(o) Short Briefs 11.2.10

 Foreign  Relations

Auckland and former USP political sociologist Dr Sitiveni Ratuva says NZ's response to Fiji's appointment of a military officer to a diplomatic position at the Fiji High Commission in Wellington will determine the future of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He hopes the NZ response will be "innovative and sensitive enough to salvage a diplomatic process that now has the potential to fail."  Link.

 Fiji, NZ and Australian Foreign Ministers met again in Canberra yesterday. Link.

Pressure mounts for Australian rapprochement with Fiji. Link.

The United Arab Emirates Foreign Affairs Minister arrived in Nadi last night for talks with Fiji's Foreign Minister.  Link.

Regional and Other Development: 

Roadmap Issues

PM Bainimarama is reported to have told villagers in Ra province he will retire after the 2014 elections. He also thanked them for changing their position to support Government. The retirement story is unconfirmed.  RadioFiji Link.  Recalling how the military was stopped from entering the province two years ago, he said he was glad that Ra had changed its stance and expressed support for him. Fiji Times link.

The Housing Authority's $70million Chinese loan should be finalized this week. Link.

 Rent charged for Crown land is as low as 10-cents a year! Corruption implications? Link.

 PM talks about regional development. Link.

The first Rotuma exports to Tuvalu, comprising dalo, kumala and tavioka, is expected on March 22. Link.

El Nino. Farmers inland from Sigatoka are feeling the severe wrath of the current El Nino phenomena that may extend into April. Ram Sami, one of the farmers affected, reported the "green vegetarian environment has completely disappeared." Creeks, wells and livestock are also affected. Link.

Announcement to Aucklanders
Auckland will be hosting "Fiji Festival 2010" from noon to 9pm on Saturday 20 Februry. Link.

(o) Assassination Plot Report 11.2.10

Michael Field reports in Stuff. Good court coverage and background information. Link.

Witness: Ballu Khan was Weapons Man. Link.

Judge warns defence lawyer (yesterday). Link. 

 Plot was to be executed during Christmas 2007

Published  11/02/2010 [12:52]

A Military Intelligence Officer has told the Suva High Court this morning that the alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama and others was to be executed during the festive season in December, 2007.

This was revealed by the State witness Auta Natuinivalu who is currently being cross examined by Defence Counsel, Mehboob Raza. Natuinivalu told the court that one of the accused, Sivaniolo Naulago, told him that the plan was to be executed during the Christmas period when all the soldiers would be on leave.

Upon questioning by Raza, Natuinivalu stated that his mission in the group was to recover the weapons which they believed was missing since the 1987 coup and they have been searching ever since.

When questioned on what efforts were made to enquire where the weapons were, Natuinivalu responded they were told by one of the accused that the weapons will be bought, and the arrangements were to be made by businessman, Ballu Khan. He said no time frame was given.

Natuinivalu said that he was surprised to hear of the arrest of the accused persons in November, 2007 but he said he was not surprised that Lance Corporal Peniasi Kuli was also arrested as he was part of all the meetings that took place. He told the court he did not contact Kuli after that.

Raza also questioned the witness on whether five to six men could attack the Military camp and take over the Armoury. Natuinivalu said this could not be done and he did not know whether the others would have been involved.

Raza continues to highlight the discrepancies between Natuinivalu's police statement and his evidence in court regarding the exact time and days for the meetings that took place at that time. Natuinivalu responded by saying that when he was giving his statement, he was questioned for about four hours and he was tired and just wanted to go home.

During the cross examination Raza also questioned the witness on why his group leader Peniasi Kuli constantly reminded them of staying true to the RFMF. Natuinivalu responded that Kuli kept stressing the point to them that they must  remain true to the RFMF as in the past experience during the 2000 coup, some of the undercover military personnel who were in Parliament did not carry out the orders. The cross examination continues.

(o+) Appeal to Readers: Offset the Negative Coverage

The UN Human Rights hearing in Geneva will put Fiji in the international spotlight for several days. Unbalanced accounts will appear in the media in even greater number. Actual and  supposed human rights abuses will not be offset by anything complimentary. The abuses of power in pre-Coup Fiji will not be mentioned, and neither will Government's attempts to make a better Fiji.

Less obviously, anti-government bloggers based in Australia, NZ and the States and their supporters will be at work trying to influence outcomes.

MJ, in a comment to my post What Price Human Rights?, urges readers to write to the Melbourne Age in reply to one such unbalanced article.  I would urge all readers to write and otherwise contact their local media, and write to the Melbourne Age. Link here. Politicians do heed the media.

