The New York Times and its sister paper, the International Herald Tribune, have carried the first in a series of stories on Fiji by Matt Siegel, their Sydney-based correspondent who gained unimpeded access to the country last month. There’s no significant news break, which is mildly surprising considering Siegel had lengthy sessions with both the Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, and his number two, Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum. But neither are there some of the usual journalistic howlers, which is to be expected from one of the few remaining newspapers in the world with the resources to deploy a two man team – reporter and photographer – in Fiji for two weeks.
Under the headline, “Detour on the Road to Democracy”, the opening paragraph has Commodore Bainimarama reflecting that the only thing he would have done differently in retrospect would have been to seize power in 2001, not five years later. Siegel doesn’t have him elaborating but Bainimarama has often said privately that he should have acted earlier and spared the country the Qarase years. Presumably – given the course events have taken – he thinks Fiji might have returned to a fairer democracy much sooner. And, of course, he’d have been spared the tag of coup-maker and be widely acclaimed for saving the nation from George Speight.
According to the Times piece, the government is “seething” that its accomplishments haven’t been properly recognised. So it will also be seething that Matt Siegel hasn’t chosen to present it in glowing terms either. He depicts an atmosphere of fear in media circles over the Public Order Amendment Decree and says he couldn’t get any working journalist to speak on the record. The sole critic prepared to be identified is Netani Rika, the former Fiji Times editor – famously forced out of the job – who is now the Reverend Akuila Yabaki’s researcher at the Citizen’s Constitutional Forum.
Not surprisingly given his staunch opposition to the regime, Rika declares himself “not optimistic” about 2014, opining that a lot of the government’s plans are “superficial” and the stage is being set for effective military rule for another ten years. That puts him at odds with Yabaki – his boss at the CCF – who has publicly declared himself optimistic about a successful outcome. It will be interesting to see how Yabaki deals with Rika’s comments. The celebrated clergyman has been anxious to portray the CCF as politically independent and an “honest broker” when it comes to the constitutional process. Although he wasn’t identified as a CCF employee in the NY Times piece, Rika’s comments – in direct contravention of Yabaki’s analysis of the reform process – will certainly raise eyebrows in Suva and raise the ire of government.
It’s interesting to note that Laisenia Qarase isn’t quoted by the NY Times but Mahendra Chaudhry is. It’s remarkably tame by Chaudhry’s usual standards, merely expressing the view that Fiji needs to address the role of the military after 2014. But this is just the first in a series of articles so perhaps there are more lively comments to come. If anything else, one positive aspect to the NY Times coverage is that Matt Siegel adds layers of badly-needed context to the Fiji story, something most visiting Australian and NZ journalists seem chronically unable to do. One imagines the Government will be disappointed that it didn’t get a better hearing, especially on its multiracial agenda and electoral reforms. But it also needs to appreciate that targeting the media at home is hardly likely to produce glowing endorsements from visiting scribes like Siegel. The global journalistic fraternity is tight.
The same applies when it comes to roughing up regime opponents, something that Siegel insists on describing as torture. He and Grubsheet had a spirited exchange on the subject during our own meeting in Suva, when I pointed out that these were isolated outbreaks of violence rather than an institutionalised state process to punish or extract information. “Fiji doesn’t have formal processes of torture like the United States with its water boarding”, I opined. “It’s more instances of spontaneous beatings – known locally as buturaki – which have always been a feature of Fijian life”. It was an observation that didn’t impress my interlocutor and frankly, I don’t blame him. Because whatever you call them, there’s no excuse for the beatings that have taken place in custody and the onus is on the regime to ensure they are not repeated. When the New York Times publishes a photograph of the scars that Suva identity Ben Padarath carries from his own beating up at the camp, the military really has no-one to blame but itself.
Here’s a link to the picture gallery that accompanied the NY Times article.
And here’s a link to Matt Siegel speaking to Bruce Hill on Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat about his Fiji sojourn.
