______________________________________________________________________________ _ ___ _ \\\\\___| | | __| / \ ___\"-._ /////~~~| | | _| / _ \~~~/.-' |_| |_| /_/ \_\ www.indo-fiji.webs.com INDO-FIJI ACTION www.tinyurl.com/indofiji ______________________________________________________________________________ PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2002/August/08-05-23.htm VIEWPOINT August 2, 2002 FIJI’S DETERIORATING RACE RELATIONS By Sanjay Ramesh, Ph.D. The war of words between the Qarase Government and the Fiji Labour Party continues as race relations hit an all time low, despite claims to the contrary by the Ministry of National Reconciliation. The Indo-Fijians are voting with their feet as many strongly feel that they will continue to suffer discrimination regardless of any outcome to the current political problems. Meanwhile, the ghosts of May 2000 still remain as two known coup ringleaders face treason trial. Also of concern are the growing problems within the army and the judiciary, and overt racial statements by some Government Ministers. On Friday, May 31, Supreme Court Judge Andrew Wilson ruled that the Immunity Decree promulgated by the Commander of the Fiji Military Forces, Frank Bainimarama, was null and void. The decision came after two known coup leaders, Timoci Silatolu and Josefa Nata, challenged charges of treason on the ground that the accused were granted a valid immunity. But when the trial continued on 22 July, Timoci Silatolu’s lawyer, Kitione Vuetaki, was no longer able to represent his client because his name was on a document seized by Police at the defendant’s resident. Meanwhile, the Fiji Labour Party held its Annual General Meeting at Narere on June 1 and among the issues discussed were the expiring leases under ALTA and the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on the inclusion of the FLP in the SDL-MV Coalition Government. Former Prime Minister and Fiji Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, stated that he was willing to work with Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase. However, Chaudhry expressed concern over lack of initiative on the part of the Government to compensate those who were victims of terror, following the hijacking of the Government in May 2000. Despite the ongoing war of words between the Government and the FLP, Chaudhry and Qarase met briefly on June 5, 2002 to lay the foundation for discussions on land, constitution and multiparty cabinet. As the leaders of two ethnic groups prepared for a second round of "Talanoa" session, Prime Minister Qarase came under fire from mahogany owners for discussing the sale of this valuable resource to its Chinese counterpart. Not only that but the Government was further embarrassed by revelations that two Ministers in the Interim Government, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola and Ratu Talemo, knew of plans to topple the army Commander, Frank Bainimarama, in the ill-fated mutiny in November 2000. The military has been facing serious problems recently over returning Peacekeepers and claims that some $100,000 was lost via bogus email scam. Meanwhile, there is growing public debate over the fate of Lieutenant Colonel Filipo Tarakinikini, who is accused of being a "double agent" during the negotiations between the army and the Speight group leading to the Muanikau Accord. Problems within the army and the growing industrial unrest at the airport did not dampen the spirit of the Reserve Bank, which predicted a five percent growth rate for the coming year. But the Government stepped into a land mine as it driveled its way to appoint Justice Daniel Fatiaki as the replacement for the outgoing Sir Timoci Tuivaqa. Both men remain accused of being party to the abrogation of the 1997 Constitution at the height of the political crisis in May 2000. The Citizen’s Constitution Forum (CCF) continued with its campaign to ensure that the new Chief Justice was not tainted in any way with the controversial advice rendered to Fijian executives during the hostage crisis. But in a carefully engineered process, the Government at first conceded that it was looking overseas for a suitable Chief Justice while all along it had groomed a successor to Sir Timoci Tuivaqa. The campaign of misinformation on the part of the Government was to outmaneuver the Citizens’ Constitution Forum (CCF), which was planning to highlight this issue at the Asia Pacific Conference in Nadi. Already by July 3, the Government declined a permit to Non Governmental Organizations, including the CCF from holding a peaceful protest at the ACP summit. The Government was also apprehensive about the speech to the ACP delegates by the FLP leader Mahendra Chaudhry and Opposition leader Prem Singh. Both gave a big thumbs down to the Qarase administration and highlighted the apparent constitutional malaise facing the country. To divert continuing criticism, the Qarase Government championed an Indo-Fijian advisory council meeting, but the agenda of the Government towards Indo-Fijians became clear when Parliament convened on Monday 29 July 2002. The new parliamentary session was marred with excessive racial slur from Government Members of Parliament. The verbal attack on Indo-Fijians intensified as both the National Federation Party and the Fiji Labour Party remain opposed to endorsing Native Land Trust Act (NLTA) as a successor to Agricultural Landlords and Tenants Act (ALTA), which provided thirty year leases to mainly Indo-Fijian farmers. The outcome of the talks between the FLP and the SDL-led Government will decide the fate of the sugar industry, which has been in turmoil since the events of May 2000. The Government of Fiji is also nervous about the judgment in September 2002 on the inclusion of Labour in Cabinet. Some Ministers within the Government concede that a judgment in favour of the FLP may cause further political instability. In fact, the apparent lack of the Government initiative to make Indo-Fijians part of the development process has heightened fears among a majority of Indo-Fijians of their systematic political and economic marginalization. At the center of the debate is lack of Government consideration towards the social and economic problems facing mostly poor Indo-Fijians. Sanjay Ramesh, PhD Comments to email: sanjay_ramesh@yahoo.com.au