P.S. Some readers may think this appeal is unbalanced and so it might be. But to restore balance, it is often necessary to lean more heavily on one side than one may wish. This blog aims to assist positive outcomes in Fiji, which means focusing mainly on the bigger picture and in this case keeping the "abuses" in perspective. The political stance of most items is indicated by +, - and o symbols, alone or in combination, as described in the lefthand column.

(o+)What Price Human Rights?

Opinion -- Crosbie Walsh

Rev Akuila Yabaki is in Geneva attending a Human Rights workgroup that will make submissions to the Human Rights Council from 9am – 12pm on Thursday (tomorrow) 11 February 2010. The event can be watched live on: www.un.org/webcast/unhcr/index.asp A CCF release indicates that his main concerns are an independent judiciary and human rights. 

My own opinion is that while these matters need to be addressed in Fiji (but only internationally to gain more internal clout), genuine human rights advocates like Akuila should not underestimate the dangers inherent in the present situation, and the far-from-democratic forces aiming to destabilise government. If they succeed, Fiji will have another manipulated  "democratically elected" government, just like the old one.

There can be little doubt that Government is more aware of this possibility than it openly admits and it could account for it curtailment of some human rights. If this is so, outcomes could be very different than Akuila intends. It would be naive not to consider such a possibility. 

The relatively small scale and scope of human rights abuses in Fiji, important though they are, are at this point in Fiji's history of less importance than the ongoing abuses that have affected large numbers of Fiji citizens over a long period of time. These will only be addressed by ensuring Government keeps to its Roadmap and elections in 2014.  

There are risks in all situations (how can we be assured Bainimarama means what he says?) but Fiji needs to go forward not back, and this is the risk I believe must be taken if there are to be positive outcomes from the 2006 Coup and all that has happened since.

Short Briefs 10.2.10

Asia Human Rights Watch is  again calling on UN to condemn Fiji's "abuse of human rights.

Jon Fraenkel and Jone Baledrokadroka will speak Thursday midday at the Austrian Ambassador's residence in Canberra on the Fiji situation tomorrow. Austria! Those wishing to attend email karina.doblander@bmeia.gv.at

Rev Akuila Yabaki is in Geneva attending a Human Rights workgroup that will make submissions to the Human Rights Council from 9am – 12pm on Thursday (tomorrow) 11 February 2010. The event can be watched live on: www.un.org/webcast/unhcr/index.asp For my opinion on this, see the post "What  Price Human Rights?"

Gold Find in Upper Wainibuka valley, Tailevu.

Fiji plans to lure 130,000 Kiwi tourists.

Former High Court Judge Nazhaat Shameem looks to the media to properly inform the public on the new Media Decree.


NLTB liquidates Vanua Development Corporation. Wants full landowner participation.

Australian travel ban harsh and not working,

The local shipbuilding industry could be revived next year with help from China.

FNPF review. Public, employer, trade union, NGO and civil society organization  submissions close in one week (16 February) on the Fiji National Provident Fund Act review. The FNPF is working with the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise on phase one of the review process to reposition the FNPF for the next decade. Reserve Bank and FNPF officials will visit Singapore to study its Central Provident Funds structure and operations. Link here.

Companies in breach of land rent conditions. The Public Accounts Committee has found that several well-known companies like Flour Mills of Fiji and S Nair Buses are in breach of lease conditions on Government land. Re-mortgaging has occurred without rental reassessment, FMF was underpaying rentals, many thousands of dollars are involved, one lease is on land zoned residential, and some cases go back to 1999.

See also the first comment on the "Political Satire" posting for opinions on some of these developments. Thanks, TheMax.

(o) Alleged Assassination Plot Case Continues

Reports from three four sources

Three prosecution witnesses appears in assassination trial

Fiji Village Link
Three prosecution witnesses appeared in the assassination plot trial earlier today as the prosecution tries to present evidence to prove that certain meetings occurred in 2007, which was aimed at conspiring to murder the Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama and others. 

President of the Fijian Teachers Association Tevita Koroi gave evidence that he received a call from one of the accused, Sivaniolo Naulago in September 2007, requesting Koroi to arrange a private meeting room for Naulago and a small group.

Koroi stated that he knew Naulago as the General Manager of Pacific Connex, who they were in consultations with to upgrade their IT system, and so he made some calls and arranged for them to use a room for their meeting.

State witness Lance Corporal Peniasi Kuli had said earlier in the trial that they had one meeting in September 2007 in a room at the FTA Hall at Knolly Street.

