Pro-democracy head says rocks thrown at house

Politically-motivated attacks are on the rise in Fiji, with several high-profile individuals victims of vandalism in the past month.

In the latest attack, pro-democracy politician Attar Singh had rocks thrown at his house and cars at the weekend.

Mr Singh is one of several people, including a lawyer, journalist, newspaper editor and trade unionist, to be subjected to violence and intimidation in Fiji recently after speaking out against the country's military regime.

The men had openly criticised Fiji's self-appointed leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, for his failure to hold elections and return the country to democracy following the December 2006 coup.

Commodore Bainimarama says he wishes to change the voting system to make it fairer for the country's minority Indian Fijian population before going to the polls.

Mr Singh, who heads the Movement for Democracy, had said he supported an election deadline imposed by the Pacific Islands Forum.

He was condemned by Commodore Bainimarama who last week labelled him a "busy body" and said his organisation was a "waste of breath".

Fijian police have refused to comment on why prominent Fijians are being targeted.

But former Fiji Law Society president Graham Leung said it was obvious these "acts of terror" were being perpetrated by those acting on behalf of the Government.

"Those that are standing and speaking for democracy, human rights and the rule of law are being singled out for this treatment," Mr Leung said.

"This is the regime's way of shutting out dissent and blanking out any alternative view that is not the Government's own."

Fiji's political parties met Commodore Bainimarama on Friday to start discussions about a new electoral system, the timing of elections and other reforms.

Mr Leung said the meeting had offered a "slim glimmer of hope" that democracy would be attained in Fiji, "although it's still not clear when".

- AAP