Attar Singh
Encyclopedia
Attar Singh is a Fiji
an trade union
ist of Indian
descent. As of January 2007, he is the General Secretary of the Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions
(FICTU), one of two major umbrella bodies for trade unions in Fiji.
Unlike many unionists in the rival Fiji Trades Union Congress
(FTUC), Singh has been a harsh critic of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces
, which seized power
on 5 December 2006. He has attacked Commodore
Frank Bainimarama
, the coup leader who has since been sworn in as interim Prime Minister of Fiji
. http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34919.shtml On 14 January 2007, Singh was quoted by Fiji Television
as insisting that Military personnel and politicians should not participate in the Interim Government (Mahendra Chaudhry
, whose Fiji Labour Party
has links to the rival union group, was Minister of Finance in the Interim Government during 2007), and that the sole purpose of the interim government should be to prepare for elections, not to legislate new laws. He also condemned as "unconstitutional" the appointment of Bernadette Ganilau
as Minister for Labour, according to a Fiji Television report (9 January 2007).
Singh's criticism of the Military-backed interim government provoked a hostile reaction from Commodore Bainimarama on 14 January 2007. http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2007/01/15/fijilive04.html That night, Singh was taken up to Suva
's Queen Elizabeth Barracks
for interrogation. http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_35125.shtml Fiji Television further claimed that Singh had been taken from his Samabula home, locked in a cell, and assaulted.
(once a major political party, but without parliamentary representation since 1999), Singh has contested several elections on his party's ticket.
In the 1999 election
(in which his party lost all of its seats in the House of Representatives
), Singh was a candidate in the Laucala
Indian Communal Constituency. He polled 2,510 votes, some 22.2 percent of the total.
In the parliamentary election
of 2001, Singh contested the Suva City
Indian Communal Constituency. His 1976 votes amounted to just under 21.8 percent of the total - less than half of what Wadan Lal Narsey had achieved in the previous election.
He contested the 2006 parliamentary election
as his party's candidate for the Suva City
Open Constituency
. He polled 745 votes, or 6.2 percent of the total.
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 trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist of Indian
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...
descent. As of January 2007, he is the General Secretary of the Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions
Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions
The Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions was established in August, 2002 as a breakaway from and rival to the FTUC.Fifteen unions, which were formerly affiliated to the FTUC, initially joined the new umbrella organisation. The move follows the unions’ disatissfaction with the FTUC led by Senator...
(FICTU), one of two major umbrella bodies for trade unions in Fiji.
Unlike many unionists in the rival Fiji Trades Union Congress
Fiji Trades Union Congress
The Fiji Trades Union Congress is a trade union organization in Fiji, originally founded in 1952 under the leadership of Pandit Ami Chandra as the Fiji Industrial Workers Congress . As the FIWC the organisation was the third federation in Oceania, after the ACTU and the NZCTU, to join the ICFTU. ...
(FTUC), Singh has been a harsh critic 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...
, which seized power
2006 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....
on 5 December 2006. He has attacked 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...
, the coup leader who has since been sworn in as interim Prime Minister of Fiji
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....
. http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34919.shtml On 14 January 2007, Singh was quoted by Fiji Television
Fiji Television
Fiji Television Limited is Fiji's television network. It was founded on 15 June 1994 as the first permanent television broadcasting network in the country, although television had previously been introduced temporarily in October 1991 to broadcast the Rugby World Cup as well as Cricket World Cup....
as insisting that Military personnel and politicians should not participate in the Interim Government (Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
, whose Fiji Labour Party
Fiji Labour Party
The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. Most of its support at present comes from the Indo-Fijian community, although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian, Dr. Timoci Bavadra. It is...
has links to the rival union group, was Minister of Finance in the Interim Government during 2007), and that the sole purpose of the interim government should be to prepare for elections, not to legislate new laws. He also condemned as "unconstitutional" the appointment of Bernadette Ganilau
Bernadette Ganilau
Bernadette Lavenia Rounds Ganilau, born July 5, 1951 as Bernadette Lavenia Rounds, is a Fijian writer, broadcaster, and politician, who recently served as Minister for Labour, Minister for Tourism, Industrial Relations, Productivity and Environment in the interim Cabinet of Commodore Frank...
as Minister for Labour, according to a Fiji Television report (9 January 2007).
Singh's criticism of the Military-backed interim government provoked a hostile reaction from Commodore Bainimarama on 14 January 2007. http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2007/01/15/fijilive04.html That night, Singh was taken up to Suva
Suva
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,...
'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...
for interrogation. http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_35125.shtml Fiji Television further claimed that Singh had been taken from his Samabula home, locked in a cell, and assaulted.
Politics
A member of the executive of the National Federation PartyNational Federation Party (Fiji)
The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...
(once a major political party, but without parliamentary representation since 1999), Singh has contested several elections on his party's ticket.
In the 1999 election
Fiji election of 1999
General elections were held in Fiji between 8 and 15 May 1999. They were the first election held under the revised Constitution of 1997, which instituted a new electoral system and resulted in Mahendra Chaudhry taking office as Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister.-Electoral system:Previously,...
(in which his party lost all of its seats in the House of Representatives
House of Representatives (Fiji)
The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. It is the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone has the power to initiate legislation...
), Singh was a candidate in the Laucala
Laucala (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)
Laucala Indian Communal is an electoral division of Fiji, one of 19 communal constituencies reserved for Indo-Fijians. . The electorate covers northern suburbs of Suva, Fiji's capital.- 1999 :- 2001 :- 2006 :- Sources :* *...
Indian Communal Constituency. He polled 2,510 votes, some 22.2 percent of the total.
In the parliamentary election
Fiji election of 2001
The Constitution of Fiji was restored by a High Court decision on 15 November 2000, following the failure of the political upheaval in which the government had been deposed and the constitution suspended in May that year. On 1 March 2001, the Appeal Court upheld the decision. An election to...
of 2001, Singh contested the Suva City
Suva City (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)
Suva City Indian Communal is an electoral division of Fiji, one of 19 communal constituencies reserved for Indo-Fijians....
Indian Communal Constituency. His 1976 votes amounted to just under 21.8 percent of the total - less than half of what Wadan Lal Narsey had achieved in the previous election.
He contested the 2006 parliamentary election
Fiji election of 2006
The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years. The latest election was held on 6-13 May 2006. Acting President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi issued a proclamation on 2 March, effective from 27 March, dissolving Parliament...
as his party's candidate for the Suva City
Suva City (Open Constituency, Fiji)
Suva City Open is an electoral division of Fiji, one of 25 open constituencies elected by universal suffrage . Like the other open electorates, it came into being in 1999 and was used for the parliamentary elections of 1999, 2001, and 2006...
Open Constituency
Open constituencies (Fiji)
Open constituencies represent one of several electoral models employed in the past and present in the Fijian electoral system. They derive their name from the fact that they are "open": unlike the communal constituencies, the 25 members of the House of Representatives who represent open...
. He polled 745 votes, or 6.2 percent of the total.