(oB) Fijian Commoner 'Should Be Free': CAMV

Politics, especially politics in a small-scale society where personal loyalties and pride are often more important that ideologies and policies, are never simple. I've sometimes wondered whether this is why Fiji bloggers of opposing persuasions first insult and then pray for each other. Today's enemies could be tomorrow's friends, and vice versa, so it's wise to cover your bets.

There have always been shifting alliances within and between Fiji's political parties, and chiefs (often from the same family), business people, academics and civil rights leaders stand on both sides of Fiji's present political divide. But now we have developments and alliances that only six months ago seemed impossible. Two weeks ago we saw old enemies Qarase and Chaudhry unite in a letter to Bainimarama. I put the letter down to a publicity stunt but there could also be real substance in what I called their "arranged marriage."

Now there's an even more amazing development. The extreme Fijian nationalist party, the Conservative Alliance Matanitu Vanua (CAMV), is apparently backing the Bainimarama Government whose politices most certainly do not support extreme Fijian nationalism.

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A little background is necessary. The Conservative Alliance Matanitu Vanua party (CAMV) was formed by high-ranking chiefs and others (Rev.Manasa Lasaro attended the inaugural meeting!) who supported or were involved in the 2000 Coup, so that a party with policies similar to the plotters could contest the 2001 election. Their platform included obtaining amnesty for the coup plotters and mutineers, ensuring the President and PM would always be ethnic Fijians, affirmative action programmes for Fijians, and turning Fiji into a Christian nation. They won six seats in the election and Qarase's SDL party needed their support to ensure ethnic Fijian parliamentary paramountcy.

Prior to the 2006 election the CAMV dissolved and merged with the SDL. Following the SDL election victory they were given the speaker's chair and several ministries, and the government's promotion of the Tolerance and Reconciliation Bill that would have freed those imprisoned for treason, the Qoliqoli and the Indigenous Claims Tribunal Bills (see earlier posting) and affirmative action programmes.


Now step back a little. After the failure of the 2000 Coup, thanks to military intervention, Bainimarama had backed Qarase's appointment as interim PM and later as PM on the understanding the coup plotters and military mutineers would not escape justice, and legislation would be pursued to build a united Fiji. It was Qarase's breach of this understanding that prompted the 2006 military coup. Bainimarama felt betrayed.

The decision prior to the 2006 election to dissolve the CAMV and merge with the SDL had not been unanimous. Ropate Sivo opposed the decision and it is Sivo who has sought re-registration of the CAMV. He says he wants Fijian commoners to be free of their obligations to chiefs, hence his backing of Bainimarama's proposed reform of the Fijian Affairs Act. He is also backing the proposed electoral reforms and the People's Charter. Sivo said “CAMV supports the Prime Minister’s roadmap to build a sustainable and accountable democratic system by 2014”.

Just how much the CAMV has changed -- and how many more changes we may expect as the different Fiji "factors and actors" reassess their positions in an ever-changing Fiji -- is too early to say, but this new development points to unexpected and increased support for Bainimarama (contrary to Dr Fraenkel's view in an ealier post) and contrary to the general overseas view of Fiji as a country where complex problems can be resolved with simple solutions. -- Sivo report based on FijiLive.

Map: Fijian Communal Electorates 2001. The CAMV took 5 (all of Vanua Levu and Tailevu North); the SDL took the other 12. The CAMV also won one Open electorate, Cakaudrove West. Source: Walsh 2006: Fiji: an Encyclopaedic Atlas.