Kunnen we Fiji geloven?
Verdient Fiji het voordeel van de twijfel? Dat is de grote vraag in de regio. Morgen wordt de noodtoestand opgeheven in de eilandstaat in de Pacific. Die was sinds 2009 van kracht. Volgens leider Bainimarama is het de eerste stap op weg naar democratie. De regio kijkt argwanend toe.
Bainimarama kwam eind 2006 via een militaire coup aan de macht. Twee jaar later oordeelde het Hof van Beroep dat zijn regering niet rechtmatig was. Daarop kondigde hij de noodtoestand af. Het Hof, waarbij beroep kon worden aangetekend tegen beslissingen van de Hoge Raad, werd daarbij afgeschaft. Openbare bijeenkomsten werden verboden en de media werden aan banden gelegd.
De legerleider kondigde verschillende malen verkiezingen aan, maar trok die beloften evenzovaak weer in. Volgens hem omdat het land er nog niet rijp voor was. Fiji werd uit de Gemenebest gezet en kreeg verschillende internationale sancties opgelegd.
In zijn nieuwjaartoespraak kondigde Bainimarama opeens aan dat hij de noodtoestand zal opheffen. Hij wil een nieuwe Grondwet laten opstellen en in 2014 verkiezingen organiseren.
Die mededeling zal vast niet zijn ingegeven door de wens om in een goed blaadje te komen bij de landen die Fiji in de ban deden. De kans is groter dat Bainimarama de regels durft te versoepelen omdat hij denkt dat zijn tegenstanders geen schijn van kans meer maken.
In de afgelopen jaren legde de legerleider elke tegenstand het zwijgen op. Stamoudsten, prominente critici, voormalige politici en methodisten, allemaal werd ze de mond gesnoerd. Recent voerde hij met omstreden arrestaties nog de druk op vakbondsleiders op. Vlak voor de jaarwisseling werden vier oud-politici gearresteerd, omdat ze een complot aan het smeden zouden zijn om de regering omver te werpen.
Ook de media houden zich stil. Vanaf volgende week zullen de censoren van de overheid niet langer rondlopen op de redacties van de kranten, maar geen eindredacteur die het in zijn hoofd zal halen om een stuk te publiceren waarin zelfs maar verholen kritiek op de regering wordt geuit. Daar zorgen de strenge straffen wel voor die in de Media Development Decree zijn opgenomen. Die wet blijft nog wel van kracht.
Hoewel de grootste landen in de regio positief reageerden op het opheffen van de noodtoestand, heerst er ook veel scepsis. De voorzichtige reacties spreken wat dat betreft boekdelen. ,,Bainimarama heeft wel vaker dingen gezegd, maar ze vervolgens niet laten volgen door daden”, sprak de Australische premier Gillard zuinigjes. ,,Het is tijd voor actie.”
Ook de vertegenwoordiger van de Gemenebest reageerde voorzichtig. Hij noemde de beslissing rijkelijk laat en hoopte dat de Grondwet binnen een redelijke termijn zou worden opgesteld en dat zoveel mogelijk partijen gehoord zouden worden bij het opstellen daarvan. Hij riep op tot geloofwaardige verkiezingen.
Of die er komen is afwachten. In eerste instantie is het afwachten welke groepen in staat worden gesteld om mee te praten over de nieuwe Grondwet en de manier waarop verkiezingen worden georganiseerd. De belangrijkste vraag is welke rol de militairen zullen krijgen in het nieuwe systeem. Bainimarama pleegde tenslotte al twee coups. De watchers hebben dus alle reden voor hun wantrouwen.
I have no doubt that Bainimarama felt he could make his nation a better place in the turmoil at the time.
However, in his (selfcentered) ways he has left his nation and the people of Fiji in the past years to unnessicary unease. Ordinary folks opinions, media and opposition were clearly not on this mans agenda and moreover the power by way of his army to rule makes him no less than a dictator.
There is no doubt that clear (and uncorrupted) rules and regulations need to be in place. A new constitution needs to be sanctioned by all of the people of Fiji, not just be dictated by a single body, such as the army.solely.
Fiji has a lot to offer the world, especcialy what tourism is concerned.
Fiji does not need an extensive army of soldiers, it needs an army to rewelcome its shores to envelop its economy.
@Robert Millius
Hello Robert, I am curious what your connection is with Fiji, do you live there or do you visit Fiji regulary. I viewed some pictures on internet, hard to imagine a dictatorship on the island with armed soldiers.