Why quote Mahendra Chaudhry, who has no credibility left. A hypocrite to the bone. The Labour Party is nothing but a bunch of Chaudhry lackeys with no balls. Lately the party expelled Krishna Datt for “breach of discipline”. and “political vendetta”. This from mahen, the most vindictive politician ever, who brooks no dissent, and has expelled from the party who dared raise even a word against him.
Mahen accused Dutt of posing “as a political saint”. The irony is staggering. If anyone has been acting like political saint and champion of the poor throughout his career, its Chaudhry. He then proceeds to pocket $3m in donations raised in the name of the poor.
The Labour Party called Dutt “self-serving”. Who has $3m in the bank – mahen chaudhry or Krishna Datt? If you talk about self-serving, mahen chaudhry is the king, the heavyweight title holder.
One of mahen chaudhry’s favourite term when attacking political opponents was they were “feathering your nest”. Well, Chaudhry takes the cake in this department. he has $3m in the bank as proof! Is there a greater hypocrite than this man?
In the Labour Party statement Chaudhry “reaffirmed the democratic nature of the FLP”. Haha what a joke from someone who has surrounded himself with lightweights and ‘yes-man’, like his in-law, Sachida, whom he appointed senator in a sneaky, nepotistic manner by overturning party decision. Those who complained were disciplined – talk about vendetta!
Chaudhry has turned Labour into a family party with son Rajen the heir apparent. According to FLP statement, “Chaudhry reaffirmed the democratic nature of the FLP…another what a sick joke.” Does anyone need more proof that the Labour party is finished, that it is nothing but a mahen chaudhry instrument to get into power.
All te party does is churn out lies and propaganda to prop a leader who has failed miserably time and again. FLP is full of ‘badia bail’ or castrated bulls. No one has the balls to take on mahen.
The sooner this corrupt, nepotistic, tax-dodger departs the political scene, the better. We are just so tired of this bullshit king.
Whatever happened to his (Mahen’s) chief spokesman and boot licker – he was also loyal like a dog to Mahen – the one and only Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi?
Some say he has escaped to NZ?
Can anyone tell us where exactly this bootlicker is?
@ jiale
He conned some businessman in Sigatoka with his cheques and faked off to nz.
It’s like all this characters who are under investigation in Fiji get to stay in aus/ nz. Fiji should tell aus/nz to get faked if they want somebody extradited as they are not holding their side of the bargain.
I once worked for a Telecom Company here in Australia whose COO was an American. His son (about 25)was assigned to me….you know hangers on…nothing to do because Dad is the Boss. He thought Europe was a country, England was its capital..and “I think that old lady is the President…I mean the one wears a crown all the time…no wonder they couldn’t fight us”.
You see only about 2 % of the American population would care about what happens outside their country…and New York Times…I know its widely read but ….
And the journalists would complete their assignments (of course where in the hell did they find Netani Rika and Chaudary…in their dreams???)….take a couple of pictures…sip cocunuts ……ego grows slightly bigger…and their life goes on.
Americans who identify Fiji as a sun loving country will continue to visit.
Terry will continue to jump up and down.
Mark “the-run- away-soldier” Manning will continue to pop up as a bleeding wart in the dogs arse.
Chrissie…..will continue to see justice as he/she would like to.
Immigrant Officer will continue to cut and paste and Wilson Bocinira will continue to grind his teeth until his gums show.
Me….nah I will continue as I will….
Goodness me Graham do you realize you referred to the Bainimarama Government as a regime. Well done perhaps tomorrow you will be able to call a spade a spade. Baby steps but moving in the right direction.
But I am sure Qorvis will have something to say about that and soon have you using the right words again.
The other thing I noted you have admitted that the military has carried out acts of violence and you say the military has no one to blame but themselves. Isn’t the Commanding officer responsible for the actions of the troops under his command? Can I ask who is the officer in charge of the Fiji military forces?
Oh Lordy would you look at that it is Bainimarama.
On the pages of Grubsheet the Commander is only responsible for handing out medals to the troops. When it comes to the violence his soldiers have shown to civilians Bainimarama is not responsible. I am not sure who is but Bainimarama is definitely not responsible according to Davis.
