Politics: Fiji: New strategy proposed for coping with constitutional and military crisis in the Fiji Republic

Fiji Daily Post carries an Editorial that deserves thawtful consideration from friends of the island Republic around the world, "State of emergency brings peace to the nation" (May16,2k7). Hat Tip for the heads-up from correspondent Dr. Bruce Wearne. The Editor-in-Chief of the independent and courageous Fiji Daily Post is Dr. Robert Wolfgramm.

The decision to extend the state of emergency decree is a wise one. Without the furtherance of the decrees, the nation would surely disintegrate into violence of a scale sometimes warned about by our traditional prophets and doomsday commentators, but (thankfully) not witnessed on these shores in the past.

Every passing day brings more economic slowdown and unrelenting signs of a military clamp-down on free speech of some of our alleged dissidents. Qarase remains island-bound and his court case appears moribund in the administrative and legal processes of the courts.

The SDL case likewise appears becalmed. The combination of an economic downturn with no sign of a speedy return to democracy, coupled with the selective repression of the freedoms of some, is a recipe for turning patience into anger. And if the bubble of security is going to burst, the question is when and what will trigger it. The Interim regime knows that and so it is to their great credit and for the safety of all citizens that we must all put up with more, not less, state of emergency. It is the only way to keep a lid on potentially growing dissent and mounting opposition to Interim control. That is to say, we are as far from satisfying the doctrine of acquiescence as we ever have been and may be even further now than we were on December 5.

Yes, there are a few scattered voices raised here and there in support of the interim regime, but their influence and representativeness, is far from known or acknowledged. On the other hand, anti-Interim websites proliferate. Until the conditions which give rise to opposition to the Interim regime are moderated or allayed completely - that is, until democracy is restored and in its train assistance packages refurbished to our ailing economy and the rights of dissidents respected - a state of emergency is the best option for the foreseeable future.

We must get back top democracy as a priority, but not if an all-out war between the political factions that currently divide the nation is allowed to erupt. The state of emergency may not be pleasant, but like a leash on a dog, it restrains tempers and lets most people walk the streets and sleep safely at night. It allows for a sense of well-being for most and ensures the nation is at peace.

I chime in, thinking Dr Wolfgramm has alerted us in the past to the antidemocratic and unconstitutional actions of the military in dismissing the elected governmtment of Quarase, while replacing it with an illegal "Interim" government by the self-appointed "guardians"--namely, the military. At this distance, I find myself trusting editor Wolfgramm, a principled Christian-democratic thinker.

The fleeting glimpses the Editor-in-Chief gives us of the economic downturn (resulting from the withdrawal of aid packages from New Zealand, Australia, and the European Union -- if I recall correctly); and of the understandable rise of militant blogging against the military regime; both of these glimpses lead on to certain geostrategic considerations that make the overall picture in Fiji grim, to say the least.

SouthWest Pacific > Fiji

Undoubtedly there are countries who would want a SouthWest Pacific listening post and puppet showcase--Russia, even more so China, and not forgetting the India-heritage population-segment now in Fiji for generations, let's add India to this list. One or all of these could suddenly prioritize Fiji by offering an aid package that could outdo whatever the island Republic was receiving from elsewhere. To my mind, what argues against this scenario is the military leadership's apparent adulatory cultivation of American politicians and Survivor-escape tourist ventures. But, I don't think these affinities are enuff to push aside the constraining American reliance on the New Zealand + Australian sphere of influence in the SouthWest Pacific. [I've further thawts on all these countries in relation to Fiji, from the stamdpoint of world geostrategic reflection, but that's for another time; and I would pursue them in my Neo-Constantinian Horizons blog, not here in my refWrite frontpage column.]

