Another Arson attack on Fiji's Hindu Temples

Updated October 17, 2008 17:04:10

Another Hindu Temple in Fiji has been destroyed by fire. Over night the Shiu Hindu Temple, near Nadi, was burnt down, with Fiji Police confirming the fire was deliberately lit. Built nearly 100 years ago by Indians brought to Fiji to work as indentured labour in the cane fields, the Shiu Temple was one of the oldest in the country. Its destruction comes after three other temples near Suva were burnt down on the same night last week. And while no one is making the link, the attacks also come amid growing unhappiness in the indiginous population over what's perceived as the growing influence of the Indo Fijian community, which is primarily Hindu, in the interim government.

Pacific Correspondent, Campbell Cooney
Speaker:Vijendrah Prakash, the National Secretary of the Sanatan Dharam, which represents the majority of Fiji's Hindu population.

COONEY: The Shiu Hindu temple at Nadawar in Nadi was 97 years-old. It was built by the ancestors of the island nations Indo-Fijian population, brought to the country as indented labour and it was one of the last remaining places of worship for Fijian Hindus from that time.

But Vijendrah Prakash, the National Secretary of the Sanatan ....??

COONEY: Have the police told you if they will be increasing security around other temples in Fiji?

PRAKASH: The police are saying that they are trying their best to identify the culprits.

COONEY: What about security around other temples though?

PRAKASH: That so far has not been to our satisfaction.

COONEY: Will you look at increasing security yourselves?

PRAKASH: We are doing that.

COONEY: You are, so there will be?

PRAKASH: We are doing that. I mean it's a religious place and we try to take care of all those things. But inspite of all that we take care, there are people who are hell bent on trying to bring this very bad picture of our country to the rest of the world.

COONEY: Attacks on artefacts and buildings have been mostly done by people who are opposed to what your beliefs are or what your community believes?

PRAKASH: We just cannot really try that, because we need an answer. The thing is this, whether it is to try and directly attack our religion and our community or it has to something with vulgary and thugs. This is the question that we need to get an answer, because there is no clear indication as to why this is happening.