A titanic struggle looms between the old and new orders in Fiji for the hearts and minds of the indigenous majority – the i’taukei. It’s a struggle that will determine the future for all Fiji citizens and on present indications, the portents don’t look good. Because the old order – the i’taukei chiefs – seem determined to make race the centerpiece of their campaign, to mine all the old prejudices that have retarded independent Fiji’s development right from the start.
The evidence for this is an astonishing letter to the self-proclaimed leader of the “New Order” – Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama – from one of the country’s paramount chiefs –Ro Teimumu Kepa – in which she raises the spectre of “racial calamity” in Fiji. The phrase has sent a chill through the ranks of non-indigenous Fijians, who comprise 40 per cent of the population. Because however much Bainimarama assures them of a bright multiracial future, the old racial skeletons are being rattled at the apex of indigenous society.
Ro Teimumu heads one of the three indigenous confederacies – Burebasaqa – and carries the title Roko Tui Dreketi, which she inherited on the death of Ro Lady Lala Mara, the wife of the founder of modern Fiji and multiracial standard bearer, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. From her base in Rewa, outside Suva, Ro Teimumu appears to have embraced the mantle of warrior chieftain – the Boadicea of the South Seas – taking it upon herself to confront Bainimarama head on.
Her immediate casus belli is Bainimarama’s sudden and unilateral decision to disband Fiji’s Great Council of Chiefs (GCC), depriving it of its previous status in national life and abrogating its power to, among other things, appoint the country’s president. Chiefs high and low are in revolt, not only over their loss of status and Bainimarama’s lese majeste but also a loss of income as the government bypasses them and channels funding direct to the grass roots. It’s damaged both their pride and their pockets. And many Fijians wonder whether Bainimarama – who’s emerged as the ultimate exponent of the “crash through or crash” brand of reform – may have finally overplayed his hand. In any event, he’s now been dealt an unwelcome racial card.
In her letter -in which she provocatively addresses the Prime Minister as “Voreqe”, his indigenous Christian name – Ro Teimumu describes his decision to abolish the GCC as “ a serious error of judgment”. “Despite the shallow criticisms against the role of traditional chiefs, they are the stabilizing factor for Fiji and they have helped to control the ethno-nationalism and facilitate conciliation in ethnic relations in Fiji”, she states.
Ro Teimumu continues with a broad attack on a central pillar of Bainimarama’s rule – his multiracial agenda. This includes a level electoral playing field when promised elections are held and the use of the term Fijian to describe all citizens and not just the indigenous majority. “The obsession to remove racial issues from the governance of this country is short-sighted and ill-conceived, for ethnicity is a fact of life”, Ro Teimumu says. “The revolutionary changes you are making cannot be made without the involvement of the GCC. Any calamity between the races or even between indigenous Fijians themselves can only be resolved with the involvement of the GCC”, she declares.
In the Fiji context, such a statement from one of the three most senior chiefs in the country has very serious implications. Is Ro Teimumu signaling that without the formal involvement of the chiefs in national life, racial calamity is inevitable? Many will note her choice of the word calamity. Racial stresses, even tensions, have long been a fact of life in Fiji. But racial disaster involving great distress and great suffering – the accepted meaning of calamity? Nothing can be more designed to provoke unease and erode community confidence.
The wider concern is whether this statement has the potential to incite racial hatred and trigger racial conflict in the vanua – especially those areas of indigenous life over which the chiefs still hold great sway, however much their power has been eroded. In the immediate aftermath of previous coups, a wave of home invasions and bashings descended on Indo-Fijians living in certain parts of the country. Some of it was described as institutionalised violence, in which the authorities allegedly turned a blind eye to flagrant human rights abuses. Bainimarama has promised the country this will never happen again. But can the racial minorities in Fiji ever take him at his word when a paramount chief invokes the spectre of a “calamitous” reprise?
Ro Teimumu is a formidable opponent – resentful not just of Bainimarama’s truncation of chiefly privileges but from having been a minister in the pro-indigenous SDL government that he removed at gunpoint in 2006. Far from going quietly, she’s been a persistent critic of the regime ever since, forging close ties with the leaders of that other pillar of opposition to the Bainimarama regime – the Methodist Church. In 2009, she was arrested for defying the military’s ban on the Methodist Church holding its annual conference. She offered to host it herself in Rewa village and was charged with inciting disobedience when she encouraged church members to attend. Since then, relations between the GCC and the Church have become even closer. The Methodists have strongly criticised the abrogation of the GCC and both cast themselves as the sole remaining bulwarks against Bainimarama’s perceived threat to the indigenous way of life.
