◆ INTERNATIONAL Image: Professor Pal Ahluwalia. FijiVillage/YouTube
Fiji's deportation of USP VC is a shameful act The shocking deportation of the University of the South Pacific (USP) Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia, and his wife, Sandra Price, is a highly shameful event — in not just the history of the institution, but also in the history of Fiji and the region. The heavy-handed manner in which the deportation was carried out has major implications for human rights, democracy, free speech and academic freedom in Fiji and the Pacific. Additionally it has serious implications for the unity of the region and effectiveness of regional organisations. The events reflect Fiji’s failure as USP’s host country and also a
Professor Biman C Prasad Leader of the National Federation Party Adjunct Professor, James Cook University Adjunct Professor, Punjabi University Patiala
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ADVOCATE VOL. 28 NO. 1 ◆ MARCH 2021
failure of its leadership role the region as a whole. Professor Ahluwalia and his wife were taken from their home in Suva at midnight and put on a plane bound for Brisbane. Up to 15 police and immigration officers participated in what can only be described as a raid. The couple were manhandled and even refused a toilet break.