@ Free Press,
Regime: Thesaurus:English (UK):-government, command, rule, administration, management, organisation, system, establishment, scheme, schedule, procedure.
What don’t you understand…please do let us know.
This just reminds me of the Immigration Officer who in another blog becomes the Director of Immigration.
And I say Free Press my Arse…you guys think that you are a law unto yourselves ..just irrelevant for Fiji, quite frankly.. keep on hoping boy.
Vinny and Chand Terrior RC
Lekh Ram is coming to Sydney to visit you two for some more donations to the Fiji Labour Party !!
wilson,
I am Chand (Terrior RC).
When you started on this blogsite and started hurling abuse at the Indian community..well I thought I should let it get out of your system. Everyody deserves a chance to let out the steam (though it was directed at the Indian community).
When you blamed the Indian community for the failures of the previous regimes, I thought I should let you.
When your so called business “failed” or somehow it disappeard into thin air, you directed that failure to Bainimarama and those who support him….I thought …well ok you got to blame somebody however far fetched but you started getting on my nerves.
When you did not get a ‘FREE” land evaluation for your so called investment for a backpackers hostel somewhere along the coast……..I believe during the Q Regime, you blamed Bai….I thought you’re nuts.
When you disappeared for a while hoping to come up with some GREAT revelation and suddenly sneak into a debate beyond your comprehension and insult me…well I think you are a LAMU SONA.
Or as Vinny would put it QARASONA.
Dear Chand,
It is a pleasure to enter into a debate with you on this matter.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines regime thus “a government, especially an authoritarian one”
As you do not live in Fiji, you may not be aware but the Ministry of Information on the directive of the Attorney General told the media they could not refer to the Bainimarama Government as a regime. If any article or story contained the word regime the censors made the journalist change the word or pull the piece. The censors may have gone but no Fiji based journalist uses the word regime.
I have no problems with the word regime but it seems as if it is a bit too close to home for the AG.
Davis as one of the REGIME’s leading propagandist should have known better and may find the AG seething because he used the word.
Dear Free Press,
I wish I could address you by your given name,but alas someone who who seems blastardly obessed with Free Press so chooses to remain annonymous….some freedom you asking for….this is why I do say you guys are up your self…thinking that you should own the world…that somehow all peoples are desperately waiting to read your scribes before having breakfast, lunch and dinner….that somehow we need you guys to have our food digested….believe me we don’t need you.
We in Fiji….so what if I don’t live there.
I contribute directly in the employment of 5 citizens of that country….yes 5. 3 are my i-taukei and 2 fom the indian community.
They are all married and and have children. So my contribution has give food to 5 families…god bless them…its a rolling business…meaning that it make enough money that rolls into the business….
This while you run around annonymously with ego on your shoulders….those families don’t care about the definition of a regime and neither do I and neither do most people of Fiji…I say good on ya Khaium….
I say Freedom of Press my arse…..go and create a job or go to that media guy at the USP.
Dear Chand,
Making a good point as always. I don’t know if your have read Matt’s article but no journalist in Fiji was prepared to go on the record and talk to him about media conditions in Fiji. That include journalists from FBC and the Fiji Sun both part of the regime’s propaganda arm. So Chand I will remain anonymous like the journalistic fraternity of Fiji except for Davis, but then if he ever displeases the regime by referring to them as a regime again he can scurry back to Australia.
If I was writing from yours and Davis’s home country of Australia I would include my name but I am writing in Fiji and sad to say I am not as brave as Wadan Narsey.
I am sure your multiracial employees are very grateful to be working for such an even tempered, caring and thoughtful boss. Perhaps those families do care about the situation in Fiji but dare not say something in front of you. I am sure they have learnt from bitter experience that if they say anything to disagree with you, they would suffer an unending avalanche of insults and be sacked on the spot.
Oh boy…some free press..
You just made an assumption that my workwers if “disagree with you, they would suffer an unending avalanche of insults and be sacked on the spot”.
Ok this coming from Free Press….oh yea..a presumption..right…and this is the freedom you want to express as an opinion of an event that has not occured….and you want the right to express that in print…oh boy so much for free press fighters….you have just insulted the intelligence of the jurnalistic world….I’m not sure how you became a journalist but that says it all……you have just foregone your right to a debate for free press mate…go back to your hole…you have much to learn…you’re not worth it man.