Ro Teimumu’s latest missive to the prime minister was the second within days and followed a letter of protest over what she termed the environmental threat posed by the proposed Namosi copper mine outside Suva. That can fairly be cast as the legitimate right of a traditional chief to safeguard the interests of her people. But raising the prospect of racial conflict in an already volatile wider environment? Even on prominent anti-government blogs like Coup 4.5, Ro Teimumu’s comments have generated a wave of criticism. One correspondent there termed it “the last gasp of the old order in Fiji” and said even talking about racial calamity made her “unfit to hold any responsible position in national life”.
How the regime will respond is yet to be seen. But Ro Teimumu has emerged as arguably the most potent opposition leader in Fiji – the principal standard bearer for the chiefs, the Methodist Church and the many thousands of traditional indigenous Fijians they still claim to represent. The old Fiji versus the new.
This article has subsequently appeared on the front page of the Fiji Sun, Pacific Scoop NZ , Pacific Islands Report and on the influential Fiji blog of NZ academic Crosbie Walsh.
GD was also interviewed on ABC Radio National Breakfast and Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat. Predictably, it’s struck a raw nerve with Ro Teimumu’s supporters, as evidenced by the following anonymous posting on the notoriously racist Coup 4.5.
Davis, you are dumbass bigot idiot. Fijians and I mean taukei belong to Fiji and Fiji belongs to them. You and your fathers were once guests and remain guests to this day. They have their god given right to be who they are in their own land. Who are you to come and dictate this bull shit about level playing field. Have you lived in nz or australia there is no level playing field you idiot. There is racism right across the board in so many subtle or explicit ways. And the ones who suffer are the natives in their country. You take away the institutions that are dear to Fijians and they become vulnerable in their own country. Fijians do not have big businesses. Al they have is their land and their chiefs and their relationships and culture. Piss off back to where your fathers come from Davis you white racist uncultured pig.
APRIL 20, 2012 5:45 PM
The Ro Teimumu letter:
Great piece Graham. It exposes this chief for what she really is. Obviously she fancies herself as queen. A classic case of how greedy, money-face, power hungry leaders breed racial hatred in Fiji. One of the reasons Fijian people as a whole are behind is because of chiefs like Teimumu. A bitter, hated-filled figure using her chiefly status and church connections to stir trouble. She wasn’t of much use as a minister in the corrupt Qarase govt; she got to that position because of her chiefly status, not her abilities, anyway. Obviously angered by loss of status and financial privileges which she is desperately trying to regain.Happy to rouse her people and send them to face the bullets if it comes to that. None of her people will gain anything but at least she will be back on a fat undeserved salary. This is classic example of how chiefs use the people for their own gain in Fiji. Very un-chiefly and very unchristian behaviour to spread hate and evil, Teimumu. Stop deceiving and using your people. It is disgusting.
Snout in the trought…..tamata viavia levu o iko?…you are very shallow with your thinking…its about time that you try and open your little brain and see whats goin on….not everything is about the race card?
true
Comment on Coup 4.5:
Why-A-SI? said…
A LOT HAS BEEN SAID BY THE STAND OF RO TEIMUMU KEPA; POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE. IT IS ADVISABLE THAT WE AS INDIVIDUALS ANALYZE VERY CAREFULLY WHAT SHE IS DOING; THE SCENARIOS AROUND HER STAND.
FIRST, SHE IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF HER FEMININITY; BEING A WOMAN…OTHER CHIEFS ARE MOSTLY MALES WHO CAN BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO ILL TREATMENT BY THE MILITARY
SECOND, SHE IS BLESSED WITH BEING BORN INTO A CHIEFLY FAMILY THAT ACCORDS HER THE RIGHT TO RULE AND LEAD A PROVINCE AND CONFEDERACY.
THIRD, SHE IS IN A STRONG POSITION OF BEING PART OF THE OLD POLITICAL ORDER; THAT WHICH OPENS DOORWAYS AND WINDOWS FOR HER AND THOSE IN THAT ELITE GROUP.
