Part of the reason the United States has been more sympathetic towards Fiji in recent times is due to the efforts of Eni Faleomavaega, the genial US Congressman from American Samoa. In stark contrast with the swaggering Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi – who leads the other Samoa to the west – Congressman Faleomavaega has always grasped the importance of Fiji’s attempt to create a fairer and more multiracial democracy.
Perhaps that’s because he’s an American and understands the basic premise that a democracy that favours one race over others isn’t a proper democracy at all. Or perhaps he’s just a better listener than the big-talking Tuilaepa, who poses as a regional standard bearer for democracy while behaving like an old fashioned Polynesian autocrat at home. Either way, American Samoa is streets ahead of its neighbour in understanding the real issues in Fiji and lending support to its political work in progress.
The difference is that Congressman Faleomavaega hasn’t – like Tuilaepa – sat on the sidelines hurling gratuitous abuse. He’s made the effort to visit the country, meet its leaders and judge the challenges for himself. And he’s then gone to Washington to promote the view to his fellow legislators that Australia and New Zealand and their Samoan proxy have got it wrong when it comes to Fiji. That the best way to achieve true democracy isn’t sanctions to restore a bastardised version but to help the Bainimarama government give the vote of every citizen the same value for the first time.
The importance for Fiji of a friend like Congressman Faleomavaega can’t be overestimated. A Democrat, he’s the ranking member and former chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Asia and the Pacific. As such, he has the ear of fellow legislators in the world’s biggest superpower and direct access to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. So it’s no surprise that America has a much better understanding of the complexities in Fiji than its immediate neighbours Australia and NZ. Yes, Washington is also worried about China’s increased presence in the region. But Congressman Faleomavaega is cutting through the simplistic narrative of a “thuggish dictatorship” – the version promoted by Tuilaepa and his cronies – to explain why the 2006 coup was necessary and why Fiji deserves international understanding and support.
Last week, Congressman Faleomavaega was in Port Vila for the annual Pacific Debate organised by the Vanuatu-based Pacific Institute of Public Policy, the region’s only resident think tank. And he again criticised Australia and New Zealand for getting it wrong on Fiji, in particular their role in having Fiji suspended from the Pacific Forum. In an interview with Pita Ligaiula of Pacnews, the Congressman said the Forum had been fractured and Australia and NZ influence meant that its policy on Fiji had “failed miserably”. “Most countries continue to have diplomatic relations with Fiji. In my opinion this is a failure of the Australian policy in the past five years not to help Fiji but to punish (it) because of its military status,” he said.
While the Congressman didn’t mention Tuilapea by name, the fact that the Samoan prime minister is one of the strongest supporters of Fiji’s suspension also makes this a backhander from a fellow Samoan. Tuilaepa has said that Frank Bainimarama is “leading everyone down the cassava patch” with his undertaking to hold elections in 2014. But Congressman Faleomavaega said he was “very optimistic” that Fiji would be going to the polls as promised.
“The unfortunate situation here is that…the immediate reaction from Australia and New Zealand is, it will never happen. We talk about building confidence (but) that’s not the very positive way of helping fellow islanders who have serious problems”, he said. Congressman Faleomavaega said he believed in Fiji’s “own way of solving its problem” and giving it the support and a sense of confidence it needed to make fundamental change and avoid a fifth coup. “I am confident that the leaders and the people of Fiji are all looking forward to have the election come 2014 with or without Australia and New Zealand support,” he said.
The difference between this attitude and that of Prime Minister Tuilapea couldn’t be more stark – one enlightened and understanding, the other uncompromising and belligerent. Tuilaepa and his loutish media advisor, Terry Tavita ( see the comments section of the previous posting) continue to insult Fiji in general and Frank Bainimarama in particular. They also continue their gratuitous interference in Fiji’s domestic affairs by undermining it in regional forums and even encouraging rebellion through their support for the renegade former officer, Ratu Tevita Mara. One way or another, they will eventually have to account for that belligerence. In the meantime – fortunately for Fiji – in Eni Faleomavaega it has a much more important and influential Samoan on its side.
This article has subsequently appeared in the Fiji Sun.
Eni thinks like an American and is intelligent unlike that tub of lard from the other Samoa
We cant compare a US congressman to some backwater countries PM
The real difference between these 2 men is the way they treat liars.