Graham,
I see you write “But it (The Regime) also needs to appreciate that targeting the media at home is hardly likely to produce glowing endorsements from visiting scribes like Siegel. The global journalistic fraternity is tight.”
So do you admit the local media is targeted and that self censorship is in existence? I rather got the impression from your earlier pieces you thought all was fine in media circles in Fiji and it was only the out of touch cappuccino sipping Mark Edge who thought there was self censorship.
If that is the case perhaps as a sign of solidarity with the global journalistic fraternity you could stop writing your propaganda pieces for the regime rag, the Fiji Sun. Or if you are incapable of that perhaps you could at least ensure that the people you target in your tirades are given a fair response in the same paper.
Yes, Bainimarama heads a regime, Qarase headed a corrupt cartel that was draining the coffers while using race and affirmative action for Fijians to mask its activities. A modern version of colonialism and exploitation when natives were given trinkets in exchange for swathes of land and other precious cargo.
Qarase govt it had its eye on FNPF next. maybe Fiji is from frying pan into the fire, but had qarase done better job, there might not have been a coup.
Free Press has rather naive, jaundiced and simplistic view of free press and democracy learnt in high school. You need to update and upgrade your reading, widen your thinking and views instead of repeating the same old, out of date, tired stuff about press and democracy.
If I may suggest, start by searching and reading ‘what is democracy ‘ to enhance your superficial understanding of these concepts.
Free Press, I’m not impressed with the way in which the Fiji TV issue was handled. Media companies, like any company, are entitled to more certainty in the marketplace than Fiji TV has been given. But journalists in Fiji also need to step up to the mark and assert themselves now that formal censorship has been lifted. Their job is to test the limits and take the government at its word when it says there is now no reason for them to report without fear of favour.
The regime is insisting that journalists and media organisations comply with the guidelines set down by the Media Authority. OK, do it. Then if there is an unreasonable response from government, confront it. I will be the first person to support any journalist who is victimised for doing so. Frankly, the Media Authority should be left to do its job and it is Subramani and not the AG who should be making statements about alleged breaches of its guidelines.
I think it was inevitable that this uncertainty would occur in the transition from censorship to a freer media. People are worried about what they can say and, of course, there’ll be a degree of self censorship. But the whole thing is a work in progress. I think it’s the Media Authority that should be taking a lead on this and work through the issues with journalists and media proprietors.
I was disappointed to see so many journalists refusing to go on the record with the New York Times. They have to fight for their patch, just like journalists the world over. But government also clearly needs to be less defensive. It should leave the Media Authority to do its job without overt political interference.
On your other point, I have no control over what happens at the Fiji Sun. It is obviously pro-regime and it is the right of its proprietor to make that decision. But, of course, it also needs to reflect opposing views and I’d urge it to do so, especially in its opinion columns.
There are rights and responsibilities on both side here. For the media, the responsibilities are not to provoke racial tension, protect the social fabric and ensure the stability on which the economy and our future depends. For the regime, the responsibility is to allow the media to do its job of informing the public by taking positive steps itself to remove any climate of fear. As I say, a work in progress.
Graham,
The evidence speaks for itself; no Fijian journalist wanted to go on the record with the New York Times. That makes it very obvious they feel under threat. Come on the New York Times, for Christ sakes, what journalist worth is salt would not want to be quoted by the New York Times. Not one did. This shows clearly demonstrates 2 things. The first is that all Fijian journalists are in fear not only of their jobs but also the punishment they can face from the Media Authority. Secondly not one journalist wanted to say anything supportive of the regime.
You know the Government has complained about the Fiji Times to the Media Authority 5 times already and the Fiji Times and the journalists are waiting with some trepidation to see what happens next. You say the media in Fiji need to test the limits. Well the Fiji Times obviously has and is waiting to see the results. And from what I hear the limits are very tight.
