2004 Media Releases

Human Rights, the U.S., and Fiji

Statement by David L. Lyon, U.S. Ambassador to Fiji

Prime Minister Qarase released a statement to the media in Fiji May 27 that criticized my government's report, "Supporting Human Rights and Democracy," which lays out the actions the U.S. Government is taking to support human rights in over 100 countries around the world.

Because Fiji was one of those countries, it is not difficult to see how the report could be interpreted as an attack on Fiji's human rights record. I would like to quote our Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, on what the report is really about:

You will find in these pages some of America's most valued allies, as well as some of our newest and most important partners in the war on terrorism. You will also find countries with which we do not enjoy full diplomatic relations - such as Iran and North Korea. We hold them all, friend and foe alike, to the same high standards to which we hold ourselves.

Given the recent revelations of abuse and mistreatment of prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison by U.S. military personnel, I not only understand the Prime Minister's sentiments, I share many of them myself. But it is precisely because we hold ourselves to the same high standards that underscore the "Supporting Human Rights and Democracy Report" that we can presume to evaluate others.

It is a hallmark of American democracy that when we make a mistake of the dimensions of Abu Ghraib prison, we are tougher on ourselves than we are on other countries. As I write this, the first of the accused soldiers has already been convicted and others are awaiting trial. Investigations are underway into the actions of more senior military and Department of Defense officials. To ensure that these processes work effectively, Congressional committees and the world's freest and most aggressive media are examining every aspect of our policies towards detainees in Iraq, as well as of the course of the war itself. The process won't be pretty, but it will be thorough, and it will have results.

As I said in a speech to the annual convention of the Sangam organization in Ba in April, "People of all races want to succeed, not only for their own sakes but for those of their children. They all want a safe and stable place to call home, again not just for themselves but for their descendents. And everyone wants to know that they are as equal in the eyes of the law as they are in the sight of God." This is what our human rights reporting is all about. We hold up a magnifying glass to human rights practices everywhere, and we also focus on what efforts we are undertaking to better the practice of human rights. If we are judged in turn, that is only right and natural.

I hope our long-standing and productive dialogue with the Government of the Republic of the Fiji Islands will continue on the same excellent basis that it has enjoyed for many years now.