Fiji's Family Network
"BACK TO DEMOCRACY FOR FIJI"
You are invited to share and pen your ideas, views or opinions that will facilitate/assist our country back to democracy. All positive and/or negative ideas and comments to steer us back to the road of democracy are welcome.
Whichever way one looks at our current situation back home, democracy has been completely raped. The rape of democracy in Fiji is a virtual degradation of the populus of Fiji. Their human rights are being deprived:
1. the right to decide their government;
2. who they want to represent them;
3. their right to free assembly;
4. free protest;
5. free to organise into groups so that they can talk about what is pertinent to their daily lives;
6. protest on issues they do not agree with....with no fear of intimidation from anybody.
With this military regime in place, the concept of freedom per the Constitution is a total myth!
And, we, the people of Fiji need to come together and be vehement about our total disagreement with the military regime. So give us liberty or death! The reality of the issue is that democracy in Fiji has been raped...from top to bottom...left to right....inside and out and vice versa!
Here we have a military regime that talks about freedom to the people and yet the very same military regime randomly arrest people, torture them, inflict unnecessary harrassment and emotional stress to those that seem a threat to them. The military regime talks about racial unity.......the communal concept of togetherness and yet Fiji is far more racially divided today than it ever was.
The so-called advisors, viz-a-viz, John Samy, these are rejects from their adopted countries and yet they are being rewarded with exuberant amount(s) of money by these rogue military regime who have no idea what they are doing. Lying to the international community does not augur well with this interim government and yet the interim Prime Minister continuously talks with a forked tongue when addressing international issues. The ministers talk about internal securities as if Fiji is going to be invaded.
All around it is clearly seen that the economy is in tatters and the Constitution is just a useless piece of paper. The rule of law is as what the military regime wants it to be.
The above are just some of my views (from a pro-democracy viewpoint). But, do not let that deter you from penning your comments if you share otherwise.
So, let us come together and voice our views/comments, whether they be for or against the military regime and have a very healthy discussion here so that in the end we can factually understand what our role is, what we need to do and how we can come up with ideas to help restore democracy back in our beloved Fiji!
Please feel free to write what you like or dislike about the military regime. Be sincere and honest about your thoughts, without getting personal or spiteful.
Kindly note, this "topic" will expire as soon as we have an election.
Whichever way one looks at our current situation back home, democracy has been completely raped. The rape of democracy in Fiji is a virtual degradation of the populus of Fiji. Their human rights are being deprived:
1. the right to decide their government;
2. who they want to represent them;
3. their right to free assembly;
4. free protest;
5. free to organise into groups so that they can talk about what is pertinent to their daily lives;
6. protest on issues they do not agree with....with no fear of intimidation from anybody.
With this military regime in place, the concept of freedom per the Constitution is a total myth!
And, we, the people of Fiji need to come together and be vehement about our total disagreement with the military regime. So give us liberty or death! The reality of the issue is that democracy in Fiji has been raped...from top to bottom...left to right....inside and out and vice versa!
Here we have a military regime that talks about freedom to the people and yet the very same military regime randomly arrest people, torture them, inflict unnecessary harrassment and emotional stress to those that seem a threat to them. The military regime talks about racial unity.......the communal concept of togetherness and yet Fiji is far more racially divided today than it ever was.
The so-called advisors, viz-a-viz, John Samy, these are rejects from their adopted countries and yet they are being rewarded with exuberant amount(s) of money by these rogue military regime who have no idea what they are doing. Lying to the international community does not augur well with this interim government and yet the interim Prime Minister continuously talks with a forked tongue when addressing international issues. The ministers talk about internal securities as if Fiji is going to be invaded.
All around it is clearly seen that the economy is in tatters and the Constitution is just a useless piece of paper. The rule of law is as what the military regime wants it to be.
The above are just some of my views (from a pro-democracy viewpoint). But, do not let that deter you from penning your comments if you share otherwise.
So, let us come together and voice our views/comments, whether they be for or against the military regime and have a very healthy discussion here so that in the end we can factually understand what our role is, what we need to do and how we can come up with ideas to help restore democracy back in our beloved Fiji!
Please feel free to write what you like or dislike about the military regime. Be sincere and honest about your thoughts, without getting personal or spiteful.
