The pampered diplomats of the foreign affairs establishments in Australia and New Zealand had seventy-seven reasons to choke on their cafe lattes at the weekend as the news came through of yet another diplomatic coup for Fiji. Well seventy-eight reasons, actually. Because Fiji had just been elected chair of the international grouping known as the G77 plus China, that links the world’s developing countries and the world’s most populous nation in a powerful bloc.
When it takes the top chair from Algeria next year, Fiji will sit at the apex of the largest intergovernmental organisation at the United Nations. In the five decades since the G77 was established in 1964 by 77 developing countries, its membership has grown to 132 member states across the globe. It’s clearly one of the hazards of choosing a number for a name that it pretty quickly doesn’t reflect the true state of the membership. But no matter. G77 plus China it is and there’s no doubting its importance.
Fiji was nominated by the Asia-Pacific Group of the United Nations, which, strangely, doesn’t include Australia and New Zealand. They belong to the Europeans and Others Group, an anomaly that carries the unfortunate implication that these historical European outposts in the region are outsiders. Doubly unfortunate for Canberra and Wellington is that Fiji is so well regarded in the Asia Pacific that the other member countries have seen fit to thrust it forward for an even bigger role as chair of the G77. The importance of the honour that this entails cannot be overestimated.
Australia and NZ are fond of portraying Fiji as a pariah nation because of the Bainimarama takeover in 2006. And they’ve done everything possible – using those forums where they do have clout – to punish Fiji and thwart its development. They’ve strong-armed its neighbours into excluding it from the Pacific Forum, hitherto the most important regional body. And they’ve strong-armed the Commonwealth into continuing its suspension of Fiji. Never mind that a new constitution is being formulated and nigh on half a million people have now formally registered to vote in the scheduled election in 2014. As far as Australia and NZ are concerned, Fiji hasn’t done enough to demonstrate that it really does plan to restore democratic rule. No matter that the election is now less than two years away and even the existing main parties aren’t ready to go to the polls. We have to hold one now – or as soon as possible – just because the big boys say so.
As the months pass, Australia and NZ don’t seem to have any self awareness at all that their continuing intransigence appears more and more petulant and ridiculous. We didn’t do as they told us so we will stay in the naughty corner wearing our pariah hat Well, to use a colourful Aussie expression, the ANZAC “cobbers” can bugger off. Fiji doesn’t give a hoot what they think any longer. Because most other nations in the world have come to understand the racial and political challenges that brought about the events of 2006. And they’re willing not only to treat us with respect as we work out our problems in our own time but in the case of the G77, have given us the honour of placing us at the top of the table.
As the Foreign Minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, aptly put it, we accept the nomination as chair with deep humility and gratitude and will spare no effort to discharge our responsibilities with honour and integrity. We are not a viavialevu nation like our crass big brother neighbours and know how to behave on the world stage. We are “friends to all” and try to serve the international community with a disproportionately large contribution given our relatively small size. Our dedication to United Nations peacekeeping is especially valued, providing troops to safeguard the interests of ordinary people in some of the most troubled places on earth. The Aussies and Kiwis tried to get the UN to punish Fiji by rejecting its peacekeepers. But the ANZAC “cobbers” wound up with egg on their faces when the world body rightly decided that keeping the peace was more important than some petty vendetta in the South Seas.
When Fiji takes the G77 chair next year, it will also be a proud moment for other island members of the UN body we were primarily instrumental in forging – the Pacific Small Island Developing States. Never in the 48 year history of the G77 has one of the PSIDS nations taken the top seat. So while we might be regarded as pariahs in Canberra and Wellington, 132 other countries beg to differ. They see Fiji as a valued member of the community of nations sincerely trying to work through its racial and political difficulties.
It’s high time for Australia and NZ to get a grip. Why have they so persistently failed to see the bleeding obvious in Fiji, the racism and corruption that was so entrenched that only radical surgery could eliminate it? Partly because they got hung up on the legal niceties imposed by a clutch of Sydney barristers sitting as the Fiji Court of Appeal. Partly because they chose to side with a vocal local minority who protest that their human rights have been violated even as they ignore the violation of the rights of 40 per cent of the country.
It all adds up to a terrible injustice and a mistake of historical proportions. The ANZAC “cobbers” have cut off their noses to spite their faces by driving Fiji into the arms of China and other, more sympathetic countries. And for what? To display their impotence for the entire world to see. For all their bluster, sanctions and travel bans, they have not been able to alter Fiji’s behaviour one iota. Whether Canberra and Wellington like or not, a more equal society is being forged in Fiji. And it says a lot about their arrogance and hubris that the rest of the world can see it and they can’t.
Graham – no mount of hoodwinking by you as paid spin doctor of Qorvis will change the fact Fiji has been wrecked by your side kick bainiboci.
