It is now 13 days since Speight and his 6 men took the Prime Minister
and 30 members of the democratically elected Government hostage
During these 13 days the nation has experienced and continues to
experience fear, shame, confusion and anger. Jo Dakavula hinted a the
SpeightÕs Groups ulterior motives in such a candid manner that our TV
service was taken out hours later - this was no coincidence. Clearly
the truth caused some pain
Speight has never been an activist or one to champion causes except for
his own self interest. Suddenly he allegedly purports to represent the
rights of the indigenous people. Yet he and his group has insisted on
the removal of the President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, will not negotiate
with the Fiji Military Forces Commander Bainimarama, will not accept
Ratu Epeli Nailatikau as the Military GovernmentÕs Prime Minister and
has refused to accept the mandate of the Great Council of Chiefs, who
represent 400,000 Fijians.
Another of the SpeightÕs Group goals was to overturn the Constitution,
but at no time has he explained what aspects of the Constitution they
are not happy with.
Nor have the aims of the coupe been clearly stated
The last 13 days has been a exercise in anarchic madness and the nation
demands to know what SpeightÕs real agenda is. As established above he
is not acting on behalf of some of the Fijian population with his
purported goal of indigenous Fijian supremacy.
Let us look at another scenario altogether. Maybe the Speight Group does
not wish to have anything to do with the Chiefs at all. The whole Fijian
institution then has to come under scrutiny. The VKB, the Fijian Affairs
Board and, ultimately the Great Council of Chiefs becomes questionable
in terms of its accountability to the indigenous Fijian.
If this is the case why doesnÕt the Speight Group just come clean, so
the GCC negotiators will isolate themselves from the discussions and let
the whole country get on with the mammoth task of resurrection and
restoring some national dignity.
I suspect that we are witnessing the first revolution of the 21st
century.
Durf Bogleharp
(a pseudonym)
This text may have been edited to protect the writer.
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