FOURTH, THROUGH THE ABOVE THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION ARE AWARE OF HER AND HER SERVICE IN PUBLIC LIFE, PRODUCTIVE OR OTHERWISE???…AND SHE HOPES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS.
FIFTH, SHE HAS THE WOMEN’S GROUPS IN HER CORNER THROUGH GENDER PARTICULARLY OR BY ASSOCIATION AND AFFILIATION…AND THIS IS ANOTHER STRENGTH SHE IS COUNTING ON.
SIXTH, SHE IS COUNTING ON “GENUINE” TAUKEI HUMANE SIDE OF LIFE; THAT THERE IS STILL A LOT OF GOOD IN TAUKEI WHO CAN DO SOMETHING, BIG OR SMALL TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS REMOVING THE CANCEROUS BLIGHTS IN BAINIMARAMA AND KHAIYUM…FOR THOSE WHO CARE TO TAKE STOCK OF OUR SITUATION, STAND UP AND BE COUNTED.
IN FACT SHE IS GROPING IN THE DEEP DARK ABYSS ON BEHALF OF HER FELLOW HIGH CHIEFS TO SALVAGE THEIR POSITIONS AND STATUS AMONGST THE I TAUKEI AND THE NATION.
LITTLE DID SHE REALIZE THAT IT WAS THEM DURING THEIR TIME AT THE POLITICAL HELM THAT TOOK THE FIJI NATIONAL SHIP OFF THE COURSE.
THEY LED WITH IMPUNITY, A TOTAL DISREGARD FOR THE COMMON GRASSROOT PEOPLE, LOOKING BIG HIGH AND MIGHTY THUMBING THEIR NOSES SINCE KKTMARA’S TIME TO QARASE’S TIME…THIS IS STALE INFORMATION AS EVERYONE IN FIJI KNOWS.
WITH THEM I INCLUDE EXPLOITATIONS OF THE SITUATIONS AND ABUSES THEN BY THE METHODIST CHURCH AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS CLOSE TO THESE POLITICIANS INCLUDING BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO CONTINUED TO CURRY FAVOUR THEM FOR ECONOMIC MILEAGE.
THIS LADY LOOKS RESPECTABLE AND IS SUPPOSED TO EXUDE AN AURA OF CHIEFLY FINESSE…
UNFORTUNATELY THOUGH I HAVE TRIED TO CHANGE MY PERCEPTION OF HER DURING THE PAST 40 YEARS, I STILL CANNOT GET OUT OF MY MIND WHAT I HAD SEEN OF HER AT USP IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES…A HIGH CHIEF WHO BASED ON MY TRADITIONAL STATUS I SHOULD LOOK UP AND SHOW RESPECT TO.
I HAD WORKED WITH AND UNDER HER WITH GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT.
April 13, 2012 6:09 PM
She should come to the US and take her daughter who is overstaying here back to fiji which she brought with her in 2009 for the Rewa day.
FINAU..its idiots and stupid people like you that cause alot of trouble….what does her daugter got to do with the political situation in Fiji…?Ulukau
I thought Fijians in the U.S loves each other, i have no idea at all that someone like Finau can be a real backstabber. Lord have mercy.
SDL, GCC & Methodist church trilateral syndicate exposed in video.
This is good analysis, thank you Croz.
Indo-Fijians by now must be sick and tired of being used and threatened by certain Fijians leaders whenever they feel like.
People like Teimumu find Indo-Fijians an easy and convenient target.
Indo-Fijians are blamed for everything in Fiji and must be fed up by now.
Unfortunately, some of our Taukei brothers and sisters have their eyes wide and swallow the race propaganda.
Taukei own all the resources and have been running government since independence. If with all these advantages they are still behind, they need to look deeply and honestly within themselves and ask why?
Instead of forever blaming others, confront the issues in an honest and frank manner, and ask questions like: what has happened to all the millions of lease money collected by the chiefs? what’s there to show for it?.
No one has let Taukei down you more than their own chiefs and leaders. But Indians are east targets and convenient scapegoats when you need to blame someone.
Long after the Indians are gone, the problems will still be there unless confronted in an honest manner. Instead of the Indians, Taukei will turn on each other.
This is already happening.
Indians a politically spent force. They will continue to leave Fiji and no longer pose a political threat.