Kindly note, this "topic" will expire as soon as we have an election.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike on -
Fiji commentator criticises media ‘abuse of influence’
9:31 January 6, 2010
Opinion:
ON ABUSE OF POWER AND INFLUENCE IN A DEMOCRACY – NZ’S DOMINION POST
By Crosbie Walsh
TOKOMARU (CW’s Fiji blog/Pacific Media Watch): I’ve always thought there’s something more than a little undemocratic and cowardly that those writing editorials do not reveal their identity, especially in a
proudly democratic country like New Zealand.
All we know is that an editorial contains opinions (not always backed by facts or fully researched thoughts) that are usually written by the publisher, the editor or one of the editorial team. I see no good reason why these people, and journalists in general, who so often demand access to private information, hide behind anonymity. Why are
so many media sources “usually reliable” or “our correspondent in X.”
Why does the law permit them to publish anonymous “leaked reports,” even of personal emails? Why do we allow them these powers when we, their readers, do not even know who they are?
I’m also unsure why they think we should be interested in their anonymous opinions when we know nothing about their knowledge of the topics they discuss? We would not accept this from a doctor, a lawyer or accountant, so why should it be acceptable from journalists who play with our minds, mould our opinions, and set the boundaries of our democracy?
If the so-called Fourth Estate is entitled to a special, protected, place in our society, searching out hidden truths and using its “freedoms” to keep citizens and voters properly informed, then the media must be far more open, accountable and known.
The latest Dominion Post editorial, “Dictators must not hold sway in the Pacific” is a case in point. We know nothing of the writer who presumes to advise Prime Minister John Key what to do about our relationship with Fiji other than that he, she or it thinks it wrong for us to ease up on Bainimarama who “took power at the point of a gun and deposed a democratically elected government” and who since then has “tightened his grip on the country.” Et cetera. Et hackneyed cetera. Nothing was written on anything even remotely wrong with the old “democracy” and nothing about anything good on the de facto government.
“Whatever else he does [the editorial states] … Mr Key should not accept advice such as that from Auckland academic Dr Hugh Laracy” – or, presumably, anyone else who thinks the travel ban and other measures have failed. Yet these measures, imposed three years ago, have brought about no change in Bainimarama’s position; they are hurting many innocent Fiji citizens, and they’ve prevented many qualified people applying for civil service positions, even in positions not remotely political. The editorial thinks Mr Key is “right to try to make a new start with the commodore [but] that does not mean forgetting that he is a dictator. The aim must be that dictatorships do not become the ‘Pacific way.’”
With this sort of inane, patronising advice Key could well fall back on Laracy: afterall, he is not anonymous; he’s studied the Pacific for close to 40 years and, although not enamoured with coups, he does have a plausible alternative to our initially well intended but now obviously failed policy.
I’m sure Professor Laracy will join me in issuing a public challenge to the Dom Post editor (s).
• Come out from behind your masks.
• State your qualifications and Pacific experience.
• Publish balanced statements on Fiji’s past and present.
• Provide your readers with sufficient background for them to form
their own independent judgments.
• Comment on at least some of the positive actions taken by the
Bainimarama government.
• Take the trouble to find out what is really happening in Fiji.
And if you can’t — or won’t — do any of these, at least make an intelligent and realistic suggestion to help John Key formulate a workable policy towards Fiji.
Hugh and I may lose the debate, of course, but we would at least know who you are — and your readers and John Key may learn something they did not know before.
* Dr Crosbie Walsh is emeritus professor of the University of the South Pacific and retired founding director of USP’s Development Studies programme.
8 comments:
Vee, 6. January 2010, 10:56
Oh puhlease Crosbie … you are very painful with your full-on support for the regime in Fiji. What part of the equation do you not understand ?
A coup is a coup is a coup – it is wrong, it is illegal and any immoral, and any amount of posturing and frothing at the mouth won’t change that.
You seem to think you have more qualifications that most about Fiji, and that qualifies you to be the one that is ‘right;’ about Fiji and the Fijians ? How dare you presume to speak for most of us Fijians about what is good for us or not good for us.
Your pathetic support for Bainimarama and his regime is well known. You are welcome to the brown-nosing – its your choice but don’t presume that the country of Fiji shares your views.
As for Keys and Rudd. They are on the right path – the sanctions ARE working despite what you say.
