Villagers work on new laws

Fiji Times - Thursday, April 08, 2010

LAWS that limit yaqona consumption, ban the use of marijuana and provide ways to protect children can help bring down sexual offences.

This is what Dreketi villagers in Macuata are considering as part of a vow to unite to curb the rise in sexual offence cases within their district.

This commitment was made after the Fiji Police Force pleaded with people in the North to help them fight the growing numbers of sexual offences in the division.

Sexual offences have caused alarmed with 77 cases reported in the first quarter of the year, which is more than half the total of 116 last year.

A special awareness team tasked to deal with the issue is moving from village to village on Vanua Levu pleading that better care be taken of children.

Force chaplain Reverend Mesulame Senimoli who hails from Nadogo district said such offences had painted a terrible picture of the division.

Superintendent Isireli Vaniqi said it was sad that in homes fathers were hurting their daughters, literally ending their lives by having sexual relations with them.

"Unless the people wake up and decide as a community to battle this, cases will continue coming up," he said.

Nabavatu Village headman Esala Tawake said that a special committee would be set up to oversee the issue.

"We have had sexual offence cases from this village and we are committed to seeing that it doesn't happen again," he said. "One way would be for elders to lead discussions within the village and for laws to be set about limiting yaqona consumption, banning of those that use marijuana and ways in which children can be protected."