Rookmaker Club geostrategic analysis

As to the proliferation of militant regime-overthrow bloggers (I may be forecasting instead of reporting by using the term "regime-overthrow" here, as such trends sometimes develop an inner dynamic all their own, sometimes becoming dominated by forces without a peaceful democratic society honestly in mind as their goal and at heart as their envisioned norm), Dr Wolfgramm states simply that "anti-Interim websites proliferate." Who is financing them, just the irate citizens that have had enuff? Or do we look to countries or corporations that would have an interest in financing such dissidents and which have a new or old interest in Fiji--an interst in Fiji not for its own sake, but for its value as a stepping stone to other countries in the region? Does China want a capitalist-communist pro-China base--a Hong Kong?, a Macao?, a Cuba--nearby its prized customers / espionage targets New Zealand and Australia? Just asking. Or, turning the question about, is such worriment precisely what the Interimist-military complex fosters and seeks to use as leverage in furthering its own ends. So the residual questio: whether only an Interimist fictional scenario is behind anti=Interimist support for anti-regime bloggers?, or whether a real political praxis by an expansive Chinese communo-capitalist state (for instance) is behind much / some / a few of the dissident bloggers?

Dr Wolfgramm concludes:

Until the conditions which give rise to opposition to the Interim regime are moderated or allayed completely - that is, until democracy is restored and in its train assistance packages refurbished to our ailing economy and the rights of dissidents respected - a state of emergency is the best option for the foreseeable future.

Sadly, I have to concur. I do so out of a Christian-democratic neo-Constantinian anti-revolutionary framework of political values and geostrategic thinking. But the anti-revolutionary component has its limits, as does the neo-Constantinian.

Yet, we should keep in mind, sometimes the doctrine of acquiescence is definitively blocked in a potentially revolutionary situation, and intransigence prevails past its shelf-date. If one can't retreat from Fiji and the kairos moment comes when the peace on the street is broken, even for the general public of the island once-upon-a-time Republic, what criteria could be proposed for direct action to preserve / restore the Republic in democratic fullness? By peaceful means only, in the first instance? How to coalesce bloggers calling for direct action yet wanting peaceful democracy in an independent Republic distinct from any bloggers who may turn to revolutionism that really works toward a dictatorship alternative to the military-Interimist regime? How to discern the spirits if direct action becomes a cause? How to configure a coalition that isolates out from the circle of democratic and Christian-democratic co-belligerents, those others following a revolutionistic path pure and simple? Fiji is not Nepal, but....

Could Christian-democratic discussion clubs focused on these issues help in this situation at this moment?

Speaking in regard to action, one could ask: How to divide the bloggers who are authentic Fijian patriots from those who are serving foreign interests (whether foreign states or mega-corporations which may be the root of the military's coup, or may be a new force seeking to wedge its way into influence / power in this moment of weakness for all Fijian democracy and constituitonality)?

I will be posting further on the Fiji dissident bloggers on refWrite refBlogger Insert--a reformational blog which is devoted to exposing blog abuse and to supporting bloggers who are repressed, denied at least a modicum of freedom of speech in various represssive countries. As regular readers will know, I do not believe in an absolute freedom of speech, but there is a time and place for much expression that you or I may detest and consider to be quite anti-normative. In that lite, we must search for guidelines for our communal Christian reformational stance, an intelligence-fortified basic argument to defend the freedom of speech / blogging by the new Fijian extra-parliamentary opposition (a very mixed designation, I'd guess), freedom of speech within normative limits, and opposition to any imposed illegal extra-constitutional regime--that principled core of ideas remains de rigeur.

Politics: Fiji: Is Russia keen on establishing foothold in SouthWest Pacific?

Radio Australia's website reports that Europe has taken quite seriously the renegade military coup d'etat, tho the ruinous militarism was far off in the SouthWest Pacific.

The European Union has told the military authorities in Fiji that it will stop development aid if it doesn't see enough progress on a return to democracy, human rights and media freedom.

Lee Duffield reports from Brussels the European Commission has put conditions on Fiji, that it needs to get back to democratic government and fully restore human rights.

Its spokesperson Amadeu Altafaj said that was a condition, for Fiji to receive assistance.

"If the responses are not satisfactory of course we will have to take measures in terms of suspending partially or totally our aid," Amadeu Altafaj says.

Strictly humanitarian aid is not affected.

Meanwhile, serendipity itself is reconsidering its role in the Pacific, where Fiji has become the most pressing problem of New Zealand's foreign relations.

