There is only one human race
Postdate: 23/ 04/ 2008
The Editor
Fiji Sun
Suva .
Dear Editor
THERE IS ONLY ONE HUMAN RACE
Recently there have being a number of references to ‘Race as a biological fact’ in public debate. Notably included amongst them were two former members of parliament – who both had served as ministers with portfolios in previous governments – which came to power under the 1997 Constitution and who were both elected under communal voting. I refer in this instance to Ratu Jone Navakamocea’s article (Fiji Sun 220408).
In the article, Ratu Jone refers to ‘Race’ in support of maintaining Fiji’s communal voting system. Let’s look at the actual biological facts: About 99.9% of the human genome is identical in all humans. Of this tiny 0.1% average variance, the genetic difference between individuals within one ‘race’ can be greater than the average variance between two so called ‘races’. In other words, the biological difference between two individuals from neighboring Fijian villages can be greater than the average differences between all Indigenous and Indo-Fijians! It is this fact that has led a number of biologists to suggest that ‘race’, as a means of distinguishing humans, is wholly wrong; there is only one human race. Science has now proved that God truly did create all people equal.
Yours sincerely,
Rev. Akuila Yabaki
CEO,CCF