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Again an ethnic rift, the bane of recent times, threatens a nation. "A coup against the coup" has happened (the twin coups, first a civil coup followed later by a military coup d'Čtat) for the third time in this island nation since 1987. The unfolding of rapid and successive events, day by day, is making a mockery of the nation. An emergency had been declared.
The dawn of May 19th. 2000, was not a much different one from the previous dawn, but with the breaking of the day came the breaking of events which would take Fiji back to medieval times when might wass right. The bloodless civil coup was strange, different from a military coup: only seven masked gunmen armed with the sophisticated M-16s moved out of a car in a dramatic manner, stormed the Parliament and captured the Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhary (of Indian origin, and head of the Fiji Labor party.) The entire cabinet was held at gunpoint. (31 people have remained hostages in the Parliament building since May 19th.)
Incidents of looting and arson swept the nation, particularly rage was vented against the Indo-Fijian establishments. The President R.S.K. Mara, under pressures rebels, sacked the duly elected Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhary.
This resulted in another coup on May 29th. This time the armed forces of the nation swung into an action, siezed political power, declared martial law in Fiji and sacked President Mara.
The Army Chief, Commodore Josaia V. Bainimarama was declared the Chief Executive of the interim military government. Since that time there co-exists both the de-facto and the de-jure heads of the nation.
The Army Chief revoked the multi racial constitution of 1997, which gives equal rights to Indo Fijians and native Fijians, and the constitution of 1990 has been reinstated which gives more power to native Fijians. An independent Website
Speight claims his cause is "FIJI IS FOR FIJIANS". He is a nationalist by nature and loves to play golf. He has a business degree from USA and a marketing degree from Australia. At one time he was a computer salesmen, before landing the lucrative government sinecure. He is the son of an opposition MP S. Speight, a Fijian of European descent (Interesting to note that George Spieght himself hails from mixed parentage, is not very fluent in his native language but his set himself up as the advocate for the cause of indigenous Fijians).
The causes of Speight's civil coup appear to be primarily racial hatred, the land leasing arrangement practiced on the islands, and the perceived domination of Indo-Fijians in business & politics while there was rising unemployment among the natives. The rift is between the aboriginal Fijians (natives) and ethnic Indians (Indo-Fijians), the latter of which have lived on the islands for more than a century.
The population of Fiji is 44% Indo-Fijians (Fijians of Indian origin) and 51% native Fijians. Between 1879 and 1916 the British brought around 60,000 Indians to Fiji's sugarcane plantations under the indentured labor system. (Fiji was formerly a British colony, which gained independence on October 10,1970). They came with a hope of returning to India one day, but most of them never returned. Initial recruitment was made for five years but many of them opted to become citizens, as they did not save enough money for a return journey to their native land. By 1920 there were 30,000 Indians who had become Fijian citizens and started to do business in trade, transports etc., and mixed with the native Fijians.
With the passing of the time, Indo-Fijians began to dominate business (key industries like sugar farming, garments,) politics and became economically more powerful than the natives. Tthe native Fijians generally preferred to join the army and police services (98% in army and 60% in police are native Fijians and this domination too makes it difficult to resolve the present crisis.) Most native Fijians continued to follow the agriculture traditions of their forebears. But the money to be derived from leased lands and agriculture could not solve the rising unemployment and thus the native population developed resentment towards Indo-Fijians' big establishments.
When Britishs brought Indians to Fiji for their sugarcane plantations, the land was leased to them and indigenous Fijians remain the owners (nearly 80% of landowners are indigenous Fijians and rest is government land). Under Fijian law, all land belongs to the indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians can only lease it. Now the lease period is due to an end shortly and indigenous Fijians want no fresh renewal to take place. Indo-Fijians wants a continuation of their leases, particularly those in the sugar industry. Indigenous Fijians feared that, as Prime Minister, M.Chaudhary, an Indo-Fijian would work to extend the leased period for a long time.
In May 1987 Lieut. Colonel S. Rabuka declared himself as Commander-in-Chief during the first armed coup and suspended the constitution. The coup was put down, but again in October 1987 Rabuka led another coup and nullified the constitution. In July 1990 Rabuka adopted a new constitution giving more powers to indigenous Fijians and the party of Rabuka won the election and he was made the Prime Minister.
In April 1997 a fresh constitution was adopted with provisions of non-racial power-sharing and featuring democratic provisions for establishing a multi party government. The new constitution provided for 31 parliamentary seats for indigenous Fijians and 27 seats for Indo-Fijians. The most recent elections were held under the constitution of 1997 and M. Chaudhary's Fiji Labor party won 31 of the 71 seats in the coalition and become the first Prime Minister of Indian origin. The new military government in Fiji has revoked the constitution of 1997 reinstated that of 1990.
The Great Council of Chiefs is a key institution for indigenous Fijians, consisting of tribal heads, having 50 members. Its role is primarily advisory, the Council agreement is deemed crucial for most major political decisions in Fiji. The Great Council is trying its best to break the political deadlock but seemingly in vain, as George Speight seems not in a mood to heed the Councils advice.
Fiji was expelled from the Commonwealth of the Nations in 1987 in the wake of coups and was not readmitted until the reforms of 1997. India renewed relations with Fiji only two years ago. Now Fiji again has been suspended from the decision-making council of Commonwealth as first step of full suspension as it is behaving against the Commonwealth Harare declaration of 1991, which ensures that all the member nations will respect their citizens for equal human rights, rule of law and democracy irrespective of sex, religion, caste or race etc.
International community is condemning the autocratic attempts to dilute the institutions of democracy. India, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Britain, the EU too have expressed grave concerns over the crisis in Fiji. But any actions or sanctions taken will mostly likely first hit the embattled Indo-Fijian business community.
The person who masterminded the entire drama is George Speight, the Ex-Chief, of head of two government owned pinewood-making companies. Speight was sacked by Mahendra Chaudhary a few days before the incidents took place. He is a declared bankrupt and faced charges relating to illegal foreign exchange transactions. Also, an insurance firm accused him of fraud.
There never had been a racial tussle between the two communities in the past until 1987 when the history of coups begins. In April 1987 the National Federation Party and Fiji Labor party coalition made it to power defeating the ruling Alliance Party. The coalition leader Dr. T.Bawadra (native Fijian) was made Prime Minister. He gave equal representation to both the natives and the Indo-Fijians. An ethnic fight began for political supremacy for indigenous Fijians and indigenous Fijians began to dislike the monopolies enjoyed by the Indo-Fijians in trade and polity after 1987.