It is one of those places that makes you think of paradise when certain pictures come by. But when one search on there are some things going on concerning humanrights and pollution. I read that environmental activists did nor dare to act because of eventual agression of the army in duty of the dictator. I hope that things wil change for the good and people and environment that are neglected and damaged can be recovered.
hi Anouk, I do not live in or visit Fiji, I live nearby (New Zealand) and follow the politics and general news closely. Indeed Fiji seems to be a place so ideal to paradise looking from the outside in. Some years ago they were running an advertisement that had the logo ‘Fiji, the way the world should be’, which was accompanied by the pictures you probably saw.
In the latest news from Fiji measures taken by Bainimarama has given his army the power (effectively unlimited when put in practice by any soldier) to interprete any situation to their discretion (their word against yours) and consequently shut the door for any opposition, be it an individual, company, media or even a family gathering (it could be interpreted that a wedding comprising of more than 3 people is a threat to the current regime?).
I hope he concludes that his own meetings are unlawful, but then again he may only include 2 other persons at a time in his gathering when making such desperate decisions.
It effectively means that people cannot even go to church, because it is likely that there will be more than 3 people there, which is in breach of the current rule the same as a normal family gathering would be, Now how bad is that!!
I honestly believe that we will hear of instances on the international news that will shock us regarding individual people’s rights in Fiji in the coming days/weeks.
Fiji is no longer a place we want to be until the army can deliver control to be directed by a government that is elected by the people in fair, uncorrupted and (not influenced by dictators and their overhanging threats) procedures.
My thinking is that they are a long way off, as the people of Fiji are to scared to move. In time though I think some will ask for international assistance. Many a country will offer assistance in various ways, but it may get nasty. Watch this space.
In the meantime it is not my favourite country to visit, despite its natural beauty of people and nature.
Hello Robert, in the first place thanks for your reaction, I appreciate that very much.
So for example the tourism that is now going on in Fiji is then probably also fully controlled by Bainimarama and his army.
There are in this world so many extremes, but when people are living daily with the fear of living just their lives and meaning no harm to anybody, that is extreme.
Ofcourse in places where people have their freedom to choose, things go often into unwished and unsatisfied extremes, but the chance is given to try and enjoy to live in, in what a society has to offer when it is supposed to be a democracy.
Ofcourse it depends very much on the person and circumstances how and with what intensity he/she enjoys the freedom that life has to offer and the life that freedom has to offer.
I ask myself what the reason is of the behavior of the dictator of a certain country. Is it that they see the rest of the world and above all the socalled democracies, as a example off how thing can get out of hands when people are living in freedom.
About corruption, this is a thing of people and appears to happen everywhere and is of all times, but if one can not act against it and really want to act, then ofcourse that is imprisonment.
Dictators must be aware that the will of people to be free is immense, and that is why they put all the rules, but it will not last, and hopefully it will change gradually and rightfully, so that a bloody revolution will be prevented.
Robert I wish you all good there in New Zealand, also in many ways a beautiful country I heared from friends and saw on pictures.
Hi Anouk, New Zealand is ok. It is a beautiful country, but it is not as pollution free as it makes out to be. Unfortunately many rivers are very much polluted as it soaks up the the waste of the manure of (the many) cows, fertilasations and many other products that come into circulation as it makes its way towards the seas and oceans. Many a river carries a warning that it is not safe to swim in and frequently there are signs along beaches that warn people about entering the water. There are particular times when shellfish will carry nasty diseases and consumption is not advised.
Having that that, I have travelled extensively around both the North and South Islands and never get sick of the scenery, in particular the South Island if you know where to find the spots.
I do find however that tourism and commercialism over the years have taken the magic a bit away as an ‘unspoilt’ country.
With regard to dictatorships. The stronger the rule, the clearer the law is, be it that it is most likely not fair on most people. As you said, change will and can only be gradual. A full democracy often leaves people with confusion and unhappioness as it never seems to improve their way of living.
In general, I believe that the rich are getting richer and the poor will stay that way. The gap is much clearer and bigger. I genuinly believe that there will be great upsets, with many extremes that wil affect the bigger population on our planet and that this is by designation of a few that rule in the coming years.
This sounds ominous and conspirary like, but in my view likely to happen.
I am not a pessimist or ‘forebearer’ of the end of the earth, but have a tendency to try and analyse the global affairs and peoples behaviour.
Whilst there is plenty of it, I do not think that goodwill and compassion are competative with the people’s need to survive and the traits of mankind that are not so kind will probably prevail.
The best you can do is to take care of yourself and those around you if you can. Make each day the best.
My apologies if this comes across negative. Perhaps tomorrow better …lol.