Transcript
The Fiji government says Ms Seaton breached the terms of her residency permit by using the 'F' word against the president Joiji Konrote. It says she was declared a prohibited immigrant by the Acting Prime Minister and Immigration Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. But Karen Seaton says she did not and would not swear at the President.
"I met the President, I have a friend who is friends with him and upon meeting him, found him to be a kind gentleman. I respect the Office of the Presidency as it exists in Fiji, to be in respect to the Fijian culture. I have no beef with the President. I have respect for him."
Ms Seaton admits she swore, but says it was not aimed at anyone and came when she dropped her groceries while walking home in the rain.
"There was nobody around me. I was in the road, I was going to my hotel room, exhausted, it started to rain. Nobody helped me pick up the groceries and I just was feeling like uggh. I don't swear, I didn't use the Lord's name in vain. It was two [expletives]. Just a moment of, you're human eh?"
Yet a few hours later she was on a US-bound plane. The Fiji Law Society says under the Immigration Act the minister has the powers to send her out.
"...deemed by the Minister to be a person who is or has been conducting himself in a manner prejudicial to the peace, defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, security or good government of the Fiji Islands."
The Society also says it is an offence under the Crimes Decree to indecently insult or annoy any person. However, a human rights lawyer Aman Ravindra-Singh says Ms Seaton was not allowed her due process.
"She should have been dealt with according to the law. According to the law, there was a possibility that she may have been charged and presented before a court of law. Therefore the matter would take its normal course. But to make the allegation that Ms Seaton had allegedly sworn at the Head of State and then deport her, again makes no sense and it is absolutely pathetic."
Aman Ravindra-Singh says Ms Seaton's experience follows the recent deportation of New Zealand contractors who had been in a pay dispute with the government. Three years ago, an Australian priest Kevin Barr was almost deported after being sworn at by the prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, who used profanities and called Father Barr an arsehole over a letter to a local newspaper. When the abusive text messages by Mr Bainimarama became public, the immigration authorities revoked Father Barr's residence permit, yet a public outcry prompted the Fiji government to rescind the deportation order. The latest case concerning Ms Seaton is seen as an excessive reaction. The opposition National Federation Party says the deportation is deeply worrying and reeks of authoritarianism while the Sodelpa says the deportation is shameful and the misuse of laws and hounding of critics must stop. Ms Seaton still has property and belongings in Fiji but is unable to return to the country as it stands. She says she has tried unsuccessfully to get consular assistance. But the US Embassy's Regional Public Affairs Officer, Dmitri Tarakhovsky, says they are looking into the incident.
"The embassy takes support of US citizens very seriously. We are looking into accounts that a US citizen was reportedly detained and deported and are seeking additional information from the Fijian government. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further information at this point."
Karen Seaton holds US, UK and Canadian passports and is currently in Los Angeles.
