A Solution for Fiji; a coup nation

For those disheartened by the current situation in Fiji and have a connection there should, by now, realize that the coup d’état orchestrated by Frank Bainimarama in 2006 was merely a diversionary tactic to avoid being charged for misappropriation of funds, murder, sedition, and treason, if it can be proven in a court of law. But, we must not dismiss the fact that he too was instrumental in Laisenia Qarase’s rise to power only to regret later.

Muzzle Power

No doubt, Bainimarama is enjoying his moment of glory via the muzzle of a rifle and has led many to believe that his sole objective is to rid of corruption - part of the reason of a weak economy - and racism. Supposedly, that would mean revamping the system or having the constitution rewritten to account for the rights and privileges of everyone regardless of creed, color or religion.

Of course, getting rid of corruption sounds like ‘good tidings’ when, in reality, Bainimarama was not a happy camper when Laisenia Qarase failed to acknowledge his helping hand prior to the 2006 coup, and for the bills he intended to propose. To the average person, one might say that Qarase was a man of vision and may well be qualified as a good statesman. Wanting to pardon the perpetrators of the 2000 coup and have land owners take more control of their land, he attempted to introduce three bills; the Land Tribunal Bill & the Qoliqoli Bill (the transfer of proprietary rights of beaches, lagoons and reefs from the State of Fiji to the land owners, which also includes that hotel owners, for example, will be required to make payments to the ethnic Fijians holding the rights), and the Reconciliation and Unity Bill (compensating victims and pardoning participants of the previous coup). These were issues heavily criticized by Bainimarama who eventually took the liberty to remove Qarase and everyone else.

Military Commander or Politician?

Knowing that, one may ask, why then is Frank Bainimarama, a military commander, sticking his nose in political matters? Should he not be concerned about protecting the country rather than getting into politics? Only upon request by the president or the PM should his opinions matter, and move on from there. But unbeknownst to the general public of his unauthorized takeover of the Fiji government lies on the premises of his dislike toward Qarase’s proposed bills and toward an expatriate (Australian) Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes who was assigned to investigate and identify perpetrators of the previous coup. Was Bainimarama one of them?

Good question because in 2000, according to several media sources, the following individuals namely, S. Rabuka, E. Ganilau, I. Savua were aboard the naval ship, Kiro (controlled by Commodore F. Bainimarama himself) with President Mara (forcefully taken there) to have him abrogate the 1997 constitution. Unfortunately, Commissioner Hughes who, later was deported through Bainimarama’s orders could not bring down Bainimarama and his collaborators due to a lack of hard evidences regarding President Mara’s resignation.

What Are the Charges?

So, which is it? Is Bainimarama guilty of murder, sedition, treason or all of the above? At best, hearsays are all we have for the murder of those who mutinied. To charge him for sedition means that the legal authority has evidence of his overt conduct toward an established order evident by speech and organization which also includes a tendency for insurrection. Charging him for treason, on the other hand, would mean he intended “…to overthrow, make war against, or seriously injure the [parent nation]”even if no foreign country is aided or involved by such an endeavour. [Oran's Dictionary of the Law (1983)]. To make these charges stick there has to be an approved legal system which, at this point, is fruitless.

On the surface it would seem that both treason and sedition has nothing to do with Bainimarama when in fact, he was an accomplice in the 2000 coup as well as misappropriating $26 million in 2006, $50 million in 2007, and $30 million in 2008 in tax payers’ funds for military expenditures. As for the expenditure reports dating back to 2009, forget asking for it because he may have a "valid" explanation for it. But, it is clear he skilfully minimizes any possible reprisal by giving back to the general populace what they want. For example, he replaced Qarase’s racist-oriented bills with the People’s Charter for Change, Peace & Progress (for prevention of corruption drafted 2008), chose attorney Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum as his advisor (to identify and jail corrupt individuals), assured the nation there would be an election in 2014, improved parts of Rotuma and officialized it as the new port of entry, constructed two bridges and the Wailotua-Nayavu road at Delasui in Wainibuka, and more. Is this satisfactory? Not according to the already poor folks who have to deal with an increase of food and basic consumer goods prices that has risen from 20 to 400 percent!

In spite of the appeasement, others within his ranks as well as some Indo-Fijians and indigenous Fijians are highly critical and bitter towards Bainimarama for some of the following:

• Worsening an already weak economy currently at 32 percent or about 1/10 of Singapore's GDP
• Increasing the nation’s unemployment rate to 40 percent
• Preventing any financial auditing that has his name on it
• Creating fugitives within his ranks for sedition e.g. Lt. Col Tevita Mara
• Ejecting the nation as a member of the commonwealth community
• Relegating the Indo-Fijians as third class citizens per the People’s Charter
• Adding 4000 more unemployed people after by tossing out the owners of the Fiji Water
• Censoring the newspaper media from publishing anything that goes against his policies
• Forcing hotel owners to further reduce prices due to a of lack of tourism
• Forcing highly qualified doctors to seek greener pastures resulting a shortage at hospitals
• Forcing many to seek medical treatment overseas because of a huge shortage of medical supplies and medicine
• Secretly sending spies to indict those planning any assassination plots

All about Ethnic Fijian Rights

Aside from Bainimarama's misappropriating of funds, etc., ethnic Fijians should maintain its dominant role in leading its own country. Why doubt on this issue? Is it because of the rise in the Indo-Fijian population that the ethnic Fijians can't be like Tonga and Samoa? Understandably, Indo-Fijians are being marginalized but, what about the Rotuman people who have co-existed with the indigenous Fijians before the Indians showed up yet, hold one seat in parliament? Though I do have a connection to Fiji, in my opinion, I believe that the following points should be highly considered if it has not been done.