What we are witnessing is essentially a fight between Taukei elite for power, wealth and privileges. As in the old days, the chief is mobilising her people to do the dirty work.
Further to Croz’s questions, others come to mind: Why is Teimumu stirring racial animosity?
What is her motive?
What are the rewards and who will it go to?
What will ordinary Fijians gain?
Ordinary Fijians and Indians lives will not change, just like it didn’t after 1987, 2000, 2006 coups.
But Teimumu has lot to gain by causing bloodshed.
Bainimarama used Indo-Fijians to justify his coup and the Adi is promoting hate against them and using her people to try and get back into power.
A chief like Teimumu is a user and an opportunist.
Indo-Fijians are convenient football for kicking around by some chiefs in Fiji.
Eyes Wide Shut, you need to perhaps open them just a little to see where you are – and it’s not with the estimable Croz Walsh. You can be forgiven for confusing us because we often share the same views but he is infinitely more patient and scholarly and generally a lot less pugnacious. In any event, thanks for your contribution.
Eyes wide shut..you should perhaps shut your eyes for good!kua mada na vosavosa vakavuku!
Timoci Sukulu
I may be an idiot and stupid, but I am a US citizen and taxpayer of this great country. My gist is that Teimumu is talking about the rule of law and on the other hand she is condoning her daughters violation of this countries immigration laws. what an hypocrite.
My Question to you Finau..What does it got to do with the political situation in Fiji, the debate here is what can we do to help Fiji and not nonsence issue as such which does not help at all!…WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR FIJI FINAU?…
I am still waiting for your responce Finau?…..
Dear Graham Davis,
You clearly have some admiration for the Khaiyum/Bainimarama government and it is fair to say that Bainimarama has managed to ‘bulldoze’ some improvements across the country. Anyone can made changes if not answerable to a parliament or anyone else for that matter.
You are lucky enough to have the right to say whatever you like about the former governments and the Bainimarama government – but unfortunately Fiji media and Fiji people in general have no right to say what they like about anything which is not pro government.
You are a highly respected journalist and you were born in Fiji. I would ask that you put your personal opinions aside for the moment. You owe it to yourself, if not Fiji – to go back to Fiji and do some really serious “award-winning” investigative journalism there.
Find out what people really think because no-one dares speak and there is no-one to speak on behalf of those who are fearful of the government and fearful of the irreversable changes being made in Fiji – without consultation or process.
Even with the ‘so called’ return of freedom of speech and the ‘so called’ invitation for public to have their say leading up to the elections and a new constitution – only those who support the government dare to contribute?
Fijians are also afraid to speak out against the numerous decrees that effect their lives and their culture. They have no way of knowing what’s about to be decreed until the decree is passed.
Bainamarama’s early tactics of intimidation and violence and have left the people with no voice and no choice. Fiji media is embarrassing in their lack of information, educated critique and/or blatant propaganda. There is no freedom of press to give the people a voice or to inform them of what’s going on. Fijians can only sit back and watch the bulldozing.
If you don’t have the time or inclination to view the situation in Fiji from all angles, please don’t allow the government to unashamedly use your blogs which are selectively used as part of their propaganda process – via the media they control. The poor old Fiji Times has it’s mouth tied up in knots and the Fiji Sun is so blatantly blinkered that it would be laughable if not so terribly sad.
Surely this abuse of your blog appalls your sense of ethics.
In the early days after the coup, I knew several people who were very critical of the former governments and were fully supportive of what Bainamarama seemed to be trying to do – but things have not gone smoothly and these days, people have shifted their thinking – they mostly believe that Fiji is on a faltering track now.
Fiji is suffering. All Fijians hope for a cure, but the medicine is making everyone sicker. Perhaps the illness was incorrectly diagnosed? Perhaps Doctor Graham Davis could re-examine and give a new diagnosis.
Thank you for allowing me this space to speak my mind.
Misko
After the flood Bainimarama visited my village in Rewa. The Roko Tui Dreketi and her chief cronie at Lomanikoro village Dona Takailaiyale were nowhere to be seen.
Mosese – I made no comment about your chief. My issue is that people in Fiji who do not agree with the government, its policies and decrees, cannot speak freely – and that there is no media to investigate and inform people of what’s going on behind the scenes and to report important issues. It is not a healthy situation.
