On the "Sydney Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement Rally":
What a big joke for democracy the Sydney -style. They are having the Dracula KAITANI guarding the blood bank DEMOCRACY. This is the same Kaitani who went with me on CLOSE UP on Fiji TV in February, 2003 on debate on sedition. A footage from Larry Thomas's (USP)" A Race for Rights" where Kaitani was shown giving an inciting speech, urging the villagers collected at Sukuna Park, to depose "Indian, Satan' Chaudhry" , just before the march that resulted in takeover of Fiji Parliament.
This Kaitani admitted on national programme Close Up to have committed SEDITION. He was never charged (See Fiji Times of February 11 and 12, 2003). In fact, Qarase promoted him to full Cabinet post of Minister of Information. This Kaitani who was responsible for rape of democracy during Chaudhry rule and who was named as Speight's illegal Minister for Information is going to address the i-Taukei on Democracy in Sydney. The biggest joke of the century.
So, he was to address Fijians on democracy in Sydney- the same way he was misleading Fijians on democracy at Sukuna Park on 19 May, 2000- that the meaning of democracy in Fiji is that Fijians always win elections and run the government. That is Kaitani’s definition of democracy. Is this the model of Democracy that Australian government is promoting – the democracy of ethno-nationalism? This indeed is classic case of Rape of Democracy, promoted by the Australian government.
A Note by a reader on Tui Savu and Simione Kaitani ...
Tui Savu is a dishonest and incompetent lawyer. He tried to promote ethnic Fijian protests, ‘sit ins’, ‘marches’ etc as the lawyer to the ‘Fijian Students Association’ at USP in the late 1990s when some Fijian students beat up Solomon Island students, landing two of them in very serious condition in CWM hospital. The protest was against the suspension of the perpetrators.
Kaitani can be viewed in Larry Thomas’ documentary, ‘Race for Rights’ speaking to a crowd of ethnic Fijians urging them to act against ‘Indians’ and ‘FLP’. It is an example of a ‘hate speech’.
14 comments:
Another bigotted racist and predictable attack from the indo-Fijian Thakir Singh. Never has Fiji been more divided. Long live patriotic Fijians - your patience will be reqarded.
Theres absolutely nothing in his writings to give rise that he or any of his ilks are bigoted.
As for Tui Savu and this Kaikoso fellow they are building sand castles in the air.
Each feathering their own nest.
Really, this is quite unprofessional and bitter; thought Croz was at least trying to develop an appearance of academic, unbiased debate. Or at least informed.No wonder Singh remains unemployed - to his continued confusion.
There is a saying which says that "Racism is the last refuge of a a scoundrel." I must advise A Divided Nation (above) that i did not put my comments as an Indo Fijian but as a Fijian who is worried about hypocritical politicians hoodwinking simple Fijian folks who regard such people with vested interest, like little Gods who rape democracy in the name of their racial superiority. Today Fiji's situation is because of divisive racist politics and slogans from people like Kaitani.
(PS: You couldn't even get get my name correctly!)
@ Thakur
I believe Samuel Johnson's statement was: "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel" (not racism). Though perhaps this cuts a little close to your particular point here.
Also, have you any concern that this form of belittling people and their votes as being 'ignorant' votes is more than a little racist in itself? Perhaps a little bit like another form of the white man's burden?
@ Radio Lucas ... I think we are agreed there was nothing racist in Thakur's article so in that we differ from a Divided Nation and Global Citizen. As for his comment, yes, it could be taken that way, but it's no secret that many village and less educated Fijians are unduly swayed by their chief and Church Minister. I seem to remember one chief actually saying her people would vote as she told them. If these Fijians are to participate fully in democracy they need opportunities to think independently. And the likes of Kaitani and Savu who continue to play the race card do not help in this regard.
help me... just watched al jazeera news and chaudhry arrested! nz journalist michel field says it was a set up.
@ On Patriotism being the last refuge of scoundrels
Dr Johnson would have recognised these scoundrels. Take a look at the footwear. While meeting HRH Prince Charles in March 2005 the sandals of these scoundrels did not pass muster. Not one had thought to spit and polish them but they expected to be presented notwithstanding. The provenance of the sandals was also questionable. "Made in Brazil"? So where was the patriotism?
@ Thakur and Croz
I get what you mean by "undue" influence but the problem remains - to take away a people's right to vote on the basis that they are "simple Fijian folks" and are inherently not "smart" enough to vote the "right way" is not only demeaning, but insulting.
In any event, where do you draw the line? Politicians, whether in OZ, NZ or Fiji have used race, fear and threats in politics - yet Fiji is meant to be different because of some special reason that has yet to be articulated?