Eni was given a brief by Bainimarama in February 2007 outlining why he carried out the coup in December 2006. This brief contained 25 reasons for holding the coup. In every case Bainimarama has behaved as badly or worse than the accusations leveled at Qarase and his ministers.
If Eni was to do a quick comparison of those 25 reasons today and see what has been achieved he would easily see that he has been made to look a fool by Bainimarama.
Tuilaepa on the other hand was lied to once along with all the Forum leaders that Fiji would have elections in 2009. Bainimarama reneged on that commitment. Tuilaepa, wise that he is, knows you can’t trust a liar.
Eni continues to believe the lies he is told though there are no facts to back up these lies. Tuilaepa remains skeptical.
Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice Shame on me.
Grubsheet is like Eni. Bainimarama lied to Davis on camera in February of this year when he denied planning coups in 2003-4. Davis knows he was lied to and what was his reaction. To cut out the lies from the broadcast interview and continue to believe every word Bainimarama says.
Interesting Fact about Eni. He is not allowed to vote in the US Congress so his influence is virtually nil
“Fool me”, fool you for arguing that the Congressman’s influence is “virtually nil”. Yes, the sole representative from American Samoa doesn’t get a formal vote because it’s a territory, not a state of the union. But Eni is nonetheless a congressional member and sits on some of its most influential committees. He’s also been re-elected eleven times so he can be classified as a veteran member. He’s also a military veteran, having fought in the Vietnam war.
Perhaps you didn’t read the piece properly. You certainly don’t seem to have grasped its content. The Congressman wasn’t saying he’d been lied to by Bainimarama, as you contend here. He was supporting Fiji’s right to carry out its reforms without hindrance.
The rest of your contribution is the same tired old half truths, fabrication and political static we’ve all heard before. It’s one thing to try to fool others but when it’s this transparent, you’re merely fooling yourself.
@Graham,
I did read your article properly and the point I was making is that Eni is either unaware he has been lied to by Bainimarama since 2007 or he simply does not care. Either way he has been fooled by a tinpot dictator.
He does sit on committees and he is a veteran of congress. But because he has no vote no one listens to what he says because nobody needs him to get legislation past. He can talk and he does a lot but nobody takes him seriously.
Do you deny that Bainimarama lied to you on camera in his February interview? You wrote an article on Grubsheet all about his denials about planning previous coups. But when prove emerged showing he lied, you went strangely quiet on the topic and cut it from the broadcast interview.
Faleomavaega is a good person with a good heart and good intentions..I got nothing bad to say about him..he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with Tuilaepa on the Fiji situation..I also don’t agree with him..(shrugs)..so what?
So what, Terry? How about he’s right and you and your boss are wrong. And one of the Samoas is on the right side of history and your side ain’t.
no, it simply means we respect his views on Fiji even though we don’t agree with them..tuilaepa and faleomavaega are very good friends..there are issues they agree with and issues they don’t..that’s the nature of leadership..Fiji is just one issue, a minor one, in the bigger scheme of inter-Samoa relations..you gots much learning to do little un..
Eni Faleomavaega also thinks that the pacific should be more interested in fighting to free Irian Jaya from Indonesian rule. Eni, bless his heart, is getting old and senile.
Tuilaepa has a real country to run. American Samoa is just a colony of the US.
“Petelo”, if you think the continuing Indonesian occupation of West Papua is a matter of no consequence then you are very much out of step with the feelings of a lot of people in the region. Laugh if you will but the brutal suppression of a Melanesian country by Javanese invaders isn’t the least bit amusing. It’s to Eni’s great credit that he has taken up this crusade and you are a complete disgrace for having made light of it.
Well leave it to the PNG govt to sort out. None of your business or the pacific’s business. Melanesia is a very unstable part of the world. Always fighting amongst itself. You got your own problems to sort out lol.
I am sure the PNG govt is more worried about unifying its own state without having to worry about the guys next door. Most of those guys in the PNG highlands don’t even recognise Port Moresby’s authority, so what makes you think Irian Jaya will be any different?
@ petelo
Come on Sole, be fair.
When Samoa was suffering under German colonists the rest of the region (UK, NZ & Fiji with some loyal Samoans based in Fiji) came to its rescue in August 1914 to help you find the freedom that you enjoy today. They rowed ashore and kicked the Huns out of Apia.
The Irian Jayans want their independence as much as you Samoans did and fought for last century, aided of course by other countries.