Liu Muri, 6. January 2010, 11:44
Vee, agreed, a coup is a coup. Where were you in 1987 and 2000? If you are an indigenous Fijian, then you would have danced and had orgies on effigy of democracy because it was a fight for indigenous supremacy over a greedy migrant race who have done better than the original people through their hard work. Bugger all to democracy then. Now, when the gun is turned, you are now crying for the foreign flower that Ravuvu and other ethno nationalist like Rabuka classed democracy as. So how come the scent of that foreign flower is so much wanted in Fiji?
What is best for Fiji? Democracy? So that ethno -nationalist like Qarase and the Lauan mafia could squander public money, line their pockets under guise of affirmative action and treat half the population like lepers.
Come real Vee, democracy is not always good and coups are not necessarily bad. Which people of Fiji are you speaking for? People are generally happy except those fat cats and ethno nationalist who has the democratic government and democracy in their pockets via divisive racist policies.
As for Australia and New Zealand, they would not give a damn to Fijians if they killed each other as long as they were under the banner of so-called democracy. Helen Clark threw away the Foreshore and Seabed law in the rubbish bin, claiming that sea, foreshore and beaches were gifts from God to all its people. Yet they remained criminally silent when Qarase introduced vote-buying Qoliqoli Bill to push common people, especially Indo Fijians, out of the sea and beaches. Do you really blame Bainimarama from rescuing Fiji from a sham of democracy?
Vee, 7. January 2010, 0:13
Vinaka Liu Muri … yr pseudonym is truly self-fulfilling and you do show yourself in your true vulagi colours.
Why do you also presume that I was doing the tauratale or vala a teke in 1987 and 2000 ? I reside in Fiji and am a full blooded Fijian . I have protested long and hard against all the coups in Fiji and am not about to change my tuiboto in this regard.
Whats yr beef against Qarase other than a sweeping statement accusing him of ethno-nationalism ? Give us proof of the pudding honey. Lord only knows, we have been waiting 3 long years for the regime to give us proof. Its all a great sham to stay in power and you have bought it all. Fool.
Also speaking of the great “Lauan mafia”, you obviously must be great friends with the great Lauan mafia aka as Rokoului, Koila, Ateca, Teletubby et al – who are all lining their pockets under the guise of protecting themselves from us, the leper population.
Also I really would urge you to read up on the Qoliqoli Bill – which in all honesty you have probably never read. It is absolutely nothing like you say it pertains to be. Come back when you have read it.
Liu Muri, 7. January 2010, 9:14
In the Senate sitting of 18 May, 1993 (pages 731 to 748), Senator Manu Korovulavula moved a motion for the Senate to call on Government to carry out an investigation into the method adopted by the Board of the Fijian Holdings Limited to allow limited liability companies to buy shares into the company (FHL) without the knowledge of 14 Provinces. Senator Korovulavula had stated that the motion was brought on a point of principle to reveal less than honest dealings of people in position of power, knowledge and trust.
Vee, before telling me to read the Qoliqoli Bill, you need to realise that the mere Bill had already prompted greedy sea-shore owners to demand tourism resorts and other beach users unreasonable monetary demands.
Also, I suggest you read the above Senate report and find out who are the REAL BENEFICIARIES of Fijian Holdings. Find out who own Sticks Investment (Weleilakeba), Q Ten (Qarase), KJY Investments ( K. Yabaki) K.B Investments ( Bakani) and 5X Investment and other companies named in the report who are big shareholder of preference A shares which were really meant to help poor Provincial councils and poor indigenous people. Qarase regime was perhaps the most corrupt in Fiji where the fat cats became rich and poor indigenous people remained poor and Indo Fijians were shown as the red-herring by the divisive racist politics and policies of SDL.
Ulli Weissbach, 7. January 2010, 9:33
As a journalist I can only applaud Crosbie’s criticism of the undemocratic practice of anonymous editorials in this country. They are nothing but a tool to manipulate readers and brainwash them into followers of a certain one-sided opinion. This undemocratic and unjournalistic practice was one of the reasons why I cancelled my subscriptions to the NZ Herald and the Sunday Star Times. If I lived in Wellington, it would have been the Dominion Post. Where does this habit come from and what justifies it? Opinion is an opinion is an opinion – and we are entitled to know who has that opinion. Anything else is as undemocratic as the dictatorship in Fiji. People who read and buy these opinions are like lambs, shepherded by mainstream sheepdogs, who claim to know better, what they should think. I appeal to all NZ readers, to boycott papers that publish anonymous editorials. That would be a truly democratic uprising. Because, after all, it’s the people who rule in a democratic country.
terry, 7. January 2010, 17:58
a newspaper’s editorial is the newspaper’s opinion. It doesn’t need to carry a name (or photo). The editor and publisher are answerable to its content. And this crosbie idiot is suppose to be a journalism professor? Lord knows what sort of standards he’s setting for USP journalism courses..