SouthWest Pacific > Republic of Fiji

Other foreign sources, as well, have indicated Fiji's development aid may be cut-off if the failed Republic doesn't check its military (which means the military itself must backtrack, as there's no other internal force that can oust it). That is, Fiji's military must backtrack to its barracks -- unless it wants to exacerbate to the level of a major disaster the already-weakened economic situation that has descended on Fijians since the coup.

And, while the military's interim Foreign Minister is off to India, guess who's showed up for the financial presentation of the military's interim Economics Minister? None other than Russia! Perhaps it wants to buy an island, perhaps establish its own offshore Crimean Paradise, a series of beachfront skyscraper hotels for all those big spenders from Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Stalingrad.

More Info:

Special Feature on Military Coup in Fiji Today (Mar4,2k7)

Politics: Military coup: More on the troubles of the Republic of Fiji in the southwest Pacific (Feb21,2k7)

Politics: Coup: SouthWest Pacific island-state of Fiji undergoes coup, dismissing constitutional government (Dec6,2k6)

Politics: Military coup: More on the troubles of the Republic of Fiji in the southwest Pacific

Again today, via Thinknet brother Bruce Wearne sends us news from the troubled island of Fiji. Bruce has an introductory comment, and then he conveys Dr Robert Wolfgramm's editorial in Fiji Daily Post:

When a "failed régime" refuses to reform its modus operandi in the way of public justice it simply makes for more problems. An insightful editorial follows, but I would ask thinknetters [let's add refWrite readers here too - P] to read this prayerfully with Robert Wolfgramm and staff and family in mind because it clearly exposes the arrogance of the RFMF [Royal Fiji Military Force], a "thuggish" aspect of which was reported on in my report yesterday. -- Bruce Wearne

But it’s not that simple

Fiji Daily Post editorial (Feb21,2k7)

ONE thing is obvious: there is only so much an Eminent Persons Group can do. The released summary of their report which is to be tabled at the next Pacific Forum Foreign Ministers get-together contains a predictable wish-list of human rights hopes and democratic dreams.

What the EPG are not offering in their package (so far as we know) is a practical set of steps for arriving at the laudable ends they have in mind for Fiji. We have yet to see from them is a set of strategies that meets with the fact of our military-backed regime and with the reality of having to come to terms with their view of things on a day-to-day basis.

No one in Fiji would dispute the desirability of the aims put forward by the EPG that the military and their commander should return to camp and desist from engagement in the political process, that the constitution should be upheld, that Fiji’s domestic and international obligations to human rights should be respected, and that our citizens should have untrammelled access to legal redress in the courts.

SouthWestPacific > Republic of Fiji

That is all good and well, but the question left un-addressed by the EPG is, how? How can these things be fully undertaken in view of the military’s over-riding vision for Fiji’s future. How can these demands be reconciled peacefully with the Interim rule whose authority ultimately emanates from the barrel of the gun? That is to say, it is one thing to spell out an ideal world, but quite another to find a methodology for effectively reconciling it with the prickly actualities of the real world. Yes, it is great to have a theory for moving the nation forward. But what use is it if it ignores the straight-up fact that those currently in power have neither the interest nor the will to consider the theory, let alone to act on it and make it practical in the terms prescribed by the EPG.

If the EPG report is to be any use at all to Fiji, it must in its fuller version (21 pages we are advised), provide a step-by-step, blow-by-blow account of at least just two issues: (1) how and why the military can disengage from their political involvement without losing face and losing ground against perceived corrupt enemies of the state; and (2) how the and why the commander can step out of his Interim Prime Ministership without history repeating itself so that the train of events that led us to December 5 in the first place is not recapitulated in another nightmarish future (fifth) coup.

While the EPG report is an important symbolic gesture of solidarity for righting Fiji’s present wrongs, that is all it is. Its members do not have to live in Fiji and face the fact of a military insistence to insinuate itself into the political fabric of the nation since 5 December. The EPG can simply parachute in, test the waters, fly out and make their pronouncements from afar. What Fiji needs is a bi-focal international group willing to see and interpret both sides of the present stand-off in all of its difficult ethical, cultural and legal-political complexity. When that is undertaken, we may move closer to a resolution of our democratic knot more speedily. As it stands, we should not be surprised if the EPG report – as morally upright and encouraging as it is for our democracy - simply delays the process.