He revealed that the meeting started at 8pm, and he said in court that accused, Sivaniolo Naulago asked the three members of the Territorial Forces Luke Soa, Saula Lasagavibau and Sevuloni Kaidreli and him, on the type of weapons they were going to use to execute the plan.

Kuli said they gave their ideas that M16's, silencers and AK47's were to be used.

Another witness who took the stand today was Anita Degei who is a Reservations and Sales Agent for the Sofitel Hotel.

She revealed that on October 26th, 2007, Ballu Khan, who had booked three rooms at the hotel, paid for the rooms and other bills.

She said Khan paid in cash after requesting that the expenses for the three rooms be put under his bill.

Lance Corporal Kuli had earlier said during his cross-examination that some meetings occurred at the Sofitel Hotel.

Makoi based van driver, Hazel Khan gave evidence that he picked five men from RB Centerpoint in Laucala Beach on the morning of September 22nd, 2007 and took them to Nadi to watch the final of the Sanyo cup.

Khan revealed that he took the men to Sabeto before driving them to the game.

He said he returned soon after and that it will be difficult for him to identify any of the passengers on that day and that he never went to the Sofitel hotel.

The eight accused persons charged with conspiracy to murder Commodore Bainimarama, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Mahendra Chaudhry are Naitasiri high chief, Ratu Inoke Takiveikata, Feoko Gadekibau, Barbados Mills, Sivaniolo Naulago, Metuisela Mua, Eparama Waqatairewa, Kaminieli Vosavere and Pauliasi Ramulo.

Click on Read more to continue.

(o) Political Satire

Political satire in its many forms is a powerful weapon that has not escaped the attention of anti-Goverment people or the foreign media.  The English magazine Punch used it in the mid-1800s to ridicule and effectively destroy the Chartist Movement, and it has been used many times since. But not by the Fiji Governnment: there are no cartoonist or satirists at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks. And it takes humility and political wisdom to sometimes laugh at oneself.

This  link to the Cafe Pacific posting is an example of good political satire based, as much of it usually is, on a somewhat onesided selection of facts. I address one of these  is this comment I made to their post:

 Sas's Open Letter to the Prime Minister
The letter's brilliant. Pure satire, it exposes the numerous petty over-reactions of Government, but it  rests on one important misrepresentation: Ordinary pensions are not being stopped and ordinary people deprived of an income derived in part from their FNPF contributions. The pensions stopped are those of former politicians to which they made no financial contributions.  They are paid by the State they seek to undermine.

Enjoy the letter but be aware that  political satire is a powerful weapon that is sometimes aimed deliberately off-target."

I have a serious suggestion. Government should also use humour to attack its opponents and popularise its own perspectives. Recruit some cartoonists and other satirists, or mount public competitions around themes like: SDL ideas on democracy; Church keeps its head out of politics, Mataqali share of land rentals,  Fiji's "new" squatter and water supply problems; Qarase returns tabua. There are endless possibilities but keep them light and humourous.

Short Briefs Tuesday 9.2.10

The alleged assassination trial was  adjourned yesterday due to a key witness illness. It should resume today.

Government is looking for a chairperson for the Political Dialogue Forum who will not be "biased towards anyone." More than 200 applications have been received from NGOs, the Churches, Chiefs and the population seeking a seat in the Dialogue Forum.The agenda and the time of the Forum has yet to be decided.

Rotuma airport expected to be completed in 2012.

Fijian landowners have been promised better returns when the Mahogany Decree is in place.

It is rumoured that 20 former parliamentarians have lost their parliamentary pensions.

Former judge Isikeli Mataitoga presented his credentials as Fiji's first Ambassador to the Russian Federation at the Kremlin in Moscow last Thursday.

Roving ambassador and high commissioner to the Pacific Islands, Ratu Tui Cavuilati, will present his credentials to the President of the Federated States of Micronesia – tomorrow. Ratu Tui will be exploring trade opportunities for agriculture, labour export and tourism. The North Pacific trip is part of Fiji’s renewed foreign affairs policy,  aimed at garnering support from traditional allies and expanding or establishing new bilateral relationships.

Some 232,680 Australians visited in 2009, Fiji's toughest year.

State warn fish thieves.

PM Bainimarama has urged coasal Kadavu  villagers whose seawalls have broken to look for other sites inland.

It is sloppy, misleading and unfair reporting that uses the term "Asian" so loosely, especially when reporting crime, and it occurs in NZ as well as Fiji. If the Fiji Times means Chinese, say so. Asians account for nearly one-half of humankind and include Turks, Uzbeks, Iraqi, Indians, Pakistani, Koreans and many others who are Asian but definitely not Chinese.