This fool is a disgrace..
Vee, 8. January 2010, 13:18
Liu Muri … again you throw wild accusations out there to cloud the whole issue …. please don’t start on FH .. as a contributing tribal share holder from Naitasiri, I don’t need you to tell me that just because I am an entrepreneurial type of Fijian with more than a couple of thousand shares , I am corrupt !!! How stupid are you ?
In the same way you have not read the Qoliqoli Bill and in the same way you do not understand the nuances of our tribal shareholding in a progressive Fijian owned company, you are trying to cloud the issues involved in this sorry argument.
Lets start again shall we :
1) I am lamenting the fact that Crosbie Walsh is a coup apologist and presuming to talk on my behalf as a Fijian person. I object to this.
2) Any editorial in a newspaper is generally the view of the Editor and of the newspaper, whose names appear in the index of any paper, so Crosbie’s argument is irrelevant.
Fiji’s imperfect democracy is an evolving one. Neither Frank Bainimarama, nor Sitiveni Rabuka before him, had the right to destroy it, whatever the pretext.
That wise and sensible man Graham Leong once said the following, and it summarises what underpins every argument about the coup in Fiji and the naked grab for power by Bainimarama and his henchmen :
“The wonder and paradox of democracy is that the outcome cannot be guaranteed in advance. A fairer and more equitable electoral system will not necessarily deliver a result that Bainimarama, or some of us would prefer. Indeed Fiji’s coup leader is on record as saying that ousted prime minister Laisenia Qarase would return over his dead body.
What this sentiment suggests is that Fiji’s unelected ruler, who has no mandate from the people, would lend his support to a democratic model of governance so long as he was satisfied with and could guarantee the outcome. That is a dangerous proposition and reveals far more about the shallowness of Bainimarama’s understanding of the nature of democratic politics.
The charge of “racism” that is flung with abandon at Qarase’s government is cited to justify the December 5, 2006 coup. Suffice it to say, that in the context of Fiji the discourse about race and ethnicity is more complicated than is portrayed. It is not confined to one community. As a person of mixed-racial parentage, I can cite examples of being at the receiving end of racial slurs and discrimination. But I would not for one moment suggest that a coup d’etat would be the way to address racism and bad governance. The end does not justify the means.
Electoral reform, while important, is essentially a red herring. The real problem in Fiji is that feudal cliques refusing to relinquish privilege, an army that refuses to recognise its limitations in a democracy, and failed politicians of all persuasions and opportunistic businessmen who support them, see nothing wrong in undermining electoral verdicts.
The choice is not between good and evil as such, but rather between the legitimation of arbitrariness and whim in public life and the hesitant but gradual process of democratisation with all its checks and balances.
If the racial supremacists in Fiji are now converts, let it be the Damascus experience of Saint Paul and not the ambivalence of Hamlet. Fiji’s latest coup should be seen for what it is—a naked grab for power.
Croz Walsh, 8. January 2010, 19:30
We have two issues: my criticism of the DomPost, and my “right” to comment on Fiji. On the first, no apologies (thank you Uli; sorry Terry); on the second, I have never presumed to speak on behalf of anyone in Fiji. Vee and Liu Muri show they are both quite capable of speaking for Fiji. But I do feel I have an obligation to restore some balance to what our media say about Fiji and offer ideas, from my own experience, on how present realities can produce positive outcomes for Fiji.
Vee, Liu Muri and I may come from different backgrounds and hold different opinions on what produced the present Fiji situation, but we all want the best for Fiji. We should respect this commonality and concentrate on what we can do to “take Fiji forward.” Nothing is to be gained by insulting each other. I’d be happy to dissuss the way forward on my blog, and Terry is welcome too — if he stops calling me an idiot!