Regardless of Mr Bainimarama’s good intentions and compassion he remains an unelected autocrat who has intimidated his people to the point they are unable to speak and make choices for themselves.
I hope Banimarama’s visit to your village brought comfort to the community – and that your village will make a fast recovery from the flood.
Vinaka
Misko
How long do you think we should have carried on with all the rot accumulated into our system by our recent and greedy self-serving nose-tip visionaries? To many pretenders like you, our recent dealings in politics which was much publicized may have been god sent….I WONDER WHY????
As a common man, all I am concerned with are results on the ground regardless of whose in-charge. So to me, all the good we SEE happening outweigh some of the nonsense that derelicts like you enjoy barking about…I suggest that you shut up and carry on with your propaganda in one of your “private meetings”.
Peace.
We may be giving Kepa too much credit.I dont think she has much support.Some of her activities are also not chiefly and not in line with the teachings of Christ.
As a non Taukei I thank god that we still have people like Yabaki, Mataca and many others including Davies and Croz who have guts to stand up for truth and fairness.
Kepa is a bitter, twisted person who contributes to I-taukei mind by playing dirty racial politics.
She is associating with people who harmed her sister Lady Mara and her family.It was Naiqama who was responsible for burning of the cane farm belonging to Mara family. Naiqama and his thugs also held her niece at the parliment house.
We had flooding in Fiji and I wonder how much these chiefs, Qarese and anti Bainimarama people including Coup 4.5 contributed towards I-taukei people? Most likely nothing.
I agree with Misko. It think it is an excellent idea for Graham Davies to come to Fiji to do some real investigative journalism and to meet people other than the Bainimarama fan club. How about it Graham?
With regards to Mosese, Had Enough and Nicholas I would like to know what you think Bainimarama has done that has been so great.
He visited a lot of villages and kissed a lot of children. So far he has not put 1 cent of Government money into the flood relief. The $1.5m he released yesterday came from the PM’s fund which is made up of donations from private individuals, companies and some countries.
After the January flood he told all the Government Ministies concerned with Flood relief they had to fund their relief efforts from existing budgets. One of his generous gestures in Ba was to give all the stall holders of Ba market $100 to pay their market fees for 2 months. So he got great PR shots of giving people cash only to force them to give it back to a government funded organization. That is not giving that is buying PR.
Do not forget that 24 hours after Nadi airport was cut off for the first time Bainimarama was drinking at Government House until 1.30 am with his cronies and hangers on.
So far, this current flood relief efforts though helped enormously by the efforts of Dismac has been funded by Australia, New Zealand the Red Cross and other private charitable organizations and foundations.
Surely these cannot be the same Australia and New Zealand that Graham Davies has often said refuse to engage with Fiji. This is clear proof they engage with Fiji and they are first on hand when we have problems. They just refuse to engage with a dictator.
The greatest thing that ever happened in Fiji, since the arrival of Lapita people was the Bainimarama coup. Polynesians came to Fiji and destroyed the Lapita culture by introducing the chiefly system and slaughtered Lapita people. Bainimarama abolished the GCC, a brave act by true son of Lapita and a honest person.
No I-taukei had guts to this, Bainimarama is a true Bati unlike most of faggots who oppose him and hide behind democracy movement and practice their racist agenda.
James I refer to your comment whereby you mentioned that Bhainimarama is a reflection of true Bati by removing the GCC whereby NO i TAUKEI can do….you are very true with that statement because their isnt any Taukei as STUPID as BHAINIMARAMA to do such things…I reckong you should go and get more education do provide you with some critical thinking about the situation….I am a Taukei and I do not have any freedom of speech,no democracy and I feel like a prisoner in my own country….
I guess you should not be given any rights at all.. cos you are a stirrer along with Kepa and the likes..
If you want to say something, why talk negative.. put your shoulder to the current situation and provide positive criticism and not negativity towards the goal that Fank has set.
I am going to ask one thing!
Why do most Taukei Migrate?
Why do they call USA, Australia, England their home?
Why has Fijians Kicked out the Acricultural backboners out?
Prior to Frank, Most Taukei leaders of Fiji have rooted the Financial institutions and also the commoners.
Did you feel it? when they rooted you? NO na? Cos they are very slippery!
Well said, i do agree.
