Fiji is in crisis, especially internationally. New Zealand has, from the outset, been in a position to help her neighbour and has instead hindered and harassed at every opportunity. The lack of balanced reporting has been abysmal, and sanctions have created hardship for the people of Fiji.
Anyone who knows the situation in Fiji will at least grudgingly admit that large sections of Fiji think Commodore Bainimarama turfed out a corrupt government, one aiming to make dangerous changes just like the one before it. He did the right thing, the wrong way.
He continues with that theme with his latest actions.
The political situation in Fiji is complex, and there has been little discussion of it in the New Zealand press, preferring to follow the original Labour government line.
There are some interesting parallels. For example, Fiji's version of the Foreshore and Seabed Act, the Qoliqoli Bill where indigenous Fijian's would take full ownership of the coast. This piece of legislation, about to be shoved through Parliament with untoward haste was one of the reasons for his coup in 2006. Bainimarama, an ethnic Fijian himself, saw the dangers in creating an apartheid system and something that would destabilize the economy even further.
Now, Bainimarama seems to be in over his head. There are things you can't get away with. In New Zealand, we had our government pass retrospective legislation to prevent a high court case which would have proven Labour's electioneering illegal. Sadly, that proved to be permissible. Apparently the threat of losing the next election is enough punishment.
Bainimarama could possibly therefore, have got away with ending the constitution.
What he will not be able to get away with is trying to control the media and stalling on elections - at this point even with good intentions, the ends do not justify the means, and he risks losing all gains.
Increasingly, the issues he had with the people involved in the original coup - their control of the media and their ignoring of the constitution are exactly where he has headed.
I wish Fiji luck in the next few months. They are at the brink, and forces far more undemocratic than Bainimarama are poised to step into the vacuum. They may appear palatable to the international community simply because they know how to milk the system by having the appearance of being democratic.
We can all be wary of the more subtle dangers to democracy, even as New Zealand rushes to condemn the obvious.
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From Fiji 2DayFM:
Related Link: How to stay healthy - Have a Mourning Constitutional?
Anyone who knows the situation in Fiji will at least grudgingly admit that large sections of Fiji think Commodore Bainimarama turfed out a corrupt government, one aiming to make dangerous changes just like the one before it. He did the right thing, the wrong way.
He continues with that theme with his latest actions.
The political situation in Fiji is complex, and there has been little discussion of it in the New Zealand press, preferring to follow the original Labour government line.
There are some interesting parallels. For example, Fiji's version of the Foreshore and Seabed Act, the Qoliqoli Bill where indigenous Fijian's would take full ownership of the coast. This piece of legislation, about to be shoved through Parliament with untoward haste was one of the reasons for his coup in 2006. Bainimarama, an ethnic Fijian himself, saw the dangers in creating an apartheid system and something that would destabilize the economy even further.
Now, Bainimarama seems to be in over his head. There are things you can't get away with. In New Zealand, we had our government pass retrospective legislation to prevent a high court case which would have proven Labour's electioneering illegal. Sadly, that proved to be permissible. Apparently the threat of losing the next election is enough punishment.
Bainimarama could possibly therefore, have got away with ending the constitution.
What he will not be able to get away with is trying to control the media and stalling on elections - at this point even with good intentions, the ends do not justify the means, and he risks losing all gains.
Increasingly, the issues he had with the people involved in the original coup - their control of the media and their ignoring of the constitution are exactly where he has headed.
I wish Fiji luck in the next few months. They are at the brink, and forces far more undemocratic than Bainimarama are poised to step into the vacuum. They may appear palatable to the international community simply because they know how to milk the system by having the appearance of being democratic.
We can all be wary of the more subtle dangers to democracy, even as New Zealand rushes to condemn the obvious.
-------------------
From Fiji 2DayFM:
The Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said the serious consequent vacuum created by the decision of the then Fiji Court of Appeal and the existing circumstances in Fiji and the way forward as mapped out by the Charter, left the President no choice but to abrogate the 1997 constitution.
In his address to the nation as Prime Minister yesterday Bainimarama said the President did not take the step of abrogating the constitution lightly, and believed that it was the best for Fiji.
Meanwhile the Prime Minister says that with all that has happened, his administration will ensure that there will be elections to restore democracy.
“We shall also ensure that elections are held at the latest by September 2014 under an electoral system that is based on equal suffrage. We have already received many wishes of support from a range of citizens, those from the rural areas, from the islands, the youth, business people, workers and the everyday people of our country. I acknowledge and thank them sincerely for their wishes. I appeal to you all that we now have the opportunity to come together as a nation on a clean slate, a new beginning.”
Bainimarama adds his government will be focused on carrying out a number of reforms with the view to modernize our governmental systems.
Related Link: How to stay healthy - Have a Mourning Constitutional?
The NZ government's response - under both Labour and National - has been measured and reasonable. We must not pander to Bainimarama just because he did the right thing, albeit the wrong way. When he is going to do the right thing the right way, he's had plenty of time? As you mentioned he is heading in the same direction as those the threw out. He will (if not already) become the "wrong thing" himself. The NZ govt's request is simple - set elections (soon), and respect the result.
ReplyDeleteYes Sean, NZ and Aust want a 3 minute democracy using racial seats (that they dont have in the own nations).
ReplyDeleteIt is rapidly appearing that Trans-Tasman puppeteering of the Pacific is diminishing.
Thailand the ASEAN summit location also has a military dicatatorship, yet not even a squeak about democracy and elections (in Thailand) from Kevin Rudd or John Key.
I disagree with your description of what NZ and AU want from Fiji, but no doubt you are illustrating a point. Nonetheless, the dictator of Fiji can't deliver 3 year democracy either. What was his latest election date? 2014 now? Does he even have an election date? After recent flip-flops, his word no longer has any credibility.
ReplyDeleteAs for Thailand I have to say it is complicated, though it might now be time for some comment from the international community. The military coup of Sep-2006 ended with elections in Dec-2007. However the current Democrat party led government - which seized power with a parlamentary majority last December in which can only be described as a mickey-mouse turn of events - does seem to be the preferred party of the military. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a military dictatorship though. Matters to seem to be coming to a head there presently, so will be interesting to see the outcome.
Nonetheless, the dictator of Fiji can't deliver 3 year democracy either. Nope, but how sure are you that nothing has been done? How sure are you that he has not demonstrated willingness to move towards these elections, with the correct democratic structure?
ReplyDeleteQarase and his old government have been working very hard to restore power to themselves, and restore a racist, fundamentally undemocratic government versed in the illusion of looking acceptable to foreign commentators.
Given that the media are making comparisons between Mugabe and Bainimarama, it would seem fitting to compare the situation to New Zealand demanding Saddam be reinstated to power because America didn't organise the first elections quick enough in Iraq, back in 2005.
The press coverage out here is similarly thin Zen, folks are far more interested in hussein's choice of dog. I'm waiting for some moron to kick of speculation on the first turtle, pig, fish, cat etc.
ReplyDeleteA bit hard to find what doesn't exist. His shoot to kill policy speaks volumes. Not exactly a step in the direction of restoring democracy is it?
ReplyDeleteAs for the old government, of course I am not defending them, but their failures are no excuse for Bainimarama's methods (and excesses).
And neither am I defending him. The ends does not justify the means.
ReplyDeleteI am just pointing out that many think a restoration of the previous regime would be the way to fix this.
It would not.
Offering assistance rather than sanctions would help to complete the good progress already made on preparing for elections and establishing a new constitution.
As I said in my post, Fiji are on the brink. I hope Bainimarama takes a deep breath and rethinks his current course.