WEEKEND READING. ♦ Allen Lockington Column ♦ Fiji 2011: Critical Engagement and Future Scanarios (Part I) by Akuila Yabaki
♦ Discussion on Pillar 1 of the People's Charter ♦ Rotuma Tuvalu Trade
♦ Discussion on Pillar 1 of the People's Charter ♦ Rotuma Tuvalu Trade
DAYLIGHT SAVING. Fiji loses an hour of daylight (when some say it couldn't need it more) this Sunday morning. Readers in Fiji, remember to put your clock back from 3am to 2am.
Fiji became a republic following the 1987 coup but recognizes and respects the Queen as head of the Commonwealth. Her photo still takes pride of place in public offices and her birthday is still a public holiday, despite Fiji's suspension from the Commonwealth. The new design will incorporate Fiji fauna and flora such as the tagimoucia flower, the crested iguana and many other species which are on the verge of extinction, and well known icons such as the tanoa or kava bowl. It is surprising the Queen's head held on so long. Sorry, Your Majesty. The new currency is expected to be in circulation by June next year.
N0180. DVD INTENDED TO NEGATE INFLUENCE IN VILLAGES. The DVD produced by Suliasi Draunitutu (the same man who speaks of God, Satan and the Beast) and circulated by Sam Speight and other SDL people in Fiji is aimed particularly at itauakei in rural villages. Draunitutu said told RadioNZ International it's intended to counter the influence of Government's rural development initiatives.
“From their [the villagers'] perspective, this government is a very good government because of the developments that are coming to them. They don’t know that behind these developments, there’s a lot of loans that have been made, there’s a lot of corruption, a lot of nepotism going on. To them the only thing they see is development.”
Suliasi Daunitutu says he is educating people first so they will be keen to take part in an anti-government protest he’s planning, timed to piggy back on protests in the Middle East. That's today, Friday. I wonder how many answered his call at Sukuna and Albert Park? One thing is clear, thought — Draunitutu and the FDFM think Bainimarama is winning the hearts and minds in rural Fiji.
N0181. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL NZ. Radio NZInternational reports AI claims knowledge of "seven young men [who] were reportedly tortured and ill-treated by the military because they had been discussing plans for a demonstration on Friday.It says human rights activists and family members who asked for their release were also beaten at the army barracks in Suva and were warned the young men would be killed if they spoke to anyone about their treatment." CEO Patrick Holmes says "at least ten politicians, trade unionists, government critics and others have been arrested and subjected to severe beatings and torture in the last two weeks by the military."
I have written to Mr Holmes asking what measures AI takes to verify the credentials and stories of its informants. He assures me he will reply to my questions soon.
It should be noted that in broadcasting such stories of Fiji, without any attempt at independent verification (such as those taken by Bruce Hill in ABC's Pacific Beat), Radio NZI becomes a party to the stories. Readers who may be asking why Radio NZI is taking such a partisan position on Fiji, should know that my emails to Radio NZI have gone unanswered.
N0182. RADIO NZI STUMBLES ON. The state-funded broadcaster provides further details of the young men's detention. They were supplied by Usaia Waqatairewa, president of the Sydney-based Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement, by now well known to readers of this blog, from Sydney. They may be right, they may be wrong, we do not know, but Waqatairewa is hardly the most impartial — or informed — of informants. If any one person is responsible for the present spate of rumour and misinformation, he'd be a prime suspect.
8 comments:
Croz
Are you suggesting that people are not being detained by the military? Are you suggesting that people detained by the military and not being intimidated and mistreated? If this is the case (which it appears many people internationally doubt) why the deafening silence from the regime and the Ministry of Information?
It would be very naive for you and regime collaborators to underestimate the international feeling about this. The Fiji military reputation and therefore that of the regime is at stake here. I think you will find it will now be very difficult for Bainimarama to ever have any real international credibility or respect for his actions and that is a serious handicap to the future of Fiji under current leadership.
We all need to think of the future of Fiji and it is just not happening under Bainimarama. The damage has been done and leadershp change is desperately needed.
@ Silence... Re your comment on N0181, which specifically concerns Amnesty International NZ, I suggest you read my earlier posting N0168 Speight of Rumours which deals specifically with the detentions. Note the different focuses. On the detentions, I am suggesting nothing of the sort. Please examine what I say very carefully before rushing in to make any further accusations about my intellect and integrity.
No 179
Removing the Queen from the Money is another piece of tinkering by a government that is incapable of managing the larger problems facing Fiji.
Other fine examples of Government tinkering have been changing Government number plates from a white background with blue numbers to the reverse. That is a very worthwhile expense. It is especially worthwhile as some of the more senior Government players now travel around in Government vehicles but with civilian number plates.
All this tinkering is I am sure designed to move attention away from more important issues such as the rise in poverty, the collapse of the sugar industry and the huge government borrowing just to give a few examples.
There was an old tinker called Frank
Under his watch the economy sank
He did succeed
And Fiji did bleed
Frank stay home and have a good old w…
Croz
There is no need for anyone who is determined that dictators throughout the world are on notice to make any accusations against your honesty and integrity. Like Bainimarama, you do a good enough job of that yourself.
And we are all still waiting for a response from Sharon and MINFO. One can only assume the lack of communication from those supposedly responsible for regime communication is an admission of guilt?
About time we used our initiative and removed the Queen's head. Next the removal of the union Jack from our flag.
@ Anonymous - using our initiative....
We might and we ought to use our initiative in looking up the precise meaning of "Lese-majesty" 1536)? You have absolute liberty to do so.
"Hurt or violated majesty ". But it may also be used thus:
"Lese-Humanity" - "an outrage upon the dignity of humanity".
This last, one might suggest, is applicable here. Your freedom, Anonymous, to comment in this manner was earned by Allied Troops who fought and died in Two World Wars. Without their deaths, you would be nothing but a slave and subject of a foreign power in the Pacific, forced to speak a foreign tongue. Has that ever occurred to you? Commonwealth Day is one week away. Her Majesty The Queen is the Head of the Commonwealth of Nations. We whose families fought and who died in overseas lands to allow you your liberty regard Lese-majesty with a degree of seriousness you cannot fathom. That is more than evident. You shall be reminded!
You Shall be Reminded - Is the Queen's head on the currency of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India,Asian and African members of the Commonwealth etc ? Fiji soldiers also contributed to democratic freedom in the Pacific through active engagement in Malaya, the Solomons and even some joined the French Foreign Legion -led by one of our own paramount chiefs lest you forget. The Queen's head is being removed only on some Fiji currency, not all. It's a great initiative to promote our own flora and fauna and the significance of the environment including climate change - another indication that this regime are not such fools as some prefer to think.
Lest you forget - Additionally Fiji young men and women can be relied on to make up the numbers needed in the current British Army putting their lives on the line for Queen and country despite the latest disgraceful behaviour of the Queen's son, Prince Andrew. There's more to the psche of the Fijian soldier than first meets the eye.
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