SUVA, Fiji Islands (June 16, 2000 - USP Journalism Programme/Pasifik Nius/Niuswire)---Fiji's
Daily Post today lashed out at
"bullying tactics" by Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth
"friends" who were judging the Pacific country's
attempts to deal with the month-old hostage crisis from a distance.
The paper appealed to the countries to "put down their big sticks and
listen to the people of Fiji before committing to foreign
policies which will punish the innocent, reinforce their sense of loss and underscore
their already apparent alienation from the
political process."
"Hopefully, when (Australian Foreign Minister Alexander) Downer and (New
Zealand Foreign Minister Phil) Goff fly off later
today, they would have had a clear understanding of the local politics that
should enable them to make decisions for the better
and not for the worse," said the newspaper, whose Fijian editor Jale Moala
resigned suddenly this week and left for New Zealand.
His deputy, Mesake Koroi, is now acting editor.
The military interim government today abruptly cancelled a media conference,
which had been expected to name the line-up of an interim civilian administration.
"Since May 19, Fiji has found itself isolated. It has made more enemies
in less than a month than friends in a decade," said the Daily Post, one
of the country's three national daily newspapers.
"Even traditional friends like Australia and New Zealand have turned their
backs on Fiji in its greatest hour of need.
"Condemnation for the rape of democracy on May 19 has come from all quarters.
"Thanks to George Speight and his gunmen, the country has been suspended
temporarily from the Commonwealth.
"Trade, economic and sporting bans have been imposed on Fiji by the international
community. Even the tourists are staying away.
"What did Fiji do to deserve such treatment? The answer is in the eyes
of the international community: Fiji, as a country, has
allowed itself to be dictated to by a group of thugs holding Prime Minister
Mahendra Chaudhry and his democratically-elected
government hostage at the parliamentary complex in Veiuto for almost a month
now.
"According to them and more particularly our so-called friends in the
Commonwealth, which include our neighbors Australia and New Zealand, Fiji does
not deserve their friendship because democracy here has been prostitutionalized
and raped once too often," said the paper.
"And it is for this reason that Downer and Goff as representatives of
the Commonwealth are in the country today for talks with the interim military
government led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama.
"The irony of all this moral grandstanding and bullying is that to the
people of Fiji, it is nothing but a diplomatic form of blackmail.
"Both Australia and New Zealand should understand that such bullying tactics
and sanctions will not help solve the crisis facing Fiji at the moment. They
will become part of the problem."
Title -- 2797 FIJI: Daily Post lashes out over isolation
Date -- 16 June 2000
Byline ? None
Origin -- Pasifik Nius
Source -- USP Journalism Programme, 16/6/00
Copyright -- USP Journalism
Status ? Unabridged
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last revision June 18, 2000