(o+) Just Back from Fiji: Maori and Cook Island Journalists

Russell Brown of NZ TV7 interviews Radio NZ's Richard Pamatatau and Maori TV's Julian Wilcox, recently back from Fiji where Julian had an interview with Bainimarama and talked to people in the streets of Suva, and Richard (having just missed out on an interview with Bainimarama) went walkabout to talk to people in an urban squatter settlement, the cane fields and a Fiji village. This link, with commentary by respected Pacific journalist, author and teacher David Robie, is from David's Cafe Pacific.

This is an important interview because it records off-the-cuff reflections by two people of Polynesia descent and sensitivity. They were by no means enthralled with what they saw and heard, but they were sufficiently "in touch" with Fiji's sensitivities to produce programmes that few Europeans seem able to emulate.

My comments on some of the things they covered:

Neither saw any indication of an oppressed people, and people spoke to them freely, but both seems nervous the government would interfere with their work. They were told, not in Fiji but before and after they returned to NZ, the government had plain clothes spies who prevented people from saying what they really thought. From my own experience the coconut wireless is sufficient!

It all depends on where you were and who you talked to. Julian's street interviews in Suva found most people supporting what the government was trying to do. Richard's found squatters did not have enough to eat; the villagers were concerned about higher prices. But this is a poverty issue that predated the coup. That Richard could not talk to Fijian villagers without first obtaining permission from the village chief lends weight to Bainimarama's claim to Julian that many Fijians vote according to the dictates of their chief, the provincial councils and the Methodist Church.

Both thought Bainimarama sincere in trying to bring about a Fiji without institutional racism, but that he had little confidence in democracy, Fijian style, bringing this about. Hence his belief that in this situation changes are best brought about by control, not elections. I was disappointed to hear them repeat the Australian and NZ line that Bainimarama acts like a spoilt child if he doesn't get his own way ("he has his good and bad days"), though Julian did say that being a military man, he didn't like being challenged. I think they also swallowed the media's view that Bainimarama overplays the "Australian and NZ do-not-understand us" angle. It's his "stock standard line," said Julian, whose Maori people for over 150 years have said the same thing.

But I'll settle for their opinion that Bainimarama is sincere; most people don't feel oppressed; the coup did not create poverty; opinions on the regime depend on who you talk to, and Bainimarama has far more support than our politicians and media would have us believe.

Update on Robie link. Click here.