And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity... - Luke 21:25-27.Anti-Government blog Fiji Today drew my attention to a RNZI report stating that support for the Fiji Government is declining. Former USP academic and now at ANU, Dr Jonathan Fraenkel (photo) is reported to have said he "sees signs that backing [for the] Fiji regime may be dissipating ...One of the things that’s quite noticeable is that you don’t have so many grand statements of support for the regime coming out, even from interim ministers ... Since the abrogation of the constitution in April, I think the whole show has come a little bit off the rails ... Even government ministers don’t seem to believe in the objectives of the 2006 coup anymore.”
Fraenkel built his reputation as an academic, not as a psychic, and as an academic he is ethically required to produce some evidence to support his public statements, or at least to mix comment and evidence. This is not always easy in a short radio interview, but seeing signs is not enough. In fact, his seeing signs has me worried.
Fraenkel's anti-government stance is well-known. He is one of those people who think Bainimarama (and I quote) is "really just trying to cling to power" (although, contradicting himself, he did concede interim ministers at least once believed in the coup's objectives.) One suspects that's why he was interviewed by Radio NZI which only last week refused an invitation to visit Fiji to talk to ordinary people on what they thought. Fraenkel has made three claims: dissipating support (his evidence? lack of grand statements); show has come off rails (evidence? zilch); Government ministers don't believe in coup objectives (evidence? zilch). And all this "seen" from Australia!
As a fellow academic, I challenge my former colleague to present some credible evidence for his claims. His right to opinions is not questioned, nor am I questioning whether he has correctly "read the signs." He could well be correct. What is questioned is the use of his academic credentials to present a personal, one-sided viewpoint-- with no evidence whatsoever. It does not require a PhD to argue thus. RNZI could have interviewed anybody, even Peni, aged 16, walking down Cumming Street.
3 comments:
People like Jon Fraenkel, frankly, make one laugh. Or rather, we might laugh were it not all so sad. His academic credentials mean nothing at all in the situation we are in now. His ethical and proper attention to fairness and to evidence 'on the ground' is everything, however. He had better make up his mind to eventually speak with this blogger and those who associate with me. We have never once caught sight of him. Is he conceivably one those p responsible for paying-up front to have various identities come down to the ANU (and to other locations) to 'Sing their Songs'? If so, he has no credibility whatsoever. Indeed, he is guilty of the same bias and the same poor standards of governance exhibited by others around us: the incumbent editor of the Fiji Times, for instance (note the small 'e'). The rights and access to making full, equitable statements of their position and situation have been denied many people in Fiji (especially minorities) and those with investments and businesses have also been denied a fair, decent hearing. By whom? None other than these self-appointed, self-opinionated PhDs and academics of no standing whatsoever (by our estimation). He would not dare to show himself, I would imagine,to many of my close acquaintance. Let him carefully consider his 'take' on that? If he is a British citizen then he should be thoroughly ashamed of himself and of his failure to "read the Fiji runes" with less obvious partiality and without more common sense. To say nothing about intelligent and objective analysis. His credentials in academia may suit that location but they do not work in action: and that is what counts.
He is hereby challenged to enlarge his experience of Fiji and get up here where it matters most. I dare him to take this challenge up. We shall soon see how he shapes up!
Sounds like his getting his information from the anti-Government blogs! Trying to be famous on Fiji citizens backs!
Dr Fraenkel's experience of Fiji is first hand, since he lived and worked here for more than 10 years. In addition he spent a good deal of time actively researching the various aspects of electoral systems and constitutional development.
I draw both Anonymous's attention to the paper he published with Stewart Firth "The 2006 Military Takeover in Fiji - A Coup to End All Coups?". At 486 pages it is a long, but worthwhile, read.
You may find a link to that paper on the home page of Mr Walsh's blog, under 'Background Material'
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