Dear Crosbie, I have watched your blog with great interest since its inception. I have also recommended it to various others. I have felt of late that perhaps there were far more + or 0 entries than - ones (none of those when I logged in today), and that is perhaps unfortunate in the interests of maintaining the neutral status that I am sure you value. I fully realise how difficult it is to find well-researched and -written material to include that is not tainted by the hysteria that so many engage in and devalue any useful points they make.
Do keep up the good work - and I do know what a lot of work it is! There are many Fiji blogs out there at the moment, most of them fitting the hysterical mould, and with no serious analysis, so yours is a breath of fresh air.
Kind regards, Rod Ewins
Rod, Yes, you are right and I was not unaware of the "shift" myself. My difficulty has been in reacting to others' reactions on the implementation of the Emergency Regulations. Most anti-government comment has not placed the actions of the Government within the context of the Regulations. Placed within, they make sense, even if they seem excessive; out of context, they point only to an on-going abuse of power. We would be in a better position to judge if the local media could comment more freely, but our first real indication of where things are heading may have to wait 14 more days. If the Emergency is extended beyond its original 30 days without due and obvious cause, many will have cause to doubt Bainimarama's stated intentions. Thank you for picking me up on this.
Croz
* Dr Rod Ewins, a Research Associate at the University of Tasmania, was born in Fiji, into the 4th generation of settlers who first arrived in 1875. He has published three books, a video and a number of articles on Fijian art. His PhD thesis was on "the social role of Fijian traditional art in the negotiation of identity". His website is www.justpacific.com
See also two opposing but related comments to my post "The Coup Was Not Necessary": Expert
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