PNG cant resolve the issue on its own. It needs international support.
Your cheap shot at Melanesia is uncalled for. The countries within the so called Poly Triangle (except for NZ) are really insignificant. When it comes to putting in the hard yards for international peace and stability, they are nowhere to be seen.
So give the Irian Jayans some sympathy in theiur quest for independence coz you samoans were in the same boat at one point in your history.
You must learn Samoan history from the same school of Bainimarama propaganda as you lean your Fijian history.
Liberate from the Germans? Most Samoans in the villages wouldn’t have even noticed the NZders coming in. They probably wouldn’t have got the news for months. It was simply one foreign flag replaced with another foreign flag in Apia. What happened in far away Apia was not a matter of major significance to the everyday lives of Samoans back then.
liberated samoa from who? boso, samoa has very fond memories of the germans..gthey protected samoan customs and traditions from western influence, introduced to us the coffee, cocoa, cotton, cattle, sheep, the donkey, commercial farming and brought in thousands of chinese coolies and melanesian labourers who successfully and harmoniously integrated into samoan society..we don’t have any racial hang-overs like you do in Fiji..many of us from Apia are also part German..the transition of powers at the outbreak of WWI was a non event, the Kiwis went ashore unopposed (there was never a German naval fleet based in Apia), pulled down the German flag and raised the Union Jack then marched up to Afiamalu and took over the only short wave radio there..that was it..the villages were never affected because the germans never interfered with local village affairs..
@ Terry
This sounds like a non-event. The historical account I read in Kiwiland apears to be a beat up.
:-\
Graham, did you see your dear leader (the commentator hilariously referred to him as the “Honourable Prime Minister” hahaha) get along to the rugby on the weekend trying to get the scottish rugby team to be a part of his propaganda show. It reminded me of North Korea. lol
@Petelo,
I used the blog name Terrior RC…your educator.. and it seems you have not learnt anything as yet. In my earlier blog I did inform you of not having the basic understanding of english language.
You seem to begin and end your sentences with “lol, he he he, ha ha” and the likes.
You’re some guy who is easily amused and lack the character and intelligence for any meaningful debate. How can you when you don’t even know the current population of your own country (like your mentor terry tavita and tui). History of your country is another matter…
But hey occationally we do like to kick a football around for a break…so keep on writing…..btw are you in for a matai title as yet???? If not you may not have done your job on your current mentor, the doubled matai terry….instead of your finger you may have to use your fist.
The last boat to kadavu is waiting for you. Best you hop on board and row yourself home before you think too much.
Your’e a grub man….basically an empty vessal living on handouts
Petelo
Direct your comments to your country Samoa.You, Tavita and Tuilaepa have no business in Fijis Affairs so leave us alone, we are gonna settle our own problems.
Listen you fool, I don’t know what on earth you are taking about and it’s getting very tiresome having to address this canard. You’ve made this accusation before and it is completely and utterly baseless. I haven’t lied to anyone, nor suppressed any part of any interview. Is that a good enough denial for you?
Petelo
Tuilaepa reminds me of North Koreas dear leader short, fat and ugly.
TERRY & PETELO
Both of you are following your blind leader Faleomavaega who is being used as a scapegoat by those behind the scene. Soon they will be revealed. Their words to the three of you is that you were all being used to be abused and your words says all about it.
A negative mental channeler.
The problem with you Melanesian countries is that you don’t have proper law and order and political stability. It is like Hamlet’s Denmark the way you guys run your countries. PNG is a shining example of failed state. Solomon Islands is a failed state. Vanuatu is improving. But Fiji is another melanesian country heading to hell in a port moresby style hand basket.
What you need is a proper dose of Samoan style political stability, where everyone speaks the same language (even the chinese and palagi samoans) and sings from the same song sheet.
Fiji’s problems will never be solved when you try and get rid of the indigenous people of the land and sell their land to the highest bidder.
oh, and Chand, instead of jumping on the boat, do yourself a favour and jump off the boat and wedge yourself under the reef.
Samoa’s prime minister wants to take advantage of the situation in Fiji to get his country lined up for all the regional goodies. Guess what, there is a saying an elephant seating is still higher than the rat so even if Fiji is in a compromising position, it is still much better than the back waters of Apia.
Suva is a sh!thole compared to Apia..
