Imraz Iqbal
Encyclopedia
Imraz Iqbal Ali is a Fiji
an businessman, political activist, and former Television journalist, of India
n descent. He does not normally use his last name, except for legal purposes. Together with Laisa Digitaki
, he is the co-owner of a magazine, Fiji Living, based in Digitaki's home in the Lami
suburb of Vugalei.
Iqbal also hosted a popular Fiji Diving adventure show during his Television Career.
He contested the Nasinu
Indian
Communal Constituency for the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
Party (SDL) at the parliamentary election
held on 6–13 May 2006. He polled only 226 votes out of more than 12,000 - some 1.9 percent of the total.
Iqbal strongly condemned the Republic of Fiji Military Forces
for the coup d'état
of 5 December 2006. An article he published in Fiji Living resulted in Navy
Commander Francis Kean
summoning him to Suva
's Queen Elizabeth Barracks
and warning him against speaking out against the Military, according to the Fiji Times
and Fiji Village
(11 December).
A studio belonging to Iqbal (Infocus Arts Production House, on Disraeli Road) was destroyed by fire in the early hours of 24 December 2006, Fiji Television
reported. Some F$250,000
of equipment was lost. Iqbal said that with the National Fire Authority ruling out an electrical fault, he regarded the fire as suspicious.
In the early hours of 25 December, Iqbal was again summoned to the barracks, along with Digitaki, feminist leader Virisila Buadromo
, and a number of others. They were allegedly assaulted by soldiers before being ordered to walk home.
Commodore Bainimarama said the military would resist any attempts to destabilise it or thwart it's clean up campaign. Speaking on a Fijian radio station talk back show, he named individuals that they were monitoring because they were inciting civil unrest. He warned members of the public and non government activists that included Fiji Women's Rights Movement executive director Virisila Buadromo, Human right activists Patricia Jalal, journalist Imraz Iqbal and businesswoman Laisa Digitaki to stop saying things that would incite unrest in the country. Mr Bainimarama said these individuals blamed the military for a fire in Lami last week and he stated it was not the doing of the military. He said that these individuals should shut their mouth or else the military would shut it for them and they should not forget the death that had occurred at the military camp on November 2.
In September 2008 iqbal again had a brush with the law. This time the Fiji Police force alleged him to be in possession of the missing gun of the 2000 coup. He was arrested and held for 3 days by the Fiji police force and released after numerous raids and searches found no weapons in his possession. His elderly father was also held by the police.
In an interview with Fiji Television immediately after his release, Iqbal thanked the Fiji Police force for being very professional in their conduct during his arrest.
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 businessman, political activist, and former Television journalist, of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n descent. He does not normally use his last name, except for legal purposes. Together with Laisa Digitaki
Laisa Digitaki
Laisa Digitaki is a Fijian businesswoman, originally from Moala Island in the Lau Archipelago.-The democracy shrine:Digitaki came into the public eye in December 2006 when she converted her office building into a pro-democracy "shrine" in the wake of the military coup which deposed the elected...
, he is the co-owner of a magazine, Fiji Living, based in Digitaki's home in the Lami
Lami
Lami, Fiji is an urban area in Rewa Province, Fiji, north-west of Suva. It was formally incorporated as a Town in 1977, and had a population of 20,529 at the most recent census in 2007. The municipal boundaries enclose an area of 680 square kilometers....
suburb of Vugalei.
Iqbal also hosted a popular Fiji Diving adventure show during his Television Career.
He contested the Nasinu
Nasinu (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)
Nasinu Indian Communal is an electoral division of Fiji, one of 19 communal constituencies reserved for Indo-Fijians....
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...
Communal Constituency for the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
The Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua is a political party in Fiji...
Party (SDL) at the 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...
held on 6–13 May 2006. He polled only 226 votes out of more than 12,000 - some 1.9 percent of the total.
Iqbal strongly condemned 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...
for the coup d'état
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....
of 5 December 2006. An article he published in Fiji Living resulted in Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
Commander Francis Kean
Francis Kean
Francis Kean was the Commander of the Fijian Navy when, in 2006, he was charged with murder. He was convicted of manslaughter the following year....
summoning him 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...
and warning him against speaking out against the Military, according to the Fiji Times
Fiji Times
The Fiji Times is a daily English-language newspaper published in Suva, Fiji. Established in Levuka on 4 September 1869, it is Fiji's oldest newspaper still operating....
and Fiji Village
Fiji Village
The Fiji Village is an online news service in Fiji. Published daily, it covers political, business, sporting, cultural, and other news items, and also includes the Yellow Bucket commentary, an editorial which does not necessarily reflect the views of the Fiji Village owners or staff, according to...
(11 December).
A studio belonging to Iqbal (Infocus Arts Production House, on Disraeli Road) was destroyed by fire in the early hours of 24 December 2006, 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....
reported. Some F$250,000
Fijian dollar
The dollar has been the currency of Fiji since 1969 and was also the currency between 1867 and 1873. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively FJ$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
of equipment was lost. Iqbal said that with the National Fire Authority ruling out an electrical fault, he regarded the fire as suspicious.
In the early hours of 25 December, Iqbal was again summoned to the barracks, along with Digitaki, feminist leader Virisila Buadromo
Virisila Buadromo
Virisila Buadromo is a Fijian political activist and former journalist, who is currently the Executive Director of the Fiji Women's Rights Movement . Previously, she was the news director for FM96.- Political positions :...
, and a number of others. They were allegedly assaulted by soldiers before being ordered to walk home.
Commodore Bainimarama said the military would resist any attempts to destabilise it or thwart it's clean up campaign. Speaking on a Fijian radio station talk back show, he named individuals that they were monitoring because they were inciting civil unrest. He warned members of the public and non government activists that included Fiji Women's Rights Movement executive director Virisila Buadromo, Human right activists Patricia Jalal, journalist Imraz Iqbal and businesswoman Laisa Digitaki to stop saying things that would incite unrest in the country. Mr Bainimarama said these individuals blamed the military for a fire in Lami last week and he stated it was not the doing of the military. He said that these individuals should shut their mouth or else the military would shut it for them and they should not forget the death that had occurred at the military camp on November 2.
In September 2008 iqbal again had a brush with the law. This time the Fiji Police force alleged him to be in possession of the missing gun of the 2000 coup. He was arrested and held for 3 days by the Fiji police force and released after numerous raids and searches found no weapons in his possession. His elderly father was also held by the police.
In an interview with Fiji Television immediately after his release, Iqbal thanked the Fiji Police force for being very professional in their conduct during his arrest.