Free Media,
Please put your points forward why this article amounts to hoodwinking. I want to read intelligent discussion based on facts and not personal issues that one may have against someone’s opinion which they don’t agree with. Especially when they end with childish name calling at the end. I guess I shouldn’t expect much anyway.
Now jealosy will creep into the ugly heads in Wellington and Canberra. Don’y these two big heads get it? But then, what else can be expected of Aus/NZ? They have tried almost everything under the sun to cripple the Fijian economy but failed so miserably that now they have become a laughing stock. I mean, literally, I laugh out aloud whenevr I hear the pollies start barking from Aus/NZ.
Whats going to be the next “get down and under” tactic they are going to use to lobby for us not to chair the G77 plu China?
Oh my God!—– yes…. Key and Gillard are going to use Felix, Daniel and Rajeshwar as their pawns to make another lobby for that.
I am waiting for that to happen very soon. Word has it that there had been a series of secret meetings between the FTU, ACTU and the goons in Canberra.
free media,,,,,,,,,,
Come on pal…….. no use name calling and cheap shots. People like you demonstrates that you are so used to your old ways and just are not willing to change for the better. What Bainimarama did was save the nation from bankruptcy under the leadership of Qarase & Co.
Just look around you. Ask some intelligent people what bainimarama did for Fiji.
Blind, stupid and arrogant individuals like you and those at C4/5, who have their own sly agendas, do not have the capacity to see through a clear pool of water.
Now,,,,, go on and make my day by accusing me of being a Bainimarama sympathiser. I am not his sympathiser.
Rather, I support the course of action he has taken for a prosperous Fiji for you, me and our many future generations to come. FULL STOP.
In fact the opponents to the reforms and the human rights lobby are not interested in human rights or equality at all. All they want is the restoration of the old nationalist order with easy pickings for the unscrupulous who had their noses in the government trough. Human rights are just excuses for political restoration and financial opportunism. Maybe the cobbers prefer that old order too, for ensuring control over the wounded bird that was the Fiji government.
free media
Next time you want to write anything, please engage the brain before you do.
Reading between the lines of the article in the Sydney Morning Herald :
http://www.smh.com.au/world/china-picks-fiji-as-venue-for-new-geopolitical-fight-20120925-26jh8.html
This only underscores the bleeding obvious, that the current ANZAC policies have failed beyond imagination and all they have been ‘hoisted by their own petard’.
This begs the question, what if Fiji refuses to rejoin the Pacific Forum and the Commonwealth? This will definitely throw the spanner in the works and certainly rile the regional bullies to no end.
@Graham
I am glad to see you are still doing a copy and paste job from the Ministry of Foreign affairs. Or do they copy and paste from Grubsheet?
I am not sure how it works as you have yet to explain what work you do for Qorvis on your 3 nights a week here in Fiji. We know it has nothing to do with Grubsheet as that is completely independent. It is merely a coincidence that every story contains the same facts and sentiments as the Ministry of Information Press Releases.
I have to agree with you on this one well done Fiji it does a lot for the credibility of a dictator to become the chairman of a major block of countries.
In its 42 year History the G77 has been presided over by 21 Dictators. They have included such luminaries of leadership as: Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, Air Chief Marshal Hosni Mubarak, Shah of Iran, General Pervez Musharraf.
Al Bashir of Sudan who is currently wanted for War Crimes by the International Court of Justice was the chair in 2009. He was followed by Sana’a of Yemen in 2010. There was an attempt to overthrow him during the 2011 Arab Spring. Another interesting fact about Sana’a he employs an American Public Relations firm. Guess what they are called. QORVIS of Course.
It is good to see that our truly great Bainimarama is following in the footsteps of some really suitable role models.
Roll on democracy as they don’t like to say in the G77.
It is also good to see Graham is working for Qorvis, a company that in recent history has looked after 7 dictatorships. Still he proudly calls himself an independent journalist so that’s alright then.
The pain of the perennial loser.
Graham
Not sure how I am the loser in all this.
I am not the one losing my reputation.
I am not the one losing the respect of my peers
I am not the one so hard up for cash I need to be paid blood money from a dictator
I am not the one paid to write puff pieces on the corrupt leaders of the most corrupt country in the South Pacific
I am not some sad old hypocrite of a journalist who has become so jaded he can no longer distinguish right from wrong
You are both a coward and a loser, a coward for continuing to hide behind your anonymity and a loser because Fiji powers ahead in the world, leaving you in its wake. I have lost nothing in the way of reputation in the eyes of people I respect. I am proud to work for Qorvis and proud to be part of the effort to introduce a genuine democracy in Fiji. Your self righteous, petulant attacks betray a sense of impotence that gnaws at your very being. Wallow away.