Ah, Terry, where would we be without you? Life would be so much more tedious. So the media advisor to the Samoan prime minister goes on record saying that the Fijian capital is a “shithole”. How diplomatic of you. How much it oils the wheels of Samoa’s relationship with Fiji.
It’s not so much of a “shithole” that you don’t carve up the joint every time you pass through, with ample evidence of a huge spike in bar receipts at establishments from one end of town to the other. But what intrigues me is the supposed ripple of excited anticipation among the ranks of local transvestites at the attentions they receive when- suitably fortified – you start chasing them into local toilets. What fun you evidently have in the “shithole” of Suva!
I don’t know whether the same opportunities exist in Apia – a sleepy but admittedly pleasant backwater on the road to nowhere. Clearly you and I don’t mix in the same circles. But can I just give you a word of friendly advice? Coming out of the blue with a statement like this indicates a terrible inferiority complex that you really must try to conquer. It doesn’t sit well with your exalted position in the Samoan hierarchy.
There’s also some evidence that such comments are indicative of someone with the municipal equivalent of penis envy. I have no idea how big your “willy” is and don’t care. But you seem to have such a huge chip on your shoulder about Suva that perhaps we should track down some of the brawny objects of your attention when you visit and ask them. Have a great week!
feel better graham?..penis envy? inferiority complex?..not at all..somebody say sh!t about samoa and I’ll fire right back..I’m just not afraid (or smart enough) to put my name on it..
Anyway Graham, I find you vile, vindictive and evil..just make sure I don’t run into your fat ugly face any time soon..boy I can’t wait to kick your arse..
@ Terry….oh how I missed you and that other clown of yours…yea Petelo.
just one quick question though….are you that brave to fight a man who maybe twice your age.???Did you try smoebody of your age group and stature….nah..your sulu turning yellow!!!
piss off you stupid indian..
Ah, the racist thug again rears his ugly head. Don’tcha love it?
Anywhere else and you’d be fired for this outburst, Terry. But this is the quality of Tuilaepa’s Samoa.
Shame on you and the miserable government that tolerates your appalling outbursts.
@ Terry,
Big Chief Plenty Shit
Plenty Opinion Big Shit
Small Brain Chief Shit
Small Chief Shit Brain…oh this gets better with this shit matai
@ Terry,
Let it be known on this blogsite that I may be the only indvidual APOLOGISING to Terry Tavita.
Terry I sincerely apologise to you. This for the period of your last blog till today.
When I let you off after your last blogg, I did provide you with a little home work of your own country. I may have overburdened you with such a trivial task..a task that any Indian (Fijian) of age 6 could complete. Maybe it was too much for you.
Little did I know you would be feeding on your own dropping in your little hole.
Alas I apologise…from a true humble Indian.
Yes, I’ll be looking out for you, Terry, when you come to kick my arse. You’ll be the big guy next to the even bigger guy in the dress.
the only miserable ‘government’ we have in the Pacific is the one in Suva..heck, the Samoan govt is held up as a shining role model for small island states..beat that loser..
and all of a sudden the bad evil folks just fall silent..now know your role and shut the hell up..hahahaha…
Silence is something you’d do well to learn yourself, big boy. The loud mouth from the small country with a chip on its shoulder about its multiracial, dynamic, evolving, more powerful neighbour. You will always live in Fiji’s shadow no matter what, Terry. But you’re always welcome in the bars and nightclubs of Suva to spread around some of that taxpayer funded salary of yours. The good time girls and half girls love you even if the rest of us don’t.
Graham, I can mingle flawlessly with high society, seamlessly with traditional heirachy as I can integrate with the seemingly flawed ebbs of society..something you can learn from..that’s your lesson for today boy..
“High society?” What, Birdland? Slouched on the bar with your beer-soaked small notes in front of you surrounded by your scented tarts and local fa’afafine? Ha ha ha.
As well as being an appalling racist and thug, you really are a pretentious git, Terry.
you know so very very little about me..
Oh, we know alright, Terry. It’s all there in your foul-mouthed, supercilious, arrogant, racist rants. Chand is a “stupid Indian”. Thakur RS is a “little Indian”, I’m “Fark you Palagi. And so it goes.
It has dawned on me that Samoa’s objection to events in Fiji isn’t based on democracy at all. After all, yours is an autocratic government itself. It is based on a deeply held conviction on the part of people like you that Fiji is for the i’taukei and the other races have no place there.
