Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. (René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher,1599-1650)

Thursday, 19 January 2012

The YPCN: Democrats or 'Ultra Nationalists in Disguise'?

Preface
Two comments on the post New Freedoms Awaken Old Protagonists (which reported the views of Peter Waqanovanova of the Young Persons Concerned Network and Information Permanent Secretary Sharon Smith Johns' reply) seem worth wider attention and are published here. 

Readers will note that Fiji Fan thinks I am "once again ...trying to soften the words of this unelected government" when my main contribution to the article merely stated, "For media freedom to be maintained — and dialogue increased —  criticism and suggestions will need to be reasonable, helpful and devoid of self-interest, and government will need to listen to what is being said." The only comment I made on Sharon's reply agreed with  Fiji Today — quite the opposite to what Fiji Fan claimed!

Who are the YPCN?
Early last year, on April 18th (see Search facility in right sidebar) I said, "If readers have more information about the YPCN and the role they have played over the past few years, I would be pleased to hear from them. My information is that it's been totally negative. The main questions seem to be: how representative (ethnicity, class, religions, home backgrounds) and extensive is its membership? What are the credentials of its leaders? What influence do they have? Can anything be done to address their concerns and make them more constructive and more helpful to Fiji outcomes?" No one replied.

As dialogue opens up in Fiji, it is important to know who is talking and who they represent. I would be grateful to the YPCN if it would provide readers with this information. I would also be grateful to learn from readers whether John-Come-Lately's accusations have any validity.  I hesitated before using his comments but felt justified in doing so in the absence of any other information on YPCN's credentials. Are they the democrats they claim, or are they a junior wing of the old establishment?

Unfortunately, both comments are typical of the confrontational style too often adopted in Fiji and called discussion.  I hope we may soon see more helpful and less emotional discussion and dialogue.


Fiji Fan's Comment
Come on, Croz!  Sharon's response: "If you do not want to engage in racial or religious vilification or create public disorder then you should not feel threatened..." is a threat in and of itself! It's entirely up to the REGIME what will be considered as racial or religious vilification or public disorder.

Her response was entirely inappropriate and you, once again, are trying to soften the words of this an unelected government.

Alluding to terrorism is a joke. Fiji has no global prominence so any comparison to laws in the United States is just ridiculous.

I'm all for seeing open and honest dialog but your willingness to try and defend and make light of Sharon Smith John's idiotic and uninformed comments is disappointing. How she is still working in that role is anyone's guess. What an embarrassment to the country.


Johnny-Come-Lately's Comment
Peter W's response was to be expected. He is part of the SDL apparatus -- a Manaso Lasaro, Kaitani, Ted Young, Peceli Rinakama protege - a true, ultra nationalist disguised as a rights campaigner. It is not rights and freedoms, but the return of the racist and corrupt SDL, with Qarase as PM, which is Peter and his mates' mission.

Peter is nothing but an SDL stooge. He is no different from other SDL hypocrites like Mere Samisoni who supported the Speight coup but are now pretending to be democrats. The Qarase government embodied ethnic Fijian hegemony. This is what drives the likes of Peter.  With the SDL in power Peter and others like him will get back that sense of control and power over the others.

So-called champions of democracy like Peter want to rule over other races, who were being discriminated by Qarase. Back then not a peep was heard from one Peter Waqavonovono. Peter is a younger version of that racist and hater of Fiji Indians, Mere Samisoni. Like Mere, he holds the same values as the racist SDL. That's why he is so pained by SDL's demise.

These people are still smarting from the loss of the sense of power and privileges they enjoyed over other Fiji people. They want the old guard back.

Democracy and freedom are being used a front, because these people never really cared for these ideals before, let alone fight for it. Other races were treated like dirt by the SDL. The rights and feelings of Indians were trampled  by one SDL policy after another. Indians were compared to weeds.

I ask, 'where the hell was Peter back them?'

[Abbreviated. The full comment is published as a Comment to the New Freedoms Awaken Old Protagonist posting.]

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

If it was absolutely clear that Frank and his team where interim and under no circumstances would they run in the election then perhaps it would be fair for everyone to hold back on criticism (negativity as you call it).

However it looks like they will run so it is completely unfair that they have free rein to run the show until then. They need to get over their sensitivity and grow up.

Anonymous said...

These so-called democrates are faceless and sululess cowards who are trying to hide their nakedness with the tapa of democracy but everyone knows how hideous were their plans to join the chiefs and the elites and rob the ordinary people. Eastern Fijians robbed the Western Fijians in parliamentary representation, allocating themselves disproportionately high number of seats only because it was to the advantage of Ratu Mara and other Eastern Chiefs. Where was democracy then? Indo-Fijians just became pawns in the game of vicious indigenous politics for no justifiable reasons except they were a different race and worked hard for their livelihood. This was their greatest fault. History will never forget these racists!