Rukshar Khan:
I have never come across any i Taukei to say that their home is USA, Australia etc. The reason why they moved is for greener pastures nothing else. Have you even think about that the former governor for reserve bank(indo fijian) ran away with $80 000.00 and then Mr Frank really regretted for having him for that post? Fiji is a small country and is planning to remove corruption, you go to bigger countries like the USA, Brazil, Europe its bigger than what we have in here, money, drugs and so on..pensioners waited for ages to get their money but not all, only a small amount. There is no money at FNPF since the civil servant are getting paid from it.
Teimumu and her advisors at ‘Nadudukulagi’ have once again played the race card. It is an old political trick used by former politicians in Fiji. Once again ethnic minorites are the target although they had nothing to do with the coups of 1987, 2000 and 2006. Nor did they have anything to do with Frank’s decision to dissolve the Great Council of Chiefs.
Already Teimumu’s ‘calamity’ dog whistle has inspired racial hatred from rabid ethno-nationalists. Loruama Tawawili, President of the Fiji Demoracy Movement in the US, warns in an anti-regime blogsite that blood will flow and that ‘it will not be taukei blood’. Another poster on the same blogsite says that ‘we will get the bastards’.
Who these bastards are is clear – non i’taukei members of the Fiji population. Convenient scapegoats once again.
Teimumu’s letter had a deeper, more sinister purpose – the mobilisation of i’taukei bias against ethnic minorities in the country (refer comments by Tawawili et al). By playing the race card in this way Teimumu and her advisors at ‘Nadududkilagi’ are guiity of political opportunism
This is all the more reason why we need a stronger military to act as an countervailing force against ethno-nationalist thugs who raped and pillaged in the aftermath of the 1987 and 2000 coups and who Teimumu suggests will again be let loose if the chiefs do not get their way. The 2000 George Speight scenario all over again.
Laksa, I couldn’t agree more with your sentiments here. It was – as you say – a classic dog whistle in the Fiji context and one that we’ve all heard at various times over the years since well before independence. The racist comments by so-called pro-democracy figures in the US are also ample proof that these people oppose genuine democracy in Fiji because it spells the end of the ethno-nationalist agenda. The sooner the international community wakes up to this the better. Ro Teimumu’s claim that indigenous people are being disadvantaged by the current government is a blatant misrepresentation of the truth. It is she who is being disadvantaged by the withdrawal of her privileges and she is cynically exploiting ordinary people for her own purposes. This is a complete abrogation of her chiefly responsibilities and against the national interest as a whole. As you say, it’s the racial minorities that get caught in the crossfire of yet another indigenous power play.
Laksa is spot on. Temimumu’s speech was designed to elicit the kind of response we have seen – “blood will flow” and “we will get the bastards”. Leaders like Teimumu are cunning and calculating. They know exactly what they doing.
When their comments are forensically deconstructed and decoded in the manner that Graham did, and they get caught out, they protest and plead innocence.
Indo-Fijians, as I said in a previous post, are a spent force, no longer a political threat but convenient scapegoat and punching bag for hate-filled Christians.
Those baying for blood should realise the world has changed. You will be held culpable for anything that happens. This time we will go after leaders like Teimumu, not the small fry. We will make sure you have no place to hide and are exposed in the International Court of Law for the whole world to see.
Your words will come back to haunt you if anything happens. For too long the instigators have escaped scot free while the small fry faced the consequences. That’s why they feel so brave about provoking trouble, not realising times have changed.
As for the cowardly, christian bully, Loruama Tawawili, what you said is on the record. What is someone like you who is preaching ethnic hatred doing in the US? You sound like one of those people in Rwanda who initiated ethnic cleansing. We have you on record Loruama for inciting hatred, which is a crime recognised across national borders.
The world has changed. People like you can no longer hide. Think Kony 2012.
BINGO!
Indeed, when you start deconstructing the letter from ‘Nadudukilagi’: peel back the layers like an onion, decode the sublimnal messages that lie deeply entrenched within; only then can you begin to see the racial biases and prejudices that lie at the heart radical Fijian (taukei) ethnic nationalism. It is both passionate and dangerously irrational in character. Irrational in the sense that the innocent ethnic minority population are expected to bear the brunt and pay the price for power plays by the indigenous Fijian chiefly elite.