- The Constitution/People’s Charter– With proper qualifications, the position of the president (by vote of the GCC) and PM are to be held by indigenous Fijians or itaukei - with at least 50% Fijian blood- (by a general election), all other positions to be open to any race (without nepotism), no military councils in parliament, and only the pres and PM are authorized to use military force with the approval of the senate.

- Religion – All religious sects are to refrain from imposing its political views. Any grievances should be submitted via a petition according to the rules and regulations established.

- Military – The commander of the FMF should be well-qualified with the ability to write and speak both in Fijian and English language. Case in point: Retired Col. Paul Manueli (a Rotuman) once held the position. Would an Indo-Fijian be any different?

- The People:

1. Wait for the 2014 so called election – we’ll see. Good luck on this.

2. Start an underground movement – establish an armed rebel movement. Am against this idea because many will be betrayed and spies will be everywhere.

3. Peaceful protest – best choice if the people are willing to drop what they are doing and act collectively, actively protesting every weekend and not gripe about it all day.

- Rotumans – I don’t believe they are ignorant nor are opportunists, but are entrepreneurs (yes). These are well educated people and have survived for some time with less governmental aid. However, there are two points Rotumans should consider:

• Scrutinize the true intend of the campaigner(s) when voting in the 2014 election
• Realize that true developers look into areas that would generate a bigger return on their investment. In other words, even though Bainimarama was very considerate in his recent development in Rotuma, he could’ve improved Fiji’s economy as a whole by developing mainland Fiji (a bigger return on investment) and strengthening and/or increasing his relationship with outside investors i.e. Australia and New Zealand.

- Race factor – It’s not racism. It is realism. The introduction of the indentured labor system was a foreign system. Fiji accepts DIVERSITY – Indians, Rotumans, Caucasians, and other races in Fiji to help the country grow but the bottom line is, Fiji’s head of state should be a itaukei. This proposition shouldn’t make a non-native Fijian feel inferior at all because “it is what it is” and whether we like it or not, the fact is that Fiji belongs to native Fijians.

- Australia, New Zealand, China, USA, etc. – Indigenous Fijians are now educated enough to run their country any way they please and if other countries want to help, they can/”should” support Fiji but from the sideline where they all belong and not impose sanctions or isolate them as members of the commonwealth community. Otherwise, Fiji is to embrace democracy to the fullest and native Fijians are to accept the meaning of true democracy, period; like here in the US.

So, who is winning in this screwed up situation? No one is. It is usually the poor who gets the short end of the stick. It seems to me that Bainimarama considers any negative impact negligible. Militaristic ruling is highly unpopular, and democracy must take precedence or prevail with a solid constitution that accounts for the rights of citizens regardless of race. In the case of Bainimarama, his form of leadership is nothing short of being dictatorial.

Summary

All and all, I have come to the realization that had it not been for the British sending 60, 965 Indians to Fiji in 1879, there would not have been any racial and political tension. Per the 1970 constitution, the indigenous Fijians were given ‘special rights and privileges’ as land owner and more seats in parliament. This did not sit well, later, with some Indo-Fijian politicians who griped about unfair treatment both in land ownership and the number of seats they should have. Compromises were made but people like Sitiveni Rabuka (responsible for two coups in 1987) was sold on the notion that ethnic Fijians may lose their special rights and privileges, whereas Speight (responsible for the coup of 2000) did so as a distraction to cover up his fraudulent activities in the timber industry as well as a possible loss of land ownership by Indo-Fijians in politics. Now that it is almost five years since the 2006 coup, what will the people contend with? Gripe about Bainimarama’s “clean up” campaign which involves beating people for voicing their opinion, using scare tactics, censoring the newspaper, etc. or drop the idol talk around the "tanoa" and have a mass rally. If that is easier said than done then all must patiently wait for the 2014 election. Do I agree with Bainimarama’s nonsense? NO! Regardless of what the ethnic Fijians want, everything has to be properly outlined and agreed upon by elected officials in the constitution; non-Fijians should have a more or less an equal role in the government (although the presidency/PM are to be reserved for ethnic Fijians only), and those guilty of high treason should be hammered with the fullest extent of the law, etc. If it means using a firing squad, then do so. One too many coup and one too many misappropriation does not rate a "kerea mo vosoti au" (please forgive me) nonsense because this is not a case of stealing pocket change from one's parents' wallet; it's a nation being affected. A return to democracy is what the people want and 2014 may just be the beginning of a new era. However, one should not readily disregard the silent deep ethnic division and informal segregation that exist within the ranks of extremist ethnic Fijians. Thus, I believe that unless this racial division totally goes away, the potential of another “racial blow up” is real.