Graham sellout
Sanaa is the capital of yemen and the guy you are referring to is president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
G-77 Chairpersons from 1974 to 2010
Year Country Name
2012 Venezuela H.E. Gladys Urbaneja Durán
2011 Morocco H.E. Hassan Abouyoub
2010 Jordan Mr Ibrahim Abu Atileh
2009 Dominican Rep. H.E. Mario Arvelo
2008 Pakistan H.E. Tasnim Aslam
2007 Kuwait Dr. Lamya Al-Saqqaf
2006 Zimbabwe H.E. Mary Margaret Muchada
2005 Malaysia H.E. Dato’ Lily Zachariah
2004 Colombia H.E. Fabio Valencia Cossio
2004 Panama H.E. Pedro A. Gordon Sarasqueta
2004 Panama Dr. Horacio Maltez
2003 Uganda H.E. Vincent Kirabokyamaria
2003 Mali H.E. Ibrahim Bocar Daga
2002 Iran H.E. Mohamed Saeid Noori-Naeini
2001 Cuba H.E. Juán Nuiry Sánchez
2000 Sri Lanka H.E. Wilhelm H.W. Woutersz
1999 Tanzania H.E. Albano Asmani
1998 Sudan Mr. Harbi M.S.M.A
1997 Philippines Mr. Noel de Luna
1996 Venezuela H.E. Fernando Gerbasi
1995 Egypt Mr. Adel Aboul Naga
1994 Sri Lanka H.E. George N.M. Pelpola
1994 Cameroon H.E. Michael T. Kima
1993 Senegal Mr. Sidaty Aidara
1993 Nigeria Mr. Filibus Bature
1993 Nicaragua H.E. H. Carrion McDonough
1992 Saudi Arabia Mr. Waleed Elkheireji
1992 India Mr. Vishnu Bhagwan
1991 Tunisia Mr. Amor Ben Romdhane
1991 Iran Mr. Parviz Karbasi
1990 Brazil H.E. Joao de Medicis
1990 Libya H.E. Bashir Said
1990 Iran Mr. Parviz Karbasi
1989 Congo H.E. Joseph Tchicaya
1989 Pakistan Mr. Mohamad Saleem Khan
1988 Lesotho H.E. Gerard P. Khojane
1988 India Mr. V.K. Sibal
1987 Colombia Mr. G.Bula Hoyos
1987 Cuba H.E. Leopoldo Ariza Hidalgo
1987 Saudi Arabia H.E. Atif Y. Bukhari
1986 Nigeria Dr. Jaafaru Ladan
1986 Indonesia H.E. Yacob Piay
1985 Libya H.E. Bashir Said
1985 Mexico H.E. J.R. Lopez-Portillo
1984 Congo H.E. Joseph Tchicaya
1984 Philippines Mr. Horacio Carandang
1983 Colombia H.E. G. Bula Hoyos
1983 Sudan Mr. Amir A. Khalil
1982 Yugoslavia Mr. Milan Zjalic
1981 Zambia Mr. Benas Phiri
1980 Venezuela H.E. H.Hernández. Carabano
1980 Libya H.E. Mohamed S. Zehni
1979 Kenya H.E. A. Machayo
1979 Ghana Mr. H. Mends
1979 Bangladesh Mr. Q.H. Haque
1979 India Mr. Ramadhar
1978 Sudan Mr. Amir A. Khalil
1977 Brazil Mr. B. Brito
1976 Sri Lanka H.E. J. Rodriguez
1975-76 Guinea Mr J.S. Camara
1975 Pakistan Mr J.S. Khan
1974 Senegal S.E.M. D. Dioury
1974 Mexico H.E. E. Flores
Tomasi
Good try but I am not sure where you got your list from but here is the real one and the link to prove it. Indeed you might have a look at Graham’s story and you will notice that Fiji is taking over from Algeria and not Venezuela.
So I think you were having a pretty cheap shot at providing misinformation.
Come on Graham now you can’t hide behind Tomasi please tell us what Qorvis are paying you for?
Presiding Countries of the Group of 77 in New York
http://www.g77.org/doc/presiding.html
India (1970-1971)
Peru (1971-1972)
Egypt (1972-1973)
Iran (1973-1974)
Mexico (1974-1975)
Madagascar (1975-1976)
Pakistan (1976-1977)
Jamaica (1977-1978)
Tunisia (1978-1979)
India (1979-1980)
Venezuela (1980-1981)
Algeria (1981-1982)
Bangladesh (1982-1983)
Mexico (1983-1984)
Egypt (1984-1985)
Former Yugoslavia (1985-1986)
Guatemala (1987)(1)
Tunisia (1988)
Malaysia (1989)
Bolivia (1990)
Ghana (1991)
Pakistan (1992)
Colombia (1993)
Algeria (1994)
Philippines (1995)
Costa Rica (1996)
Tanzania (1997)
Indonesia (1998)
Guyana (1999)
Nigeria (2000)
Islamic Republic of Iran (2001)
Venezuela (2002)
Morocco (2003)
Qatar (2004)
Jamaica (2005)
South Africa (2006)
Pakistan (2007)
Antigua and Barbuda (2008)
Sudan (2009)
Yemen (2010)
Argentina (2011)
Algeria (2012)
@ Graham is a sell out,
Do you even understand the word developing nations??? Jeesh fella you’re consistantly commenting on things that is either irrelevant or dont make sense. The G-77 chair post has over the years been filled by developing nations because that is why it was created for, to cater for developing nations. Yes some of those nations fell under dictator ship but in most cases those dictators were supported by the western imperialism just like how over the years deals have been made by powers like the British empires, Roman empire, USA, USSR, China etc etc.
