Call to Shut Down All Forms of Hate Speech

Human rights groups in the Fiji Islands have urged community leaders to shut down all forms of hate speech following the terror attacks on the mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Nalini Singh, the chair of the NGO Coalition for Human Rights, said the people of Fiji have expressed sympathy and solidarity for the people of New Zealand and the Muslim community. Singh said racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia are rearing their ugly head on some of Fiji's social media platforms and its communities as well. "The comments are worrying and the onus is on the leaders to ensure their statements of solidarity turn into action."

Singh urged everyone to behave responsibly. "There's a responsibility on all of us to call out and shut down any forms of racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia that we see and witness."