Too Timid to Speak Out (and a Note on the Recent Detentions)

N0160. My article on refugee applications by Fijians to remain in Australia (N0146) brought a sharp response from Too Timid.  Here is his response and the slightly edited comments of three others on what he had to say.

TOO TIMID WROTE:

Croz, It is dangerous to speak out. I know people who have said things sometimes in private conversations who have had to pay a visit to QEB. This is not hearsay this is first hand information.

I mix with business people of all races and none of them will say anything against the regime because to speak out means you or your business will be damaged. That may not be 100% true but it is 100% the perception.

There is fear in this country and it is growing. It is fear and paranoia on the government's side as seen by the questioning of three of the most loyal supporters of the 2006 coup: Rokoului, Pita Driti and Aziz. On the side of the people it is the fear to speak out against the regime.
You may feel that it is a popular government, and in certain sectors it may be. But in the business community it is very unpopular and we are all too timid to speak up.

It is probably time you paid another trip to Fiji for yourself. This time don't just visit with the Ministry of information and follow their itinerary talk to others. Having said that very few will talk to you because you are seen to be part of the regime.

THREE COMMENTS

I asked several people to comment and this is what three of them said:

NGO worker:
I am not aware of anyone being taken up to the camp in recent months. Of course it is still a joke among people that if you say anything uncomplimentary you will be taken in but everyone knows it is a point of humour. A few months ago I heard of a friend who was invited by Driti to the camp for morning tea. While he was away from the office a journalist phoned and his secretary replied that he  had been taken to the camp. 

I would, however, be surprised if businessmen were afraid of saying anything.  They have not been reluctant to approach government with their complaints.

Of course I think everyone needs to act sensibly and not provoke the regime. If they did, they would be asking for trouble.  But for ordinary people bringing their probelms and concerns to the PMs office they have no need to fear.

Teacher:
I have no doubt that there is more than a grain of truth being said by ‘Too Timid’.  Business leaders have always sought to be on the ‘right side’ of government. They will express their opposition to policies diplomatically and privately always ensuring that they maintain good relations.

This much I can say – I don’t fraternize with business people but on the occasion that I have done – I have received mostly negative comments. Read about the ‘fish bowl’ environment in island tax havens where dissent is stifled, in our situation where the military backed government can take direct and abrupt action against individuals as well as property, there are very good reasons to be afraid.

Businessman:
Well, for some people it would be true.  My views are well known though, I must admit, I do self-censor frequently. That is due in the main to cultural precepts which I have long learned to observe. I do not, for instance, hold forth on matters to do with iTaukei.  That is from long, long understanding that it is unwise and can have repercussions which are not necessarily to be expected. They may be overt or covert in their manifestation.

We are living in particularly treacherous times: not different in some respects from post-2000/2001. There are hang-overs from these two years and all horror of them.  I learned about some Kalabo horror that I had not previously accessed in detail just last week.  I knew of the event but not the minutiae nor the scale of this.  No country the size of Fiji can recover without significant reconciliation/counseling/PTS-syndrome management and expect to function normally.

This is why: the Middle East trauma and violence does have direct relevance to Fiji. The tribal norms and strict conditions for belonging, exclusion of outsiders, the violent past of many countries, the recent turmoil demanding divided loyalties for many, are completely relevant to Fiji and other Melanesian countries. We differ only in degree with regard to the violence and to the corruption and covert pressures which are exerted upon the ordinary people.

The Pacific Islands (as you well know) share many ‘tabu’ areas.  These become heightened in times of trauma and of acute pressure.  Family ties may be sundered by divided loyalties. None of this would be discussed openly.  Only among and with persons of the same ‘matagali’ or tribal grouping and only among those of the same rank.  It is a huge mistake to think that ‘professional’ values will apply in such conversations.  They often will not.

For this reason alone, Jenny of the Lowy Institute (see N0150) is barking up many wrong trees.  Even friends would not discuss these matters necessarily among themselves. We all know each other but we would censor some subject matter deliberately to ensure that we are not labeled with revelations.  This is for cultural and social necessity and propriety as much as for security reasons.

But the security context is NEVER absent in the PER – or even prior to PER.  One is safer by far in a general way but in particular contexts there would be no difference at all were one to discuss: Land Issues/Sexual Violence/Family connections and blood relationships/any matter to do with iTaukei Chiefly status and connections/Corruption in particular quarters (as opposed to general corruption).

Some persons do not like this.  They see such a stance as ‘provocative’. Tough!  There is no future for Fiji without the Tough Getting Going!  And once they are going, they must stay the journey.

NOTE ON RECENT DETENTIONS


There have been several (about six) detentions by the military of well-known activists in the last two weeks.  Most have been brief; most appear to have involved some level of violence; all have been mentioned by the international media; all have been condemned by Amnesty International, and none has been mentioned in the Fiji media.  I shall be publishing an opinion on the detentions and the issues involved once I have explored all possible avenues to find out what happened and why.   If readers can help me in this, I would be greatful. Croz