairman of the Fiji Human Rights Commission
. http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/12/15/15Fijilive01.html
Fiji Village
quoted Buadromo on 11 December as saying that on 4 December, she had received a call from an anonymous male who tried to intimidate her into ceasing her campaign against the Military. http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34317.shtml
A number of news agencies reported on 25 December that Buadromo, her partner Arshad Daud, and fellow-pro democracy activists Imraz Iqbal
, Jacqueline Koroi, Laisa Digitaki
, and Peter Waqavonovono had been summoned to Suva's Queen Elizabeth Barracks
around midnight. There were allegations that soldiers had assaulted some of them, and had forced all of them to walk a long distance to the outskirts of the city and told to find their way home. http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34655.shtml http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/12/25/Fijilive02.html
http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34655.shtml On 23 December, Commodore
Frank Bainimarama
, Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces
, had accused Buadromo, along with lawyer Imrana Jalal
, of having published his personal e-mail address and mobile telephone number in newspapers, which was causing him problems, he said. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?ref=archive&id=54036
, and her mother, Liku, are both from the Lau Islands
. She has four sisters. Buadromo is not married, but lives with her partner, Arshad Daud, an Indo-Fijian
http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/12/26/Fijilive06.html.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
an political activist and former journalist, who is currently
December 2006
December 2006 was the twelfth month of that year. It began on a Friday and, 31 days later, ended on a Sunday....
the Executive Director of the Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM). Previously, she was the news director for FM96.
Political positions
On 15 August 2006, Buadromo called for abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
to be legalized in Fiji. http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/08/15/08Fijilive1514.html
2006 coup d'état
Buadromo strongly condemned the military coup2006 Fijian coup d'état
The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 occurred as a continuation of the pressure which had been building since the military unrest of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état and 2005-2006 Fijian political crisis....
which deposed the elected government of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Fiji
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji is the head of government of Fiji. The Prime Minister was appointed by the President under the terms of the now-suspended 1997 constitution....
Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase is a Fijian political figure. He served as the sixth Prime Minister of Fiji from 2000 to 2006. After the military quashed the coup that led to the removal of Mahendra Chaudhry, Qarase joined the Interim Military Government as a financial adviser on 9 June 2000, until his appointment...
on 5 December 2006. The Fiji Times
Fiji Times
The Fiji Times is a daily English-language newspaper published in Suva, Fiji. Established in Levuka on 4 September 1869, it is Fiji's oldest newspaper still operating....
quoted her on 12 December as saying that Fiji had a "coup culture" which was perpetuated by the failure of successive governments to prosecute perpetrators of earlier coups, from the 1987 coups
Fiji coups of 1987
The Fiji coups of 1987 resulted in the overthrow of the elected government of Fijian Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, the deposition of Elizabeth II as Queen of Fiji, and in the declaration of a republic...
onwards.
The Fiji Village
Fiji Village
The Fiji Village is an online news service in Fiji. Published daily, it covers political, business, sporting, cultural, and other news items, and also includes the Yellow Bucket commentary, an editorial which does not necessarily reflect the views of the Fiji Village owners or staff, according to...
news service reported on 9 December that she had issued a strong warning to any persons interested in applying for ministerial positions in a Military
Military of Fiji
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...
-backed government that participation would be illegal, and that the FWRM was documenting events in the wake of the coup. On 20 December, the Fiji Times
Fiji Times
The Fiji Times is a daily English-language newspaper published in Suva, Fiji. Established in Levuka on 4 September 1869, it is Fiji's oldest newspaper still operating....
and Fiji Sun
Fiji Sun
The Fiji Sun is a daily newspaper published in Fiji. Owned by Sun News Limited, it was first published in September 1999. An internet edition is also published....
quoted her as extending the blacklist to persons taking up positions in the civil service. "These are not private appointments. You are being offered positions on the boards of statutory or corporatised bodies, which are partially public or government-owned. This is the same as accepting a position in the illegal interim government," Buadromo said. She had already condemned lawyer Rodney Acraman
Rodney Acraman
Rodney Acraman is Fiji's Acting Ombudsman and thus the ex officio Chairperson of the Fiji Human Rights Commission. The Military administration, which took power in a coup d'état on 5 December 2006, appointed him to the Ombudsman's position on 13 December. The position had been vacant since Walter...
on 15 December for accepting the position of Ombudsman and Chairman of the Fiji Human Rights Commission
Fiji Human Rights Commission
The Fiji Human Rights Commission was created by presidential decree in 2009, succeeding the entity of the same name established as an independent statutory body under the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands.- The 1997 Commission :...
. http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/12/15/15Fijilive01.html
Fiji Village
Fiji Village
The Fiji Village is an online news service in Fiji. Published daily, it covers political, business, sporting, cultural, and other news items, and also includes the Yellow Bucket commentary, an editorial which does not necessarily reflect the views of the Fiji Village owners or staff, according to...
quoted Buadromo on 11 December as saying that on 4 December, she had received a call from an anonymous male who tried to intimidate her into ceasing her campaign against the Military. http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34317.shtml
A number of news agencies reported on 25 December that Buadromo, her partner Arshad Daud, and fellow-pro democracy activists Imraz Iqbal
Imraz Iqbal
Imraz Iqbal Ali is a Fijian businessman, political activist, and former Television journalist, of Indian descent. He does not normally use his last name, except for legal purposes...
, Jacqueline Koroi, Laisa Digitaki
Laisa Digitaki
Laisa Digitaki is a Fijian businesswoman, originally from Moala Island in the Lau Archipelago.-The democracy shrine:Digitaki came into the public eye in December 2006 when she converted her office building into a pro-democracy "shrine" in the wake of the military coup which deposed the elected...
, and Peter Waqavonovono had been summoned to Suva's Queen Elizabeth Barracks
Queen Elizabeth Barracks (Fiji)
Queen Elizabeth Barracks is a Fijian Army base, located in the suburb of Nabua, in Suva. It is the national headquarters of the military.The barracks, commonly known as QEB, was the scene of an unsuccessful army mutiny on 2 November 2000...
around midnight. There were allegations that soldiers had assaulted some of them, and had forced all of them to walk a long distance to the outskirts of the city and told to find their way home. http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34655.shtml http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/12/25/Fijilive02.html
http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34655.shtml On 23 December, Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Frank Bainimarama
Frank Bainimarama
Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of April 2009, Prime Minister...
, Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces
Military of Fiji
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...
, had accused Buadromo, along with lawyer Imrana Jalal
Imrana Jalal
Imrana Jalal, sometimes known as Patricia Jalal , is a Fijian lawyer and activist of Indian descent, who serves as a human rights advisor to the United Nations Development Program and as a member of the International Commission of Jurists, a body of sixty eminent judges and lawyers, to which she...
, of having published his personal e-mail address and mobile telephone number in newspapers, which was causing him problems, he said. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?ref=archive&id=54036
Personal life
Her father, Seni Buadromo, a former Lord Mayor of SuvaSuva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
, and her mother, Liku, are both from the Lau Islands
Lau Islands
The Lau Islands of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about one hundred islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited...
. She has four sisters. Buadromo is not married, but lives with her partner, Arshad Daud, an Indo-Fijian
Indians in Fiji
Indo-Fijians are Fijians whose ancestors came from India and various parts of South Asia, South-East Asia and Asia itself. They number 313,798 out of a total of 827,900 people living in Fiji...
http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/12/26/Fijilive06.html.
Sources
- Wansolwara Print, April edition, 2002 (most information in this article, except where otherwise noted, is gleaned from this source).