Readers are again urged to read Comments to postings. Many provide insights and viewpoints at least as valuable as the postings themselves. Please comment yourself, but if you wish to remain anonymous, use a pseudonym. Anonymouses  are not accepted.

Why Short Briefs?

One reason for starting Short Briefs is that I can write them without having to sit at the computer for too long. The doctor has diagnosed arthritis of the lower spine.  It should get better but for now sitting, standing, walking and even lying down cause some pain. I'll try to publish daily Short Briefs and 3-4  articles a week on major events and issues, but if you think of something I should cover, and haven't, why not submit your own writings for consideration?  The condition could be greatly eased with some yaqona but the Maori only managed to bring kawakawa to NZ which is okay for stomach upsets, boils and intoxicating small fish, but not for human consumption.

Short Briefs Monday 8.2.10

NZ has put some conditions to Fiji before finalizing the appointment of Councillors.

Foreign Minister Inoke Kubuabola described the talks as constructive, mutually beneficial, and another step, towards restoring starved diplomatic relations.He said a change in climate on diplomatic relations is on the cards.

Steve Ratuva suggests "innovative diplomacy."

Peter Thomson has been confirmed as Fiji's permanent representative at the UN. Click link for short biography.

The Fiji Live poll on whether NZ should continue sanctions while trying to improve diplomatic relations remains constant with 72% saying No.

Following on from Government's ban on its monthly and divisional meetings, the Methodist Church has urged members to comply with the law. PM Bainimarama says Government is still watching seven ministers he claims are backed by corrupt politicians.

The Ministry of Works has started work on reforms to comply with Government instructions to improve efficiency.

Seventeen new lawyers have been admitted to the bar. Chief Justice Anthony Gates urged them to treat their clients equally, no matter what their social station.

PM Bainimarama has been accepting and then returning tabua (whale's tooth) at recent traditional ceremonies. Civil servants who have received tabua as part of their job have been told to follow suit.

Following the confiscation of tabua from Suva pawn shops, the  Department of Environment has ordered that anyone wanting to sell tabua should register to do so, setting the fee at $1,050.

LandForce Commander BrigGen Pita Driti has announced that 90 Fiji soldiers for the next UN mission will leave for Iraq next month. They will be responsible for guarding UN personnel in Baghdad, which they have been doing since 2006.

The Citizen's Constitution Forum quarterly newsletter Tutaka Online, Vol 4, Jan 2010 can be downloaded by clicking this MediaFire link. It contains several items on recently declared Decrees.

Qarase's Philosophy Supported the 2000 Coup. Click here for Subhash Appana's article in the Auckland-published Indian Weekender.

The Government Information and Referral Centre opened last July in downtown Suva to provide better access for the public to government information, services and departments has so far answered 1,000 enquiries.

Sunday Feature: An Insider's View from the Outside

Nesian is a pseudonym for a moderate, Fiji-born, part-Fijian,Hindi-speaking, sky-blue passport-carrying, former Fiji-resident. An Insider's View From the Outside is the result of years spent thinking about all that has happened since the 2000 coup.   Photo: Earth from space. Oakfieldmedia.com.

Defining Moment

IN the lead-up to the 1999 elections, I was part of a tour into the heart of the then Fiji Intelligence Service headquarters in Berkley Crescent.

Outside, we walked past officers undergoing martial arts training under the guidance of Major Dong Jin Kim.

The centre of the room where the National Security Council met was dominated by a sizeable round table. There were chairs for the members of the council: the Prime Minister (Sitiveni Rabuka) and Minister for Home Affairs, the Commander of the Fiji Military Forces (Ratu Epeli Ganilau), the head of FIS, and others I can’t now recall.

Heavy light green curtains lined the walls of the room and one of these had been drawn aside, perhaps for the benefit of the visitors, to reveal photos of various weapons that were still missing from the 1987 illicit arms shipments.

A curtain on another wall had inadvertently slipped open. The resulting crack revealed a map of Fiji, and highlighted on the map were Fiji Labour Party campaign meeting details, the party’s strongholds and the names of party members.

The campaign that spawned May 19, 2000 was in motion.

P.S. No suggestion is made that those named were part of the "campaign that spawned the 2000 Coup" but what was seen on the wall certainly suggests some FIS involvement in the 1999 election. The FIS was disbanded when Chaudhry's FLP won the election, only to be ousted one year later by the Speight-fronted coup. Photo: Earth from Space.

