FUN FIJI FACTS 24

Qarase

A History of Political Unrest Continues

We last left off with Fiji's Supreme Court ruling that the 1997 constitution must stand and that Fiji should have new elections in the interest of democracy.  Lasenia Qarase of the Fijian People's Party (SLD) won the elections of August 2001, becoming prime minister, and Chaudry was returned to parliament.

 

Once in office, Qarase propsed a "Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity" bill.  Opponents to this bill claimed it would grant amnesty to the participants of the 2000 coup, including Speight which angered Cmdr. Bainimarama, head of the military.  This proposed legislation was the most contentious issue in the general elections of May 2006, which returned Qarase and his party to power.

Qarase further incensed the military by releasing some 200 coup participants from prison.  He continued to push his controversial reconciliation bill and proposed transferring ownership of Fiji's foreshore and lagoons from the government to indigenous seaside tribes, who would then be free to charge resorts, dive operators, fishers, and others to use their lagoons and coastal waters.  This infuriated both the tourism industry and Fijians who do not live by the sea who would presumably have to pay to go fishing.

Bainimarama

Bainimarama warned Qarase for most of 2006 that the military would take power if he did not abandon the proposals. When Qarase would not take heed, Bainimarama staged a peaceful coup on December 5.  The military drove from Queen Elizabeth Barracks into downtown Suva where Bainimarama declared himself acting president of Fiji.  It was not long before life, outside of tourism, returned to normal.  Initially military roadblocks and checkpoints were setup to reduce Fiji's crime rate and did so with marked success.

Iloilo

In January 2007, Bainmarama reinstated Ratu Josefa Iloilo as president, who in turn endorsed Bainmarama and appointed him prime minisiter the day after gaining the presidency.  The interim regime seemed to be progressive.  In addition to abandoning overtly racist government policies, Bainimarama cracked down on corruption and uncontrolled government spending, which had become rampant under Qarase.  Among actions with long-lasting consequences, he opened Fiji's formerly monopolized communications industry to competition, which allowed for more over-the-air television channels (instead of one) and lowered prices for phone and Internet services.  He also has encouraged the thousands of Indian professionals who had fled the country to return home by letting them be permanent residents of Fiji as well as citizens of other countries (Fiji does not recognize dual citizenship).

Things today are still not quiet in Fiji's government.  In Aprill 2009, the Court of Appeal ruled the 2006 coup was illegal.  In reaction to this decision, President Iloilo announced on a nationwide radio broadcast that he had suspended the Constitution of Fiji, dismissed all judges and constitutional appointees and assumed all governance in the country.  Iloilo reinstalled Bainimarama as prime minister and his cabinet members to their positions.  He also instituted emergency rule which increased police powers and allowed media censorship.

On July 31, 2009, President Iloilo, 88-years old and thought to be ill, retired after having served since 2000 through all the coups, except for one month in 2006 when Bainimarama gave himself Presidential powers. Iloilo, a former Methodist church leader, was replaced by the Vice-President Epeli Nailatikau, a former military commander. Under the 1997 Constitution, the President is appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs but this has been suspended by Bainimarama who announced a replacement would be appointed by himself and his Cabinet at a time suitable for the regime.

On November 3, 2009, Bainimarama banished the envoys of Australia and New Zealand giving them 24 hours to leave the country.  The controversy stemmed from Bainimarama's move to appoint Sri Lankan judges to replace the country's judiciary, which he ousted in April 2009.

Political unrest and international concern still exists over Fiji's militaristic government, but have no worries because the warmth of the Fijian people will never reveal any political turmoil to the visitors they welcome to their shores.  So let's continue to enhance our planned visit by learning another phrase in Fijian.

English                          Fijian (pronunciation)
Do you speak English?  O(ni) kila na vosa vakavalagi (oh (nee) key-lah nah voh-sah vah-kah-vah-lah-gy)