How else to explain why your own behaviour is tolerated by your boss, Tuilaepa? It’s clear that you’re his attack dog and say the things he can’t. That’s right. Crude ethno-nationalism dressed up as support for “democracy” to fool your misguided patrons, the Aussies and Kiwis.
How else to explain why Tuilapea’s Samoa is hostile to Fiji whereas American Samoa is sympathetic? Because the US side can pick a true democracy in the making, not the sham you insist on reinstating to suit your racist agenda. Oh yes. We know.
you’re wrong..
Well, Terry, kindly provide us with an explanation as to why you invariably attach a racial component to any insult? Why do you cast Fiji citizens – Fijians – as Indians when they are merely of Indian descent stretching back several generations and may never have set foot in India? Doesn’t that imply a fundamental belief on your part that they are outsiders and not legitimate citizens of a Pacific country?
the answer is very simple..Frank Bainimarama staged a military coup in Dec, 2006 and usurped the democratically-elected representative govt of the day..since, parliament was dissolved, the media snuffed, citizens rights suppressed and the country ruled by military decree..the public service has been loaded with military personel, the judiciary subverted with no transparent, accountable and consultative governance whatsoever..comprende?
You know Terry, you could be a good guy if you only stop hanging around with male prostitutes and keep your hands to youself…I think you will …seriously…take your hands out of your pocket..let Petelo handle it.
Terry, so that’s your answer to my question about why you continually attach racial epithets to your insults? That Frank Bainimarama staged a coup…etc,etc,etc….blah,blah,blah. Gimme a break. That’s no answer and you know it.
You not only insult people with your racial slurs, you insult their intelligence. Another incredible performance from the editor of the government newspaper in Samoa and advisor to the country’s leader. But then you’re obviously accustomed to treating your own citizens as idiots.
This guy actually reminds me of The Texas Chainsaw guy, Jack the Ripper, Moron “Wart-in-the dogs arse” Manning, and many more of the likes with an identity crisis….they would go about doing anything to get their blasted names known. I think he should invite Moron “Wart-in-the dogs arse” Manning to join his camp….really it would be fun to watch.
But me thinks Tarry would be wary of Moron “Wart-in-the dogs arse” Manning….I think he is slightly cleverer than the chicken coup 4.5 guys.
One of the reasons he is “rubbung shoulders” with Kevin and the Gang is because he knows that is where his future home lies….like most of the chicken coup 4.5 guys. The only difference is that Kevin and the gang will house him closer to Maccas and maybe give Petero a job there.
And talking of Terry rubbing shoulders with the elite of the society….
well when did we last see him having shoulders….we’ve always seen Tui’s tighs on it …the other way around…in opposite directions…..is this why you have lost all sence of direction Terry… because you have got balls on your face.
Ya, Samoan students here at USP despise this guy. He got into an argument with some of them at Birdland and they wanted to punch his lights out. They reckon he is arrogant and a bully.
Even the local fa’afas (‘wadua’s or ‘one string bandits’ we refer to them on the streets here in Fiji) are scared shit of him.
They reckon he is very much into ‘force line’ tactics ( to use another steet term here).
Take it easy on them when you next in Suva Terry. Show them a bit of class and they will show you their ass (thats what you after heh?). What wrong with our local women here in Fiji?
Ok one more before I think I will close on this:-Why does this guy so despise us fijians (indians and I-taukei).
When we wake up in the morning we thank the lord for the new day and may the sun shine on all its people and together we will move forward and share the joy and what may.
We the people of Fiji, the menfolk, when we look down beyond our bellies we say “now there take it easy boy”.
When Terry and the likes look down they say”Fark… where is my boy?”
And so builds the hate.
And what does he do…..he looks at Mark “the run-away-soldier” Manning and says…”fark the wart….what the hack is that”.
And that folks sadly where it all ends up.
because you support..
..Frank Bainimarama staged a military coup in Dec, 2006 and usurped the democratically-elected representative govt of the day..since, parliament was dissolved, the media snuffed, citizens rights suppressed and the country ruled by military decree..the public service has been loaded with military personel, the judiciary subverted with no transparent, accountable and consultative governance whatsoever..comprende?
and no, I don’t despise Indians and palagis in general..just kunts like you and scumbag davis
Highly energetic article, I enjoyed that bit. Will there be a
part 2?