Wellington Sevens

Fiji wins! An exciting game.  Samoa was so very close. Congratulations to both teams.

Lockington's Everyday Fiji ... Life Goes On

Allen Lockington is a self-employed customs agent and business consultant who has regular articles published in www.connectme.com.fj/news/opinion. I thank Allen and Connect for permission to reprint some of them in this political blog. They remind us that life goes on, whatever the political situation. And it's good to know that.

Water Issues

Most parts of Lautoka get water from around 5 to 9 am then it comes on again around 4 pm and is turned off again at 8 pm. In a day we get 8 hours of water. In a day we get only 8 hours of water. We store water for cooking, drinking, and sanitary purposes. Our home looks like a water bottling factory. If we have a family function we either request the water authority to bring a tank of water or just made do with what is available and the garden. Yuck.

Many people have said that with the new water authority things will get better. But where will they get the water from if there is no rain? And with the increase in city population resources will be affected. Not to mention the leaking old pipes

However, I hope the authority can adopt FEAs policy on billing. When a consumer vacates and moves to a new home and goes to get the meter registered in his name they should be asked to produce the bill for their last residence and any outstanding monies are transferred to the new account. Many times landlords or new tenants have their water meter cut because of outstanding bill incurred by former tenants. The new water authority doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel - FEA has a full proof method of collection.

I have one question – will the water problem be ever solved?

(o) Assassination Plot Trial

The most dramatic news from Suva this week is the start of the High Court trial of Naitasiri High Chief Qaranivalu Ratu Inoke Takiveikata (photo) and seven others charged with plotting the assassination of PM Bainimarama, Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum Khaiyum and former PM and at the time Minister of Finance Mahendra Chaudhry in 2007.

The other accused are Feoko Gadekibau, Barbados  Mills, Sivaniolo Naulago, Metuisela Mua, Eparama Waqatairewa, Kaminieli Vosavere and Pauliasi Ramulo. Fiji-born NZ businessman Ballu Khan who was arrested, beaten and deported a year ago, is implicated but not charged.

State Counsel, David Toganivalu, asked the then head of Military Intelligence Unit, Major Isireli Narawa, about his first meeting with Ratu Inoke.  He said he met the first accused, Ratu Inoke, at the Sofitel Resort in Nadi in 2007 where the plans to assassinate the commander were made known to him. The Major told the Qaranivalu he did not want Ballu Khan at the meeting, and this was agreed.

Ratu Inoke said the plotters had the backing of the vanua, a number of [Methodist?] churches in Kinoya, Nabua and Cunningham (Greater Suva) had been organised to carry out a rally on the day of the assassination, and an interim administration had been planned. "We basically need to get the prime minister out, to kill him," he was told.

Major Narawa said the military first heard rumours of an assassination plot around February-March 2007, and in a bid to draw out elements planning the assassination, had "released intelligence officer Lance Corporal Peniasi Kuli into the community to gather information undercover."

Kuli, the first State witness, had told the court he posed as a disgruntled senior army officer, willing to support the removal of Bainimarama, when he has first visited Ratu Inoke in a Nadi hotel room on 24 October 2007. He gave the chief his support and an assurance that “he could arrange for the entry of the assassination team into the army barracks on the execution day to carry out the plan”.

Major Narawa said he informed Bainimarama and the Police Commissioner the following day about the situation and the matter was referred to the Military Council. The police were not informed at that time because the military were unsure of the loyalty of the Police Special Branch and Police CID unit.

Further evidence was given by Lance Corp. Kuli that former Fiji nationalist politician Apisai Tora would supply the weapons. Defence counsel Iqbal Khan asked Kuli where he got this information, and Kuli said that he heard it from one of the accused. Khan then questioned Kuli about his statement to the Police on the 11th of September, 2007 that one of the accused Barbadoes Mills and businessman Ballu Khan would provide the explosives/ Kuli said it was another accused, Sivaniolo Naulago, who had told him about the explosives, and that he had a "dry run" of the plan at a training session with four other men at Wailase in Naitasiri. Altogether he had attended 14 meetings with the accused to plan the assassination.

Major Narawa said that Ratu Inoke told him that former politician Peceli Rinakama was out in the highlands gathering ex-military personnel for the cause, and that money had been sent to New Zealand to purchase the arms and weapons.

