Today is Fiji's National Day celebrating 49 years of independence. It should be a day when people recall the many things they share and unite them, a day when differences are put aside. Two days ago SODELPA Opposition leader Sitiveni Rabuka called for "unity in a 'divided' nation".
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In a nation so polarised and divided, he called for a willingness "to work together for the good of all, rather than the interests of only a select few... It is time that we show patriotism through dialogue, understanding and respect for one another to progress and realise our collective dream for a vibrant and prosperous future.”
He said Fijians need to collectively work together through dialogue and consultation so that Fijians continue to enjoy the freedom that so many sacrificed for. He said the Government must continue to embrace the sacrifices of our forefathers and former leaders.
“We also celebrate the strength and indomitable resilience of our people and as a nation in the face of the many challenges and adversity that we have experienced since we became an independent nation,” he said
I do not know how PM Voqere Bainimarama will respond or what he will say today but Rabuka's words ring true.
This is what the nation desperately needs.
The pity is that his fellow opposition National Federation party, did not follow suit. Instead, in addition to its Fiji Day message (see below), it chose Fiji Day to launch a 5000-strong march through Suva to protest the police's "delayed investigation" into the charge laid against the PM for his alleged assault on NFP President Pio Tikoduadua. Its cause is legitimate —the delay has been too long— but not its choice of day. The party's Fiji Day message is much closer to the sort of message many people would expect from the NFP on this auspicious day, not a protest march, although the message also included political criticisms.
Police chief Brig.Gen. Sitiveni Qiliho refused the NFP a march permit, saying the party had not submitted approvals from the Fiji Roads Authority and the Suva City Council with its application. This is disputed by the NFP, and I believe them. It's possible — even probable— that Qiliho would refuse them a permit on any other day. Most probably, the permits were merely his excuse. Unfortunately, freedom of assembly is severely limited in today's Fiji.
But that is not really the point. A Fiji Day protest march of up to 5,000 could well have sparked open violence with Government supporters gathered to celebrate at Albert Park — and widened the divisions in an already deeply divided Fiji. Qiliho made the right decision, however doubtful his reasons.
-- ACW
Something of the ordinary Fijian's feelings on Fiji Day are captured in this posting about 66-year old Joji Volau.
Read also the NFP's Fiji Day message:
October 9, 2019
National interest first: NFP
The National Federation Party today paid tribute to the founding fathers of Fiji, hailing them as gigantic leaders who put national interest above everything else to negotiate Fiji’s Independence 49 years ago.
As we celebrate 49 years of our Independent history, it must not be forgotten that it was the NFP’s founding father and Leader of the Opposition Ambalal Dahyabhai Patel (A D Patel) and his successor Siddiq Moidin Koya (SM Koya), together with the then Chief Minister and later the first Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara (Ratu Mara), who put aside their deep personal and political differences to give Fiji true nationhood and sovereignty.
A peaceful transition from 96 years of Colonial rule to Independence on 10th October 1970 and constitutional and parliamentary rule is a monumental achievement and above all a monumental achievement through genuine dialogue, consensus building, negotiation, resulting in unanimity amongst our founding leaders for Fiji’s future.
This fundamental principle is a cornerstone of NFP’s foundation. We have always achieved solutions to our national problems, which to many people may have seemed insurmountable, through genuine dialogue, goodwill, consensus and bipartisanship.
Independence, a thriving sugar industry that was Fiji’s economic mainstay for 30 years of our independent history and will still remain vitally important to the livelihood of some 200,000 of our people and the 1997 Constitution are a few but perfect examples of what can be achieved by working together.
We should not also forget the 14 years of our Independent history during which we were under military rule due to 4 military coups from 1987 to 2006
We should also not forget that the most important symbol of our nation following Fiji being granted its Instruments of Independence, our noble banner blue flag, would have been changed two years ago had it not been for the widespread opposition of our citizens.
Unfortunately, consensus, goodwill, dialogue and bipartisanship are missing from our national political landscape. We believe it is time to rededicate ourselves to One Nation, One Destiny just as we did 49 years ago.
We should not distort our history and play the blame game in rubbishing the work and achievements of our leaders both pre and post Independence.
We should inculcate a sense of pride and patriotism in our youth and children and ensure that they are unburdened by the social, economic and political prejudices. And the best place to start this endeavour is in our primary schools with the introduction of curriculum that truly reflects the struggles and achievements of our former leaders and doesn’t reengineer history.
Let us all remember the giant strides made by our country’s founding fathers and to hold true to the spirit of unity and understanding of our Independence because freedom, hope and glory is still ours if we grasp it.
Let us all re-dedicate ourselves to national interest instead of focusing only on personal and political advancement.
Let us in the spirit of unity and harmony through genuine Talanoa, so ably demonstrated by our founding fathers, bequeath to our future generations a nation of boundless hopes, endless dreams and aspirations and above all, a Fiji that once again becomes a symbol of genuinely united, harmonious and a beacon of hope.
God Bless Fiji
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