Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. (René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher,1599-1650)

Monday 21 May 2012

News and Comments Monday 21 May 2012

WHO SUFFERS WHEN FIJI IS  EXCLUDED? On Friday I posted this item. "AUSTRALIA'S CARR SOURS JAPAN-FIJI RELATIONS. The Japanese government had invited PM Bainimarama to an international conference in Japan until Carr, probably fearful of losing critical trade union support for the struggling Labor government, persuaded Japan to withdraw the invitation. Click here to see what Grubsheet says."

Predictably, the anti-blogs supported Australia. They did not see it as a "big" Pacific neighbour once again using its weight to swipe at its "small" Pacific neighbour, but this is the way it will be seen by its other "small" Pacific neighbours, most of whom have been the subject of Australian bullying.

Nor did they see it as an insult to Fiji; not just Bainimarama and his government: Fiji.  Fiji needs the best possible access to its Asian and global neighbours, not exclusion. The anti-blogs repeatedly crow about Fiji's economic difficulties. They think they are hitting out at the Bainimarama government, but it is ordinary Fijians who are suffering thanks in no small part to the policies of its supposedly friendly neighbouring governments. This is the Government release on the PALM exclusion: 

Fiji won’t be going to PALM 6: PM Bainimarama

Fiji will not be attending the sixth Pacific Island leaders meeting (PALM) in Tokyo, Japan this year. While thanking Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda for inviting Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola to the meeting, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said Fiji will not attend as it “is meeting of leaders”. The Prime Minister was not invited.
Prime Minister Bainimarama said despite this Fiji is committed to promoting high levels ties between Fiji and Japan as Fiji and Japan have long enjoyed an excellent friendship. He invited the Japanese Prime Minister to visit Fiji later this year to enhance these political and economic ties.
Prime Minister Bainimarama said Fiji has recently engaged with the international community at an unprecedented level. He said the constitution consultation process towards the 2014 democratic election had started and the government remains focused on implementing the roadmap for democracy and sustainable socio-economic development.
He said the government has received the full support of most members of the United Nations for the roadmap.
“With the recent conclusion of the UN Needs Assessment Mission and the visit by the Forum Ministerial Contact Group, we expect to remain fully engaged with and receive the full support of all members of the international community on our way forward to democratic elections based on what is best for Fiji and its people,” the Prime Minister said.

THE AUSTRALIAN-FIJI DISCONNECT.  Read about it in Graham Davis's Grubsheet

PETITION AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) DECREE 2012. "We the undersigned hereby affirm that the Public Order (Amendment) Decree 2012 (POAD) must be removed immediately to effectively engage all stakeholders in a democratization process environment." NGOs that have signed so far are CCF, FWCC, FWRM, FEMLINK, Interfaith, ECREA National Council of Women,Soqosoqo Vakamarama, and the Methodist Church. It is a pity most are also decidedly anti-Bainimarama government. A more representative mix would have been more persuasive.

CCF, that is organizing the petition, may have taken its bridge-building role too far. Its non-specific reference to "a democratization process environment" (and not the constitution and electoral reform process) will attract anti-Bainimarama people but they could also use CCF and the petition as rallying points against constitutional and electoral reform. These organizations must be constructively engaged in the constitution dialogue, and not sit obstructively out on the side as Qasase, Chaudhry, the Methodist Church and some of them did during the NCBBF consultations that led to the People's Charter.

FIJITODAY. Readers will know I think FijiToday is the more fair anti-government blog, though it's probably more accurate to say it is the only one. It's style is to add a heading to an article already published, usually in the Fiji print media. In doing so, of course, it adds a twist to the story as these two recent headings show:

"Government a reluctant provider of aid for its own people." I don't know what was "reluctant". Some 18% of the total aid money (most was from Aust and NZ paid into the Red Cross) was paid into the PM's fund and this 18% was given out as food and other relief aid to families. Local people were the main contributors to the PM's fund. They do not have the resources of Aust and NZ. And there was no more in the fund. Government, of course, will pick up far larger bills to repair the infrastructure damage. And where will Aust and NZ be then?This is not a competition between aid givers but I think it a little deceptive of FijiToday to have given its post the heading it did.

The other heading read: "Fiji Police Force’s “professional assessment” was that it was unsafe for a gay march ……but we CAN control the 800,000 other citizens." The twist here is that the Police had a simple choice: ban the march because of security, or call in police (and military?) reinforcement to protect the marchers. They do not ask: protect from whom? Who might the attackers be? Or ask about the motivations and political affiliations of those who may have verbally or physically attacked the marchers. Tolerant as FijiToday and other anti-blog pretend to be, I suspect a fair number of those most likely to have attacked the marchers would have come from their own ranks.

6 comments:

Talk to the Palm said...

WHO SUFFERS WHEN FIJI IS EXCLUDED?

You are right Croz; it is the people of Fiji who suffer when Fiji is excluded. The real question is why are we excluded?

The reason is that not only are we suffering from being excluded but we are suffering from a whole list of things.

1- Human Rights Abuses
2- Restricted freedom of Speech
3- Restricted ability to hold meetings
4- Economic Regression
5- Failing infrastructure
6- No Government Transparency

Why are we suffering like this?

Well we have a tin pot dictator leading this country and he cares nothing for the well being of the people. He only cares about himself, his family, his cronies and the military who keep him in power.

Well done Japan and Australia keep up the good work. Dictators should not be rewarded.

Integrity said...

Gay March

How do you know it was the police that made the call. On the morning of the march we had a number of conflicting statements by police.

1- “We did not realise it was for Gays and Lesbians”
2- We did not have enough information on the march
3- The Ministry of Defence told us to cancel the march
4- Finally in the afternoon Naivalarua made his statement about safety of the marchers.

This is a classic example of the the police being ordered to do something and not having a clue about how to respond to questions.

If it was concelled after proper professional reasons then let us see the reasoning. Presumably they had evidence of this threat and they can tell us what the threat was and who was likely behind the threat. Failing that I will believe it was Government that ordered the cancellation and the police were just a fall guys.

I hate to say it Croz but it is not looking good for free and fair talks at the constitution consultations

Anonymous said...

The story should have run Government is unable to provide Aid for its people.

After the floods in January Government announced there was no extra money for flood victims and Ministries would have to provide relief from within their existing budgets.

There has been no new statement from Government and there has been no announcement of additional funding from the Government to help the flooded areas. This is because the Government is fast running out of money.

The 18% in this story is all from donations. What is significant is that only a very few of the donors felt their money would be safely spent by Government. Over 82% of donations were given to other organizations.

This is a really damning statistic for the dictator. Only a minority believes the regime will spend the money well, the majority believe the Red Cross and other charities will do a better job. Added to which a lot of the PM’s fund was donated by Government corporations and companies who have worked closely with Bainimarama and co.

Anonymous said...

The concern of the Police was that two blogsites had called for people to march for other freedoms during the gay parade. It was not the public attacking gays that was the problem.

BASA

Walker Texas Ranger said...

Everyone appears to have forgotten the dates in this debate. Last week two dates 14 and 19 May were the anniversary of two of the most disgraceful and destructive events in the history of Fiji. They scarcely ever pass without threats to public safety and security. Not just to those who wish to march for their right to be recognised as equals. We all have the right to remain safe and secure and the State has an obligation to keep us this way: above all in Public Places and in our homes. Be accountable for this, please.

The Public Good said...

@ Croz

Sometimes we should consider or reflect that "Intelligence Assessments and Analysis" are just that: they require the application of human intelligence and derived information to make a considered judgement based on the public good. No more and no less.

Surely, New Zealand is no different in this regard to us?