In Fiji, as you may know, there is a ban on publishing newspaper articles which contain views critical of the illegal régime; media items cannot go to air if they fail to get the censor's "OK". The Fiji Times and other newspapers and media outlets like The Fiji Daily Post are subject to this unjust imposition. But it is somewhat alarming that, while responsible political journalism at The Fiji Times has been suppressed by an illegal military dictatorship, its News Corp sister, The Australian, has decided to publish articles that effectively commend the military régime, and commend the régime to Fijian readers by way of the internet. The Australian has now published articles in which the leader of the illegal régime attempts, once again, to justify his actions. By publishing this material the newspaper has, in effect, taken on the role which the Fiji Human Rights Commission assumed for itself in the immediate aftermath of the December 2006 coup. Those supporting Commodore Frank Bainimarama and his band of robbers are obviously desperate for media coverage to draw attention to the views of their military "superstar". When his voice is heard, as in these articles, it continues the same old complaint - his critics in the region have never really listened, they have not tried to understand, they have no knowledge of what is happening "on the ground" in Fiji, they fail to allow Fijians to solve Fiji's problems in Fiji's way.
But the Commodore continues to stand in the way of Fijians solving Fiji's problems in a Fijian way. And now, even more than ever before, the Commodore is the problem. His views have indeed been heard, loudly and clearly. He has made promises which he has repeatedly broken, he has continued to justify his illegal rule as if he should be congratulated for the stand he has taken, claiming to be doing something "necessary". The Commodore has taken decisive aim at the attempts by the Qarase-led government to promote republic-wide peace and reconciliation, and meanwhile the decay of just governance has become the hallmark of his contribution. The justification that he and his minions have given for the military takeover in December 2006 has changed repeatedly to meet new criticisms and unanticipated circumstances. Now that has changed - the deadline has passed for the Interim Régime to give the Pacific Forum a timeline for a return to parliamentary democracy and Fiji is not only expelled from the regional body but the usurper claims to have abrogated the country's constitution. The reason for the military takeover is no longer merely the racism of the Qarase-SDL Government; now the judiciary has been sacked and it is the 1997 Constitution which is the problem - allegedly it was racist through and through. By clearing the slate, Bainimarama claims to be able to start again - a non-racist future beckons under his hand.
The way the Military Commander puts it one could easily draw the conclusion that he thinks that the 1997 constitution was created by none other than Laisenia Qarase. That kind of blurred historical mythology not only shows Bainimarama's desperation, it is further evidence that he and his supporters are very confused. Qarase is no racist. Bainimarama's accusations, backed up by some highly uncritical journalism, have no basis in fact.
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May 2009 © The
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