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| July 24, 2000 | ||
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| FIJI Fresh Fears The hostage crisis ends but the Indian community's future remains precarious as the new regime begins the process of establishing absolute Fijian supremacy. By Yashwant Gaunder in Suva
With that the first Fijian prime minister of Indian origin left the parliament building and drove home to placards proclaiming "Welcome Home Prime Minister". For someone who was widely regarded as unforgiving of his opponents, Chaudhry surprisingly said, "I have no animosity towards Speight. I am a forgiving person."
The former trade unionist, who turns 58 in September, said he was beaten once -- on the day after the coup. "But I am a tough guy. I can take it." Chaudhry, who had been in government for one year when he was ousted, revealed that there were many anxious moments in captivity: "We were our own therapists. We read and prayed and took one day at a time." He said he had been fasting and ate only one meal a day during the past six weeks. After his release, Chaudhry talked only of peace, saying, "We need to work towards reconciliation and put the country back on its feet. A lot of people have suffered because of the recent events." Yet it is going to be an uphill task to mend fences in this racially divided country where Fijians constitute 51 per cent of the population and Indians close to 44 per cent. It was clear that Speight and his supporters for Fijian supremacy had won the day with both the powerful Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) and the army capitulating to his demands. Shortly before the hostages were released, the GCC met and ratified the decision to appoint Ratu Josefa Iloilo, a Speight nominee, as Fiji's new president. Interestingly, Speight said he did not want a government job but it was clear he would be calling the shots in any new power set-up. The 10-day-old government of interim Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase was "deemed to have resigned" when army commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama handed over power to Iloilo. Six weeks ago the chiefs had resolved that the interim government should comprise nominees of the new president, the GCC and Speight's group. Other provisions in the accord between Speight's group and the military that led to the hostages' release include the return of law and order as soon as possible, the return to service and status of all soldiers involved in the coup, immunity to all persons who committed treason and political offences between May 19 and July 13, and the return of all arms. More ominously for the Indian community, during the 10 days it was in power, the interim government presented to the GCC a blueprint for affirmative action for indigenous Fijians before it quit. Qarase, a banker, made it clear that he did not agree with the preferential voting and multi-party government provisions of the 1997 Constitution which was a major factor in Chaudhry coming to power. His government recommended that the new Constitution reserve the position of president and prime minister for indigenous Fijians. The new Constitution, including these provisions, is to be promulgated on Constitution Day (July 24) next year. This will be followed by elections. The interim government has also drawn up land policies that are certain to draw a lot of criticism. All state land is to be transferred to the Native Land Trust Board, the authority governing use of Fijian land. With many native leases due to expire over the next few years, of greater worry to the Indian population would be the change in the legislative ambit of these leases under which mainly Indian farmers have been using land from Fijians for farming. A Land Claims Tribunal is to be established, also to deal with long-standing Fijian land compensation claims. These include the area where the country's main hydro-electric dam is located and most of the land on which the capital city Suva stands. In a move to end the dominance of Indian businessmen over the country's economy, the proposals now being considered include setting up of a number of funds and endowments through government grants to enhance Fijian participation in business. Tax holidays are proposed for Fijian-owned companies. A compulsory national savings scheme is to be set up to finance increased Fijian equity in business. Apart from these measures, 50 per cent of import licences and permits -- such as for taxis -- will be reserved for Fijians as will be 50 per cent of government contracts. Fifty per cent of government shares in commercial companies will be reserved for Fijians as the companies are privatised. Loans will also continue to be given to Fijians at subsidised rates through the Fiji Development Bank. Focus will also be put on a fund to provide scholarships to Fijian students. Such radical measures proposed by the interim government will make it even more difficult for Indians to compete in the job market or in business while many may become landless as Fijians refuse to renew land leases. In the coming months, there is certain to be an increase in the numbers of the more well-off Indians migrating to countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US. But for the vast number of Indians who are poor, the ending of the hostage crisis brings no relief. Only fresh fears. |
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The
way the 56-day hostage crisis in Fiji finally ended on July 13 was both
poignant and farcical. Just before deposed prime minister Mahendra
Chaudhry and 18 other members of the Labour-led former People's Coalition
government were released, their captors performed a traditional ceremony
of forgiveness. George Speight and his gun-toting supporters offered a
bilo (a half-coconut bowl) of kava, a Fiji drink made from a root, to
Chaudhry. As the others wept and sang hymns, Speight and Chaudhry hugged
each other.