Ratu Inoke also told Major Narawa he had the support of the international embassies including NZ, Australia, USA and the British embassies and Ratu Inoke alleged that the Australian Embassy had given $1 million to kick-start the economy if something happens. Fiji Live wrongly reported the sum as one billion dollars. Major Narawa said Commodore Bainimarama, the then Chief of Staff, Colonel Samuela Saumatua and the Commissioner of Police, Commodore Esala Teleni were briefed on the plan by him. 

The trial continues on Monday. Photo: FijiLive.

With reluctance but in fairness, I have accepted the advice of several readers not to publish comments while the trial  is still in progress. Comments already published have been deleted.

(-) Fiji and the The Epoch

Military Ruler Tests the Boundaries

I'm forever amazed at where news on Fiji turns up, and what it too often says. Reporter Julia Huang in NY-based The Epoch made at least eight errors or unsupportable statements in her recent report.
1. The military is planning to oversee any newly elected government. Could be, but only by keeping government to the Constitution.
2. Bainimarama has exiled many of his critics. A small number of foreigners and Fiji-born critics who have renounced their Fiji citizenship have been deported or refused entry. But exiled and not many.
3. He intends to draft a new constitution. Along with many others!
4. Regions opposed to Bainimarama have been forced to apology. Fijian custom, no force, and one or two tikina (districts) not the four main regions.
5. He has cancelled the pensions of those opposing his government, including form PM Rabuka. These are parliamentary pensions funded entirely by government, not the general contributory pensions paid to civil servants and others on retirement. So far only one pension has been cancelled: Rabuka, who led the first Fiji coup in 1987 and ceased being PM over ten years ago.
6. Rev. Yabaki said this would cut off people's food line and starve those against Government.  The statement was a reaction to false news spread by Fiji media misunderstanding and anti-government bloggers.
7. Ms Huang repeats Apolosi Bosi's dated, biased and exaggerated statements made on behalf of Amnesty International.
8. She quotes American Professor of Political Studies (not History) Steve Hoadley who thinks Leweni's nomination is Bainimarama "trying to provoke a fight" with NZ. Sounds good for the media but hardly an academic's evaluation.

And who and what is Epoch Times?

American reviewers see it as Falun Gong in disguise and "somewhat paranoid". Virulently anti-Chinese government, it is published in 30 countries and 11 languages. It claims the 2008 Sichuan earthquake was caused by a Red Army nuclear explosion, and the Shenzhou 7 Spacewalk was filmed under water to distract attention from the babies' Milk Scandal in which NZ company Fonterra was unknowingly implicated. If you believe this, you’d believe anything – even on Fiji. But, more times than not, the world’s mainstream media, ensures it’s in good company. Source: Google, Epoch Times.

One Small Step? Australia Lifts Travel Ban

Three Wise Men?

Several readers have expressed the opinion that the lifting of the travel ban by Australia signals a breakthrough in its relations with Fiji. I would like to think so also, because there can be no improvement in relations without dialogue and if the ban remains lifted, more capable people will apply for senior government positions -- and this can only be good for dialogue and democracy.

There are four reasons why I am less optimistic:

• First, the ban had to be lifted to allow Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola to meet with his Australian and NZ counterparts, Stephen Smith and Murray McCully  in Canberra;
•  Secondly, it is a qualified "case by case" lift, that can be revoked at any time, but this is probably the best that can be expected in the circumstances.  It is a pity family exemptions were not explicitly mentioned but this may the next call.
  
• Thirdly, ABC interviewer Linda Mottram in the report seen by some readers says Ratu Inoke Kubuabola carries little weight with the Bainimarama government. She cites no sources, but given the Government's record of allowing different spokesmen to say different things only to have them "corrected" later by Bainimarama, her comment is at least credible. Kubuabola's mention of Parmesh Chand to McCully at their Nadi meeting  and the subequent nomination of Neumi Leweni is a specific example.
  
• Fourthly, and most importantly, Smith signaled the action represented no change in their basic position: 1) Fiji must "return to democracy on a much shorter timetable than the interim government is currently indicating." 2) "There must be full and free and fair participation in the political process in Fiji which, in our view, is not occurring," 3) "We  (Australia and NZ) propose to let our views about the current arrangements in Fiji continue to be known to our neighbours and friends in the Pacific and in the Commonwealth." Link to Joint Press Conference.

Middle Ground

One can only hope this a mix of principle and expediency with a large pinch of face-saving. The South Pacific's "superpowers" can't -- and won't -- give in to Bainimara, and for the same mix of reasons Bainimarama can't -- and won't-- give in to them.

