Bainimarama resilient and resolute, rightly so

Work in Progress: Commodore Bainimarama at his office in Suva

Despite worldwide criticism and condemnation, Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama   appears to be firm and resolute in sticking to his timetable for restoration of democracy following elections in early 2014.

The Pacific Forum and the Commonwealth have ejected Fiji from its fold, while its neighbours Australia and New Zealand have placed sanctions, aiming to bring down the regime to its knees.

However, it has not worked and may never work, as sanctions are like misguided missiles that stray into the domain of the ordinary and innocent citizens while those in power escape its objectives.

One cannot ignore the truth that the house of democracy in Fiji was beyond repair and its demolition was a natural consequence.

Indo-Fijians, its greatest victims, could never undertake such a task or even cause it, through democratic means, to be just, fair and equitable to everyone.

Any attempt to restructure or rebuild it had to come from a Fijian initiative and the army, which had infiltrated Fiji politics irreversibly, was the only establishment capable of doing so. However, taking note of its history, being strongly aligned with the ethno-nationalism initiatives, no one could imagine that it would break ranks and undertake such a task.

Challenging groundwork

Dispassionately viewed, restoration of democracy in Fiji requires a lot of groundwork to ensure that it is genuine in intent and content. The People’s Charter formulated by the Interim Government charts the course, leading to the democratic elections in 2014.

Mr Bainimarama told the UN General Assembly at its 64th session on September 26 that his Government’s dream was for equality, justice, safety, dignity, economic wellbeing and true democracy.

The medium for achieving these laudable goals are specified in the People’s Charter and work in achieving its objectives is moving gradually. The Interim Administration, set up by the army has committed itself to a good cause, but is being denounced by the purists because they are considered to be the wrong people and yet they have set themselves to do the right thing!

“From this, a clear scenario for democracy across the world emerges, which has a worldwide relevance – wrong people doing the right thing are wrong but right people doing the wrong thing is okay. This is simply arcane, insane and ludicrous!

The custodians of democracy, in many countries, are mean and evil people and yet they are recognised and allowed to plunder and destroy nations only because they stand under the banner of democracy.

Many of these democracies today are bleeding profusely and yet the vitriol of the west, against the Fiji’s army, to reconstruct a robust house of democracy in Fiji for its citizens, defies reason. Today, in many countries, the armed forces have embedded themselves with rogue politicians, ‘democratically’ elected, harvesting the riches from the crop of corruption while the ordinary people peck in the dust for grains, forage in rubbish bins or scavenge in rubbish tips to survive.

It could have been the easiest of choices for Fiji’s armed forces to join the Fijian elites and share in the plunder but, instead, driven by patriotism it has taken upon itself to the task of rebuilding Fiji’s damned democracy.

Discrimination galore

Indo-Fijians in Fiji had suffered discrimination, marginalisation and persecution under successive democratically elected governments and yet, the UN and the Commonwealth turned a blind eye to their plight.

Generally, Indo-Fijians sympathetically view the agenda of the Interim Government and many Fijians feel liberated from the much-maligned Fijian Administration, under which  the chiefs and Fijian elites prospered at the expense of ordinary Fijians.

The Interim Government has been in power for the last three years and, to the best of its ability, has governed responsibly, barring a few lapses.  

Its slow progress in attaining the objectives was impeded by the senseless sanctions imposed by Australia and New Zealand.

However, some positive vibes are now coming, most notably from Commonwealth Special Envoy and former New Zealand Governor General Sir Paul Reeves.

He urged New Zealand to change its stance on Fiji and provide incentives to Fiji to move to democracy, as current policy of isolation has not worked and was bringing hardship to the people of Fiji. Australia and New Zealand should adopt a pragmatic approach and assist Fiji in achieving its objectives as defined in the People’s Charter.

Varying Democracy

Democracy in every country has its own blend and Fiji has to develop its own brand, taking due cognizance of the local needs, desires and aspirations.

As US President Barack Obama said at the UN General Assembly, “Democracy cannot be imposed on any nation from the outside. Each society must search for its own path, and no path is perfect.”

In developing its own brand of democracy, the Interim Government must take due note of the history of the past practices that contributed to the ultimate collapse of democracy in Fiji. In restoring democracy, it must ensure that it avoids recurrence of the old scenario where racism strangulated the nation.

Racism, injected in the body of democracy, spreads like cancer and is usually terminal.

Mr Bainimarama and his Interim Government have been lampooned, demonised, criticised and condemned by the purists but it has withstood the onslaught, driven by dogged determination to restore a true democracy in Fiji, which eliminates racism in every form.

Viewed rationally and practically, it would be difficult to find fault such an approach.

Rajendra Prasad is an Indian Newslink columnist, whose voice is being heard in New Zealand’s mainstream media and across the oceans. He lives in Auckland.

Email: raj.prasad@xtra.co.nz