It's just sinking into my consciousness that for Robert and his friend in Australia, Bruce, a framing factoid of the situation in Fiji was the banning of Fiji Daily Post (correction of an earlier blog-entry > Post, not Press). This ban was for a period beginning in December. The ban meant that FDP could not attend press conferences of the military-coup anti-democratic government which still remains in power, but is doing a bit of nicing-over and backtracking, it seems from this distance.

Politics: Coup: Fiji military faces consequences of violating republican institutions of island democracy

Bruce Wearne has commented at length, with quotes, on the developing situation in the SouthWest Pacific wounded-democracy of Fiji. A Forum of Eminent Persons has been organized involving some of Fiji's neibours. In the context of an email subscription list, Thinknet, reformational philosophers and kin, says Bruce, "may be wondering about the current state of play in Fiji." refWrite readers may be wondering also. Dr Wearne continues:

From reading the Suva newspapers [Suva is a Fijian community] on the web I can't help wondering if it is dawning upon the coup's perpetrators that they have failed and whether a new coup may be not far away.

Elizabeth Kennan's latest Time story indicated her view that Fiji may have just experienced the 'coup to end all coups'.

That fanciful analysis has been blown away in the last day or so.

The FDP [Fiji Daily Post] newspaper is keeping its head down but has reported the following:

Lawyer's car smashed (Feb20,2k7)

Crime is down according to the military.

But one group of criminals appear to have gotten away with smashing a car belonging to Tevita and Ana Fa.

Tevita Fa is a prominent lawyer who is representing deposed Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase and the SDL Party [Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua / United Fiji Party, which absorbed the Christian Democratic Alliance and other groups] in legal action against the military regime that seized power last December.

The Fiji Times has reported on the findings of the Pacific Islands Forum Eminent Persons Group.

Return to camp, military advised(Feb20,2k7)

Interim Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama should resign and order his soldiers to return to barracks, it has been recommended in a report.

The report was prepared by the Pacific Islands Forum Eminent Person's Group comprising Vanuatu's deputy prime minister, Sato Kilman, Samoa's Environment Minister Faumuina Luiga, Papua New Guinea's retired chief justice Sir Arnold Amet and retired Chief of the Australian Defence Force General Peter Cosgrove.

The report, which PacNews got hold of yesterday, said any assistance by the Forum to the interim administration would be based on its acceptance of the Group's nine-point recommendations.

It includes the return to barracks of all soldiers and Commodore Bainimarama's resignation as interim PM.

The report recommends that he should allow a civilian to lead the Interim Government.

"The Republic of Fiji Military Forces should be asked to take immediate steps to withdraw from its involvement in the Interim Government, with a view to restoring civilian rule as soon as possible,"the Group recommends.

A copy of the report is with Commodore Bainimarama who is studying it, according to Interim Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. He said the report would have to be studied thoroughly before a public comment was made on it.

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat said the report has been released to members of the Forum and would not be made public just yet.

PacNews said the report also called on the Interim Government to take the country to the polls in 18 to 24 months.

The Group also urged the Interim Government to immediately put an end to all human rights abuses.

The Group also recommends that the Interim Government restricts its activities to four measures. These are:

* to uphold the 1997 Constitution;

* to respect and uphold Fiji's domestic and international obligations;

* that the RFMF ceases all interference with the judiciary and accountable institutions;

* to ensure that all citizens are free to seek legal redress in the courts in relation to events on and following December 5,2k7.

The report said that if the Interim Government adhered to the group's recommendations, the Forum would consider a phased package of assistance to Fiji. These include financial and technical support for the electoral process and the anti-corruption commission and assistance to restore the independence of the judiciary.

The 21-page report is expected to be tabled at the region's Foreign Affairs ministers meeting next month.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark at a press conference told journalists that the timeframe given by the group for Fiji to prepare for the polls is more than enough.

She said the report from the group showed a forward path for Fiji back to democracy.

Many thanks to Dr Bruce Wearne and his colleague in Fiji, journalist/editor Dr Robert Wolfgramm, for their reformational- philosophically- informed monitoring and commenting on the Fiji situation where Christians in politics play an important role.