I think it is time we start documenting for future action before the Interrnational Court of Justice, the words and identities of these rabid ethno-nationalists viz, Teimumu, Tawawili, Daunitutu, Baledrokadrola, Jon Franekel, Brij Lal, Simione Kaitani etc. How they will have contributed to the (self fulfilling?) ‘calamity’ scenario envisaged by Teimumu and her cabal at ‘Nadudukilagi’ must be recorded for posterity. Let the future be the judge.
Just a thought to bring these perpetrators of the promised future ‘calamity’ to justice
Vinaka
Dear Graham Davis
The GCC already existed even before i was born and before the self appointed prime minister takes over the Fiji government. I wish that you learn some fijians protocol since we do have culture and tradition to abide by and its been destroyed by westernization. I am sure its not Mr Voreqe Bainimarama’s idea to demolished the GCC but by Kyaiyum the puppet.
I think we are so stupid enough that we are writing comments in this column, fighting among ourselves and not realizing that Graham Davis who is a non i TAUKEI is having the last laugh. I hope all KAIVITI will stay away from this column for ever more.
Kaiviti, why don’t you just go somewhere else like Coup 4.5 where your racist rantings are more appreciated.
I think if there was no other race in Fiji like the Indians and Europeans , than there would be no poverty in Fiji because there will be enough jobs for everyone and Itaukeis will be living happily together.
Indians should appreciation the opportunities they have snapped away from the Itaukeis .Thanks to the former chiefs for accepting your so called indentured laborers ancestors to Fiji.
If not , you will be in India, on the streets of Delhi and Calcutta sitting on your shits.In you are not an indigenous ,its better shut up.
“True Kaiviti”, offensive as it is, I’m leaving your posting up here as a lesson to readers unfamiliar with Fiji about the racist mentality that made the 2006 coup necessary. And the “liumuri” nature of indigenous supremacists who hide behind pseudonyms as they spread their pathetic message of hate.
@ True Kaiviti
Tonoka na nomu qara ni tidamu!
Kai veikau, tamata butobuto
Hahahha!!! to all comments…Vinaka!
Please Mr Grubsheet,let this piece be printed as most of your writers are i’taukei and pro -Teimumu.Me tukuni ga vei Telemumu me kua ni siova na polotiki ka me kerea madaga na matanitu veiliutaki tiko me lai vakatorocaketaka na vanua o Rewa.Me caka na gaunisala ni motoka me rawa ni ra vukei kina na lewenivanua era tiko ena tai a dua mai keya.Sa ra wele tiko na vanua o Noco kei Dreketi ni sa ta oti nodra gaunisala ka sega ni dua na ka e lewa rawa kina o koya.Me sogota tiko me ka ni cava vua?.Mai wele tiko i Suva ra vakaloloma tiko mai nakoro.E leqa ni tutu madaga e taura tiko e ya lai tagica vei rau na tiko mai nakoro.Ke dua e kilai rau na turaga ya ena vakadinadinataka na ka qo.Na i vola tabu sa matata tu, ni turaga sa mai vua na Kalou,sega ni turaga kei na marama!!Solia na veiliutaki me bula na vanua o Burebasaga!
497036 967456I admire your work , regards for all the helpful blog posts. 555574
vinaka everyone for your opinions.we are realy a fruit salad country.
Its really sad of I-taukei people degrading a Chief like Adi Teimumu. Even though im an indo-fijian, I adore such hierarchy that is observed by my I-taukei friends. I wanna ask one simple question to all i-taukei commenting on this blog: where is the unity amongst all I-Taukei’s?, when everyone is verbally insulting one another . Where have all your tradition & culture gone to?.
Even here in Overseas , we do remember our beloved Fiji. From my perspective of view, I believe that I-taukei should be given certain authority of of where their ancestors settled first before all others. I salute Adi Teimumu for being bold enough to provoke decision made by the illegal regime with self proclaimed Biniimarama as their leader. Truth will always prevail and all pro-government will rot with the their ulukauuuuuuuuuuuuuuu leaders .
Why Epeli carata Mataitini is not in the picture ?… you “Liumuri” worthless idiot … if I was the Commander of the Military , i’d kill him by now… The vanua of Rewa should remove the tittle of Vunivalu of Nukunitabua from him & install Komai St.Giles, surely serves him right. Pathetic lil crap. Dumb head.