There is, of course (because there must be) a middle ground that would revolve around multi-lateral, one-step-after-the-other, concessions to speed up the process: Speed is at the centre of the issue. Speed fast enough to satisfy AusNZ, and convince Fiji citizens that real progress is being made, but not so fast Bainimarama has insufficient time to at least embed, if not fully achieve,  the changes he desires

What steps can be taken?
Fiji could accept some members of the old political parties into the citizen dialogue process (and later constititional and electoral dialogues) on the understanding that they publically accept the priniciples of the People's Charter and the need for electoral reform, including the abolition of race-based parties.  Once the Media Decree is in place the PERS emergency could be lifted, and some reasonable accommodation sought with the Methodist Chuch in exchange for their oath to permanently refrain from party politicking, and desist from misinforming world-wide Methodism about the causes for their present position.

In return, AustNZ could offer legal, technical and financial help to speed up investigations into corruption, and assist with legal reform, media reform, civil service reform, land reform and land use, and other items of the Roadmap.

Of symbolic but no less important, AustNZ would send out really good vibes to Fiji if it asked the Commonwealth (which acted in the first place on their prompting) to readmit Fiji into the Commonwealth Games because "progress" was being made.  One sanction less will not ease the pressure on Fiji but this one could well be the "test of sincerity" Fiji says it wants.

Further concessions should see AustNZ actively encouraging Fiji's participation in all the regional institutions and processes from which it has restricted access or been totally excluded. At some stage the Commonwealth and the EU could also  be persuaded to resume their aid and othe assistance to Fiji. We could also reduce pressure on the UN on Fiji peacekeepers.

If most or many of these steps could be taken, Fiji should be able to bring elections forward to 2013 or even 2012.

Before then, each positive step taken by Fiji should be taken as "progress" by AustNZ leading to further steps and, with each step taken, Fiji will see we really are their friends in need and deed.  Once a firm election date is set, all sanctions should be lifted with Fiji returned to its rightful place in the community of nations.

Other Players, the First Move, a Special Committee?
There are, of course, other important players, in Fiji and overseas.  In Fiji, the most influential include the media, the Methodist Church, the more moderate politicians, chiefs, trade unions, and non-government organizations. If they are seen to be supporting the steps forward, success is assured and the  more extreme elements will become irrelevant to Fiji's future.  The AustNZ media, that for the most part has made the situation worse,  also need  to be better informed and more supportive of positive change.

Who makes the first move? AustNZ with the Commonwealth Games, Pacer Plus, the regional organizations mentioned by Richard Herr? Or Fiji by lifting PERS, being more inclusive and tolerant of constructive debate and criticism, by retracting its latest restrictions on the Methodist Church, by revoking no further pensions, and improving its PR and speaking with one voice. One stray public remark could seriously set the process back.


A Special Diplomatic Committee?
The ball is probably already rolling behind the scenes, but until more senior diplomats are installed in Suva, Wellington and Canberra, a special diplomatic committee representing the three countries, housed at the Forum headquarters in Suva, with hot lines to their respective ministers, could help push things forward and, just as important, ratchet up each step and stop it sliding back.

Update: That the Ministers have reported some progress and have agreed to meet again may seem an anti-climax but we may be assured discussions will continue at different levels. This "feels" more like the end of the beginning than the beginning of the end.

Reflections on the Naidu-Walsh Debate

Between Politics and Poetry 

by Sudarsan Kant

Your recent debate with Nick Naidu on the political situation in Fiji unwittingly exposed a fundamental divide between the different interlocutors around the Fiji question and the proper course of action to pursue in solving the crisis. You have for sometime now insisted that substantive solutions must be congruent with the reality on the ground, and to pretend otherwise will not alter what has happened, and is happening in Fiji.

Neither you nor I suggest that we ought to elide over the hash that people have made of politics and society in Fiji for a very long time, but trying to wind the clock back to 1987, or 2000 or 2006 is certainly not moving forward.

(B) Electoral Reform for Fiji

 Electoral Reform for Fiji: the Importance of Speedily Ending Malapportionment

by

Scott MacWilliam

The current regime in Fiji has correctly identified one vote one value as an important democratic principle which should underpin electoral reform in Fiji. The system used under the 1997 Constitution for the 1999, 2001 and 2006 elections grossly distorted the weight given to votes as between different constituencies, which is malapportionment, but not gerrymandering. (The latter involves the specific drawing of electorate boundaries to benefit a particular party or individual candidate, and was not a major feature of the Fiji electoral system.)