Humans are, by definition, political and social animals - you cannot simply say that a certain group, whether chiefs, church goers or mormons (despite how we may feel), cannot engage in politics because of their emotional or cultural influence on others - not only is this a ridiculous assertion but I suspect that the upshot of it will simply be that their influence will continue to be exerted in a covert manner and that would be even worse - at least if some idiot tries to use racism as a public political ideal (i.e. a la One Nation) - it is bald faced and won't stand the test of a concerted electorate. Fiji is not in the dark ages. Fijians are not stupid. Fijians should have a vote, regardless of how people regard their intelligence or allegiances.
The threat of violence or corruption from racism continues to be used as an excuse for all sorts of excessive legislative decrees, but no amount of legislation can remove the underlying struggle that most nations have - to have a democratic government which is accountable to the people of the nation. The problem is that the military are not doing anything to further this cause.
@ Radio Lucas ... I certainly do not mean that any Fijian should not have the right to vote, and I don't think Thakur does either. You are right in saying that politicians outside Fiji have used racism (usually concealed under another issue such as migration or crime) to further their ends.
Some voters may vote for a candidate because they are of the same race and ethnicity which may or may not be a good thing, depending on the circumstances, but this is not racism. They are merely exercising a preference, and they are not attacking people of different races.
The major difference with most overseas countries is that political system in Fiji is based on race -- it is not incidental. This was obvious in the more numerous Commununal electorates, but even in the Open electorates the race-based parties had to vie against other race-based parties. Thus, people of the opposing (enemy?) party were not just people with whom you disagree on matters of policy: they were racially different. The system could not be anything other than divisive.
Fostering nation-building as Bainimarama is doing and changing the electoral system as he intends, will not, of course, solve all of Fiji's problems, but they are big steps in the right direction.
Given a chance, the things that unite Fiji citizens would be seen to outweigh the things that divide them. People like Kaitani and Savu cannot assist this process because they work to keep the races apart; not to bring the Fiji people together. They are racists, not patriots.
Although you and Thakir Singh may believe guns give a mandate to remove an elected government and take control the rest of the democratic world has a different view. As for the racist patronising comment from Singh about 'simple Fijian folk' it says it all about both of you. His totally unacceptable comments (which you appear to support?)are being circulated widely amongst Fijians. The comments are a disgrace and deserve an apology. Such comments are the cause of divisiveness.
@ Guns ... Please read my comment above. And if you play any role in circulating Thakur's comments (or mine) I hope you will do accurately, and not try so hard to read the worst possible interpretation into what was written. For example, Thakur's phrase, "hoodwinking simple Fijian folks." Are you saying there was no hoodwinking? And that of all the people in the world, only Fijians have no simple folk? My reading of Fiji politics is that the SDL played the race card during the 2001 and 2006 Elections, and in doing so it hookwinked many Fijians.
As for the democratically-elected SDL government, two important features of a mature democracy are that government does not abuse its powers by feathering the nest of its own elite, and it ensures minority populations are protected. The SDL did neither. As for guns, I wonder whether you complained about them in 1987 and 2000?
Asked why Bainimarama had not left it to elections and democracy to make political reforms, the self-appointed prime minister said the politicians “don’t want reforms – if they bring about reforms, the people won’t vote for them”.
Bainimarama said an authoritarian government was needed to make the political and electoral reforms in Fiji needed to ensure no more coups would happen.
“In Fiji, you don’t come up with your own vote. Your vote is dictated by the chiefs, it is dictated by the Great Council of Chiefs, it is dictated by the provincial councils, and it is dictated by the [Methodist] Church.‘Not democracy’ “So it’s not your vote. So don’t tell me that it’s democracy.”
Does Voqere Bainimarama's statement about hookwinking Fijians make him a racist?
Thakur Ranjit Singh is correct in his assessment of Simione Kaitani, who I remember calling for three cheers for George Speight inside the parliamentary complex during the 2000 coup. That act alone should have disqualified him from further public office in Fiji yet he went on to become a cabinet minister in Laisenia Qarase's doomed government. The truth is this guy is not only anti-democratic, as evidenced by his support for the 2000 coup, but an unapologetic racial supremacist. The fact that he and his miserable Townsville cohort - erstwhile lawyer Tui Savu - can get away with posing as blemish-free democrats to a gullible Australian media is frankly sickening. So full marks to the estimable Mr Singh for bringing this outrage to public notice and reminding us of the true nature of these "democrat" poseurs. Where I think he might have erred is in using such colourful language and perhaps appearing less than dispassionate to the casual reader. But that doesn't in any way detract from the truth of what he says. These two clowns are taken seriously only by those who share their extremist views and gormless Australian journalists too lazy to do the research that would strip away their carefully-crafted facades.
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