MEDIA
RELEASE
28 October 2002
“
HRDMT FEELS THREATENED BY DEFINITION OF “TERRORISM” PASSED
BY LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY”
The
Human Rights & Democracy Movement in Tonga
today stated that it feels threatened by part of
the definition of “terrorism” passed
by the Legislative Assembly on 16 October through
an amendment to The Criminal Offences Act (Cap 18).
The amendment makes “terrorism” an indictable
offence and punishable by imprisonment for a period
not exceeding 15 years.
Speaking
on behalf of HRDMT. Lopeti Senituli said, “Although
we welcome the inclusion of “terrorism” as
an indictable offence, we feel threatened by section
78B(b)(iii) of the Amendment Act which defines “terrorism” as
.. “an act which is intended or can reasonably
be regarded as having been intended to seriously
destabilize or destroy the fundamental, political,
constitutional, economic or social structures of
a country….”
He
added, “On 6 September his year we made
public a Proposal which included two alternative
structures of government for Tonga. The intention
of our Proposal was very clear and that was to impress
upon the Government that it is time to change the
fundamental, political, constitutional, economic
and social structures of the country. Through section
78B(b)(iii) the Legislative Assembly has just made
us potential “terrorists” subject to
criminal prosecution.”
Senituli emphasised that the Human Rights and Democracy
Movement in Tonga does not have any objections to
the rest of the amendment and that it plans to submit
a request to the Legislative Assembly to have section
78B(b)(iii) deleted from the Amendment Act.
Senituli
concluded saying, “We believe that
section 78B(b)(iii) of the Amendment Act conflicts
with the freedom of petition granted by clause 8
of the Constitution which states, “All people
shall be free to send letters or petitions to the
King or Legislative Assembly and to meet and consult
concerning matters about which they think it right
to petition the King or Legislative Assembly to pass
or repeal enactments provided that they meet peaceably
without arms or disorder.”
Kataki ‘o fetu’utaki kia Lopeti Senituli ‘ihe
Telefoni 25501 pe Email: demo@kalianet.to ki hono
fakaikiiki pea mo e tatau ‘o e Fokotu’u
(‘ihe Fakatonga mo e Fakapilitania)
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