In one case the Fiji Times was reported by the Regime to the Media Authority because they ran a story and a picture of a family in the floods. It was a human interest story talking about how the flood directly affected this family and how hard they were going to find it to get back on their feet. The story did not mention the government or the authorities once. The Government complained because the Fiji Times had not gone to them for a comment. In the rest of the paper were a number of more general stories on the flood with lots of comments from Government. That is how controlling the regime is being.
To say the Fiji TV affair was mishandled is very tame. It is a clear threat. To date no complaint has been lodged with the Fiji Media Authority that we know of. So what legal reason is there for withholding their full license? You know as well as I do this is a clear case of intimidation by Khaiyum against his brother’s rival. It is a dictatorship at its worst; it is a combination of bad governance, abuse of power and nepotism. All of which the Bainimarama promised to end when he carried out the coup. All of which are outlawed in the People’s Charter.
The problem with this regime is that it always says the right things but so often its actions are in direct conflict to its words. You seem to find that acceptable and normal.
In the case of the Fiji Media we can see that all the words about Freedom of the Press in Fiji from Regime spokesmen is nothing but hot air. The media is bullied and intimidated at every turn unless they report only regime propaganda.
If the same is true of the forthcoming elections then they will not be free and fair.
Dear Free Press Naivety,
I do not think Qarase was a great democrat or a particularly good leader. In fact by most standards he was pretty poor. However, he was fortunate in that the leader who came after him has been worse in just about every aspect.
You mention that he was after the FNPF. You may be right but the FNPF was delivering more value to its members under Qarase than it has done under Bainimarama. It never had any problems finding the cash to pay out pensions but we saw earlier this year some pensioners were waiting for over 3 weeks to get paid.
If you look at Government borrowing in Fiji over the past 10 years you will have seen it is now 5 time bigger than in 2000. In 2000 it was at a very moderate $1 billion. In Qarase’s time it doubled to $2 billion in 2006. At which point Bainimarama held a coup and he was going to reduce borrowings. Instead we find ourselves in 2012 with a public debt of $5 billion. Most of that debt is funded by the FNPF.
Qarase could have done a better job and we might not have had a coup. However, we have had a coup and we find ourselves out the pan and into the biggest inferno ever. Fiji under Bainimarama is going broke and it is the FNPF members who will pay.
@ free Press
You reckon we going broke. Have you considered revenues from bauxite, iron sand and turnaround in profits to FEA, Fiji Pine (pine chips) etc?
Will that change your rather dire assessment that we are going broke. I would have thought from my basic bookkeeping class that one should tally up both the minus and plus columns to come up with the net balance.
You seem to be adding up the minus column only.
@ Free Press
“If the resource sectors potential is realised, the Fiji economy will grow at a much faster pace than ever”.
These words from Esala Masitabua, Chief Financial Manager of the Reserve Bank of Fiji (see story by Fredrica Elbourne in Fiji Times of 5 July 2012).
He paints a more optimistic picture than you about the economy.
Is Masitabua fibbing?
You wont let facts stand in the way of your bias and prejudice against the current government. This is a typical one-sided attitude from the pro-democracy mob.
hei Wilson, I don’t feed feral dogs and dont believe in hand outs. and also QARASONA will visit you to kerekere for some legal fees.
People have short memory. Very few remember the brand of racism Qarese played.
One of the most shameful and disgraceful example was when an expatriate with not so good record was given the top job at USP in place of a better qualified local of Indian origin. Air Pacific also overlooked well qualified local pilots of Indian origin.
During Qarese even Catholic multiracial schools like Marist Brothers and Government schools like Suva Grammer stopped being mutiracial with very poor performance in external exams.
Fiji has a great future, most of its ex citizens seem very optimistic about the future when you meet them in community gatherings, lot of them are thinking about investing in some small business or holiday homes, this will bring money and employment to Fiji.
Fiji has just been exposed to the biggest market in the world for tourism, India and china with the china showcase. The Bollywood movies will show case the beauty of Fiji, which will open up a 350 million middle class Indian market for tourism.
The doomsayers can bitch and whine with tons of negativity but Fiji is on the verge of a great future.