Do yourself a favour and think about what you’re going to type next time. Your repetitions of well known personal issues of certain individuals comments is frankly becoming an obsession. Stick to the topic fella.
Anyways its a good news to hear these nomination and I’m glad we have a great man representing us at the UN. Step by step we’ll get there.
Sa dri yani.
@Graham is a sell out
http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/G77/G77_Chairperson_list/G-77_Chairs_1974-2012.xls
Tomasi,
Your list is the chairs of the Rome Chapter of the G77. The current chair is
H.E. Ms. Gladys Urbaneja Durán
Ambassador, Permanente Representative
of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to FAO
Chairperson of the G-77 & China – Rome Chapter – 2012
For once I agree with Graham and the current chair of the G77 is Algeria and that corresponds with my list.
Thank you Graham – I like the term “radical surgery” in this context – it makes retrospective sense of not just Fiji’s case but of possibly every other developing nation that had to undergo the very same surgery in their desperate search for a governance system and structure that suited their society’s psyche and natural wiring – instead of that which they inherited as the ‘ideal democracy’ from other societies that ‘got there first’ and tried to market it to the rest of the world as ‘the only democracy’. Fiji is going to emerge from this radical surgery as the Pacific model of democracy. Watch Fiji! And learn from Fiji – shall be the greatest single takeup for all G77 and China members and observers – self determination, persistence in the face of condemnation, innovation in the wake of reconstruction and restoration, and new friends exploration in the face of old and extinct friends alienation. Fiji needs to breath fresh air – like minded friends who have undergone the same radical surgery, suffered through marginalization and resisted bullying from know-it-all nations – NOW that Fiji is recovering ! Chairmanship of G77 and China is just the beginning of Fiji’s restoration! Thank you UN for believing in the dignity of all sizes in your beautiful family if nations. Outdated thinkers like Free Media and Graham-is-a-sellout need to renovate and undergo their own brain surgery if they are to remain relevant in the New Fiji that is just emerging ! Cheer up Fiji – it is always darkest before dawn. Sunrise is here at last ! Show the world that you are still truly “FIJI – The way the world should be”.
A proud moment for Fiji and a pat on the back for Peter Thomson.
Congratulations Fiji!!!
Isa na noqu vanua…………… na noqu Viti Lomani.
I believe majority of us are very proud of this achievement regardless of whether we are for or against the current Govt.
We all love our dearest nation. And thank you all.
God Bless Fiji.
@ free media
Graham,This is consistent with utter intellectual bankruptcy, illustrated here many times in this blog. They cannot refute your arguments, so they shout you down, demonize you, defame you. They are cowards and thugs because they do not reveal who they are, and it is no surprise that they are incapable of defending their positions except with scorn and abuse, again as seen many times on this blog.( and that includes racial abuse)
NOTICE:
From now on, any correspondence that does not address the content of a particular article will be deleted.
While I strongly oppose censorship, I have been too indulgent with some people by allowing personal attacks on me and others. These have reached an unacceptable level.
Grubsheet is one of the very few places where comments aren’t refereed before they are posted but this has been abused by some individuals. They can take their bile somewhere else.
On the other hand Graham,it might show that they have nothing else up there except personal abuse.
The key point is that only 2 countries want Fiji out of the international community and it is not happening.
Peni Loma-good one – end of discussion-if the 2 countries were consistent with their beliefs of democracy they will stop trading with China?? No ! why not? putting your money where your mouth is? All talk but full of daaaaaaaaaaaaa!
As far as the Aussie government is concerned…..
Zeal without knoledge is very dangerous indeed. The last “colonial” remanant of remote control rule has finally been released. Time will tell as to what happens next. Fiji is at the cross-roads.
I eagerly await the day when democracy comes to Aus. The corporations are more equal than the individual.
In the words of Leonard Cohen (Democracy)
“Sail on, sail on, oh mighty ship of state, to the shores of need, past the reefs of greed, through the squalls of hate…..sail on, sail on, sail on