Thankfully some common sense

Peter Thomson, (radio national counterpoint 24th august http://www.abc.net.au/rn/counterpoint/stories/2009/2662064.htm ) summarizes the situation in Fiji perfectly. The real danger here in Fiji is neglect from the Australian and New Zealand governments and the lack of high level dialogue between the respective governments. What does Kevin Rudd and John Key not understand about that? Will they ever see past grandstanding about restoring a democracy that has a proven track record of failure since 1987?. Or do they engage with the head of government here, speed the process up and contribute to the dialogue of change. Think of this as one example; how would Kevin Rudd and John Key react to an internal political situation that has the church organizing its followers, on a grand scale, to what effectively bias's the voting system? This undivided political landscape of church and state Australians would not tolerate and neither should Fijians. It would not happen in Australia, for one there is not enough followers of any particular church and secondly our education system and media is vast and more sophisticated. In Fiji it’s different. Generations of rote learning at school and the heritage of church missionary's has left a tradition of Oligarchy. Added to that the relatively elite Chiefly families ruling by decree, means an entirely different agenda to anything that Rudd or key have talked about is required to be put on the table.

Fiji and her Commodore

In respect of Hamish McDonalds comment on Saturday 1^st August Sydney Morning Herald in relation to Fiji. Fiji is not going downhill fast, yes the rights of foreign journalists in Fiji has gone downhill fast. Why is it us westerners so love to apply our own democracy tunnel vision to other cultures? Is our democracy on our terms good for everyone? I don’t think so. Fiji has suffered a poor hobbled together democratic system ever since independence. Amongst many other unresolved issues It was subjected to politically compromised bodies such as the Great Council Of Chiefs (created by the British) of which Bainimarama is trying to disband, it has been subjected to a racist constitution that gives less rites to non indigenous Fijians. And it has been subject to the left overs of church missionary power brokers in the form of the Methodists. Surprisingly Bainimarama’s regime enjoys wide support from indigenous people in the villages, the Fijian Indian population and the business community. Bainimarama’s regime is certainly not perfect and yes it does suffer the unfortunate trappings of a military regime, but in ‘Fiji style’. We would all like it to be different, but it is what it is and no amount of external pressure will alter its current trajectory.

Australians should hang their heads in shame in the way we deal with our pacific brothers and sisters, from draconian immigration restrictions we apply to pacific islanders to the current way the Australian political elite are dealing with Fiji. If however Australia and New Zealand would get of the moral high ground and change tack to enable positive engagement with the regime in Fiji the situation I am certain would change for the better and quickly. Other wise all we are doing is further entrenching Fijian poverty as well as promoting Chinese power and other unwanted interests in a region that Australia should be fully embracing and opening our doors to.