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Permalink Reply by Mere Tuisalalo Samisoni on -
13/1/10
With all this "for and against", then the challenge is for VB to test the support for his policies and all those who agree with his illegal style of government, by holding elections in 2010.
Let the people of Fiji choose what matters and is of value to them, their families and their future that is NOT dictated by the illegal "elite few" from the imposed Peoples Charter.
Dr. Mere Tuisalalo Samisoni elected SDL Member for Lami Open Constituency (deposed 2006).
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Permalink Reply by Tevita Korodrau on -
I support that Dr Samisoni it is about time people speak up and let their opinion heard and do not allow this illegal regime robust around,without being challenged.
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Permalink Reply by Tevita Korodrau on
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yes, Dr Samisoni well stated ...impossed People's Charter.
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Permalink Reply by HuntaMalia on -
Happy New Year.
Lets be positive as the light is becoming brighter at the end of the tunnel now. Thats the way to go Mr Bainimarama to engage in dialogue. I hope that good sense will prevail for the sake of restoring Democracy to our beloved country Fiji..
God Bless Fiji.
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Permalink Reply by Kai Ra-sia on -
Chaudhry, Rabuka may lose pension
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Former Prime Minster Mahendra Chaudhry may lose his pension.
Fiji’s former Prime Ministers Mahendra Chaudhry and Sitiveni Rabuka are among those who may lose their pension, under a new decree passed by government last week.
Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama says Government pensioners who have been speaking out against the Government will have their pension payments stopped from this week.
The Regulations of Pension and Retirement Decree will be gazzetted this Friday.
FBC News has established people who receive government pensions include former Prime Ministers, former ministers and senators, and senior civil servants.
Mahendra Chaudhry, Sitiveni Rabuka and former Senator and Methodist Church President Reverend Tomasi Kanailagi fall in this category.
It is understood that former Prime Ministers receive a pension of 1,500 dollars a fortnight from government.
Bainimarama says the government wants people to help them build a better Fiji, and will not pay pensions to those that oppose their plans.
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Permalink Reply by Motoka. on -
Kai Rasia............now you see! Anyone who saY anything against them will be bitten hard on the pocket first then if continues will be called up and physically bitten!!!
You surely have to CLOSE YOUR MOUTH AND DON'T SAY ANYTHING !!!
Bai is a DICTATOR....AND HE THINKS HE'S NOT! He surely is asking for retalliation of some sort!
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Permalink Reply by Kai Ra-sia on
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I will continue to blog and fight for democracy for the children of Fiji @ Motoka!
I will NEVER shut my mouth like you mentioned motoka. I will continue what I do until the day they find my house to question me but until that happens....blog tiko ga ra gone.
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Permalink Reply by Motoka. on
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OH YEAH........WAY TO GO GUYS!!!!!
FOR OUR PEOPLE......''BLOG TIKO RA GONE!''
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Permalink Reply by Tevita Korodrau on
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Bainimarama says the government wants people to help them build a better Fiji, and will not pay pensions to those that oppose their plans.
Pension is earned and has nothing to do with the claimed clean - up.It is obvious you are having nightmare at the wheel house trying to do your check balance exercise. The whole of Fiji is watching and soon will show their opinion what is being done and how their resources are being wasted and the Nation is running down the gut.
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Permalink Reply by Kai Ra-sia on
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Methodist Church surpised with revelations
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Methodist Church Acting General Secretary Reverend Tevita Nawadra says he is surprised with the news that some Methodist Church Ministers have been spying for government.
Nawadra was reacting to Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama’s revelations yesterday that some church ministers are being paid by the Police Special Branch to act as informers for the Police and the Military
Reverend Nawadra told FBC news the church will be looking into the issue.
“We have being trying to talk with the Prime Minister and we have our system, we have our chaplains and we could have used that in order to talk about this issue. We have our own system in the church, ways of dealing with such issues when some of our ministers do happen to do such things.”
Commodore Bainimarama also told FBC News yesterday that there will be no Methodist Church Conference until 2014 as politics was still very much alive within the Methodists Church.
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Permalink Reply by Joanne Campbell on -
This is such a pathetic situation..... This man really is insane...I just hope that the Methodist church leaders decide to take this dictator on because I know that if they did decide to take him on the whole church will be behind them....I'd like to see what he does then!!
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