The source of Fiji's troubles are increasingly being
acknowledged as a power struggle between indigenous Fijians.
The fear of Indian domination has been used by Speight and his
supporters, just as Rabuka did in 1987, to inflame prejudices
among the uneducated and ignorant Fijians.
More than 5000 people are reported to have lost their jobs. Trade
bans have been imposed by Australian and New Zealand unions.
Fijian sports teams have not been allowed to play with other
countries and a refugee centre has been set up in the West.
Curfew still exists in Suva with no one allowed out of their
homes after 8.00 p.m. Schools have been closed down since the
19th May and the crisis has been estimated to cost more than
$240 million. This does not include the human suffering.
Four of the 31 hostages, the women, have been released. They
include the Minister for Transport and Tourism in the People's
Coalition Government, Adi Koila Nailatikau. Adi Koila is Ratu
Mara's daughter and wife former head of the Army Ratu Epeli
Nailatikau. The bargaining for the release of the other hostages
continues as Speight's terrorists make additional demands.
The delay in reaching a solution has been caused largely by
putting the hostages and the interest of the nation on ice while
Speight and indigenous chiefs jockey for power and haggle over
the spoils of the coup.
As the plots, subplots and counterplots of greed, deception and
intrigue unfold, the truth becomes more and more apparent. It is
not a Fijian versus Indian problem.
Several indigenous leaders have expressed their concern with
several saying "it was all right when the Indians were the
common enemy, but now it is Fijian versus Fijian!"
The majority of indigenous leaders do not mention principles:
right or wrong; playing fair; following rules established by the
collective wisdom of past leaders; what to do for the poor, the
dispossessed and the increasing number of unemployed. Nor do
they acknowledge that Fiji's 1997 constitution in fact enshrines
the rights of indigenous Fijians.
Many indigenous Fijians look to their chiefs, leaders and
educated brothers and sisters for guidance on the provision of the
constitution. And therein lies the problem.
Speight's supporters consist of racists, opportunists,
businesspeople and sore losers from the previous government
and recent graduates who feel that their new qualifications makes
them eligible to run the affairs of the nation. All are hungry for
power.
Since the People's Coalition led by Mahendra Chaudry came to
power, some of the indigenous leaders have been fanning
prejudices and fuelling discrimination by misinforming fellow
Fijians about their rights and the loss of their lands.
Indigenous interests were paramount in the 1970, 1990 and 1997
constitutions. The Fijians' rights to their land cannot be taken
away from them without the consent of the Great Council of
Chiefs. But despite this, Speight and his supporters want a
constitution to exclude Indians from the political process.
Speight and 85 others are on a list compiled by the New Zealand
Government with assistance from the Fiji army. The people on
the list will not be granted visas to visit New Zealand. It is likely
that Australia, the United States and Commonwealth countries
will not grant visas to those on the list. Hopefully Forum Island
countries will give them the same treatment.
The reality is the Fiji Government has been dominated by
indigenous Fijians since Ratu Seru Cakobau gave Fiji to Queen
Victoria. During the colonial era, the Great Council of Chiefs was
set up to help administer Fiji. Since independence in 1970, Ratu
Mara has been leading Fiji. The 1987 coups were justified on the
grounds that the Dr Timoci Bavadra led democratically elected
Government was dominated by Indians. Bavadra's government
was overthrown in May 1987 after three months in power. The
Rabuka led government ran the country until their defeat in May
1999.
The 1997 constitution was endorsed by the Fiji Council of
Churches, the Great Council of Chiefs, the President Ratu Mara,
Rabuka and his supporters.
The landslide victory of the Fiji Labour Party in 1999 was a great
shock to many. Rabuka, his henchmen and supporters were so
preoccupied with using the system for their own ends that they
were completely out of touch with the realities of people's lives.
The Rabuka era was riddled with financial scandals and dubious
dealings leading to the Government losing millions. At best it
was mismanagement and at worst fraud and corruption. The
debts of many of the elite indigenous Fijians were written off and
many court cases were not pursued because of insufficient
evidence.
Rabuka's SVT party was seen by many as favouring wealthy
businessmen, emerging elite indigenous Fijian "yuppies". Jobs
for supporters and lucrative contracts for "consultants" and
business interests were awarded without following established
government procedures. Government departments paid above
market rents for premises owned by government Ministers and
their cronies.
When the People's Coalition came to power, these scams were
either stopped or placed under investigation
The majority of Fiji's voters wanted a government that took care
of their basic needs, not to feather the nests of a select few. The
Fiji Labour Party campaigned along these lines and won an
overwhelming majority.
The irony of the present crisis being blamed on the "arrogant"
Indian Prime Minister is that after one year of the Mahendra
Chaudry led People's Coalition Government, more has been done
for the poor, including the poor indigenous Fijians, than the
indigenous led governments had done in the previous 29 years of
independence.
Mahendtra Chaudry is a man with a vision. A vision of a fairer
and more just society for all. He and his wife Vir, have already
said that they have forgiven Speight and the hostage takers. He is
an honourable man. That is why he has the backing of the
international community. He may be arrogant at times, but what
effective leader isn't.
He is not a terrorist. And the man has a vision for the country. It
seems that the vision of many of Fiji's indigenous ruling class is
limited to driving a Pajero, living in a luxury home away from the
village, being deferred to by one and all, international travel and
amassing a fortune by fronting for businesses - all in the name of
indigneous rights.
There is a real fear among some of the Fijian leaders and people
like Speight that once the indigenous Fijians find out the truth,
they will feel betrayed and no longer trust their indigenous
leaders. Lies, deception, misinformation and propaganda
becomes accepted as the norm. Blame the Indians. But as most
Christians know, the truth will always prevail.
As the hostage crisis continues, treason, treachery, tribalism, grog
swilling and trouble making occupy most of the time of Fiji's
indigenous leaders. If as much time, energy and effort had been
spent on securing the release of the hostages, they would have
been freed long ago.
Speight and his supporters must not be allowed to get away with
what they have done. For the sake of future generations of the
Pacific and for justice to prevail.
The feelings of the majority of people in Fiji was echoed by a
former Fijian soldier who was interviewed on Fiji television on.
Asked why he was not participating in the march on May 19th,
he said "I was a soldier during the last coup. We went down a
road I don't want to go down again. The marchers should just let
the Government get on with their job and if people still don't like
them after 5 years, vote them out"
Now the Great Council of Chiefs has agreed that Fiji should be
ruled by the army.
The army which is divided and failed to do what they swore on
the Bible to do - that is to protect the government. The army
whose present and past leaders have said that there is no
universal template for dealing with the unique problems of Fiji,
conveniently forget the universal template for treating fellow
human beings. The army together with terrorist Speight, are
putting together an advisory council to advise the Military on
running the country.
There has been little mention of handing the government back to
those who were voted in by the people.
Unless Fiji's indigenous leaders and institutions do the right
thing, the indigenous people and the citizens of Fiji will remain
"between purgatory and hell" as Ratu Mara described Fiji's
position at the beginning of the crisis.
The record of Fiji's indigenous leaders shows that many of them
consider that not only were they born to rule, they could do it
without responsibility, accountability, integrity, honesty and
concern for their fellow human beings. Their message after the
1987 coups is that it is all right to resort to any means - including
taking hostages - if the end is "indigenous rights".
Rather than pushing for indigenous rights, it would seem to be
more in the interest of the indigenous people of Fiji and future
generations, to examine and learn from the indigenous wrongs of
the past. In the meantime, the only honourable thing to do is to
return the democratically elected government to finish their term.
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