Malapportionment is usually initiated when conservative parties, with their bases in rural areas have most influence. In federations, where there is an elected upper house or Senate, there is often constitution derived, deliberate malapportionment which favours states or provinces with small populations. In the US, each state has two Senators, whether the population is large – California, New York etc. – or small – Alaska, Wyoming, South Dakota etc. In Australia there are twelve Senators per state, with each seat in Tasmania allocated per approximately 27,000 voters and in New South Wales and Victoria allocated on the basis of about 330,000 voters. That is, a senator from the two most populated states represents more than ten times as many people as a senator from Tasmania. A former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating was in part referring to this disparity when he described members of the Senate from all parties as ‘unrepresentative swill’.

However for much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries lower house seats for the national and sub-national legislatures have been malapportioned as well, usually reflecting the continuing power of rural interests in the major parties or coalitions. It was not until 1974, that malapportionment was removed for House of Representative seats in Australia and the practice remained at the state level until recently. It has often been the case that the Australian Labor Party has campaigned hardest for reform, but in seeking to become the dominant force in conservative politics in Australia the Liberal Party – or at least some its members – also favoured the end of malapportionment. One vote one value is a cause with political as well as moral imperatives.

This is the case for Fiji too: the malapportionment of the old electoral system played a major part in keeping the country’s political economy mired in its rural past, even as the population shifted to the urban areas. Along with this shift educated, skilled workers and professionals formed a larger proportion of the labour force. While communal electorates are widely regarded as conservative, being important for keeping Fiji’s politics race-based, malapportionment should also be credited – if that is the right word – with reinforcing this and other anti-democratic features.

(+) Impressions of Fiji

Fiji Now: February 2010

By Subhash Appana*

I’ve just come back, much weakened through over-recharging, after a much-anticipated three week stint in Fiji. The very first thing that struck me was the fact that so many things had changed, yet so little had really changed. I’ll tell you about this as we go along. The main issue that I wish to address is a recurrent question that virtually everyone asks: "So how is Fiji?"  Read more...

Nik Naidu and Croz Walsh on Radio Australia

 This is the link to Radio Australia's Pacific Beat programme when Bruce Hill hosted an off-the-cuff  "debate" between  Nick Naidu, spokesperson for Auckland-based Coalition for Democracy in Fiji, and myself. The programme was recorded on Friday 29 Jan. 2010. To listen, you will need Windows Media or a similar programme.

(o) Coupfourpointfive Continues to Mislead

Coupfourpointfive is an Auckland-based anti-government blog published by anonymous journalists.  Other than publishing the occasional rumours that later proved false, it used to be generally well informed and reasonably balanced. Lately, the number and quality of its postings have sharply declined, suggesting a change of editors.

Cafe Pacific, commented on my earlier post under the heading:

Fiji Blog Cops a Blast Over 'Treason' Law Makeover Misrepresentation

This is what it  wrote: Blog Coupfourpointfive has had its credibility challenged over a report claiming any "Negativity against regime treated as treason". The shallow item was attributed in the first paragraph to "sources". Former University of the South Pacific Development Studies academic Crosbie Walsh, whose own Fiji blog is increasingly looked to for informed and accurate analysis, has condemned the website, run by journalists, for misrepresentation. The original "treason" blog posting has now had a hasty title change to "New Criminal decree brings worry". Read on...  Cafe Pacific then reprints my posting.

Title Change But No Retraction and Equally Incorrect Comments Allowed

The blog has since accepted and published nine comments from readers -- except mine that merely asked for a copy of the decrees. I reprint the comments, partly to show how misrepresentation multiplies, but mainly to demonstrate the thinking of those commenting. I have underlined the most revealing thoughts. Readers will note the absence of constructive comment on how to resolve the situation other, of course, than that proposed by Wellington anti-government blogger, Sai Lealea.

Mark Manning said... "Might this be the last straw ? To expect others to suffer a prison sentence for Sedition at the hands of an illegal entity, for criticising the very person who himself was about to be arrested for sedition, is hypocritical to say the least.The difference and stark contrast is, Frank Bainimarama was guilty of Sedition against a " Legal Entity " .

Anonymous said...Here we go again! Frank and Khaiyum are consolidating their positions so that they will be in power for the next 20 years. 
The worse part is that Fijians are lapping all these up and now starting to praise Frank the dictator as the saviour of Fiji!
From the beginning Fijians have always suffered from this weakness. They will yell and swear that democracy and elected govt is the only way to go. But if Frank persists for a short while and do some pysical development at the village level then Fijians will start turning around and praising him as if he is the lord Jesus Christ.Click on Read more...