FUN FIJI FACTS 23

Mahendra Chaudhry

Let’s continue bringing our Fijian history review up to current times. As you may recall, in 1997 Fiji’s government was being led by the SVT (Party of Policy Makers for Indigenous Fijians) with Rabuka as Prime Minister, but come May 1999, voters rejected Rabuka's SVT and its coalition partners. The FLP (Fiji Labor Party) won the majority of seats and its leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, became Fiji's first Indo-Fijian prime minister.

Convinced that their traditional land rights were at stake, many indigenous Fijians refused to renew expiring 99-year land leases to Indo-Fijian farmers. Once again indigenous Fijians raised their voice in protest and on May 19, 2000, armed men entered the parliamentary compound in Suva. Thirty government employees were taken hostage, including Prime Minister Chaudhry.

George Speight (left)

Failed businessman George Speight became the face of this coup, claiming to represent the indigenous Fijian. He demanded the resignation of both Chaudhry and President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and proclaimed that the 1997 multiethnic constitution should be abandoned. Despite having suffered broken ribs during a beating by his captors, Chaudhry refused to resign. Finally, in an attempt to bring the situation to an end, President Ratu Mara unwillingly announced that he was removing Chaudhry from power. Speight's group demanded Mara's resignation as well and, with lawlessness increasing and the country divided over his role, Ratu Mara relinquished power.

Suffering from widespread harassment by Speight’s supporters, many Indo-Fijians fled the country. The head of Fiji's military, Commander Frank Bainimarama, announced martial law. After long negotiations between Speight's rebels and Bainimarama's military, and after eight weeks in captivity, the hostages were released and the 1997 constitution was revoked.

Disapproval for this coup by the International community was great. Trade sanctions and sporting boycotts were lowered upon Fiji. Travelers were warned to stay clear of Fiji. The economy, particularly the tourism sector, was hit hard and many businesses folded.

In March 2001, Fiji’s appeals court decided to uphold the 1997 constitution and ruled that Fiji be taken to the polls in order to restore democracy. Lasenia Qarase, heading the Fijian People's Party (SLD), won 32 of the 71 parliamentary seats in the August 2001 elections. Claiming that a multiparty cabinet in the current circumstances would be unworkable, Qarase proceeded to defy the spirit of the constitution by including no FLP members in his 18-strong cabinet.

In the meantime, Speight pleaded guilty to treason. He was given a death sentence that was quickly commuted to life imprisonment, likely out of fear of further protests and rioting. Ironically, Speight is serving out this sentence on the small island of Nukulau off Suva. You might remember that this was the island where, in 1849, the looting of the US consul's house acted as an impetus for cession of Fiji to Britain; one of the major products of cession was the coming of the first indentured laborers, the presence of whose descendants sufficiently enraged Speight to instigate the 2000 coup.

Your Fijian words for the day:

English          Fijian (pronunciation)
ocean                wasawasa  (wah-saw-wah-saw)
reef                   cakau  (thah-cow)
fish (n)              ika  (eek-ah)