The notion that a process of national healing will be triggered by the release of George Speight, Shane Stevens and the other low-lifes associated with the rape of democracy and the killing of innocent soldiers in 2000 is both a fantasy and shockingly naive. Because public reaction to freeing these murderous thugs is already sparking division along racial lines – iTaukei on one side and Indo-Fijians on the other – and reflects the vastly different degrees of suffering of members of the two communities at the time.
Mahendra Chaudhry is naturally aggrieved that George Speight is now back on the streets and because he has received a full pardon, can do as he pleases without any of the restrictions that would normally apply to prisoners paroled after their sentences. Speight is said to be poised to re-enter public life and the political fray. And given his record, it would be as a potent and very dangerous component of the indigenous supremacy movement that has resurfaced with the Coalition’s win at the last election.
Aside from the families of those who were killed, few people suffered more than the man Speight and his gang removed at gunpoint on May 19 2000 – the former Prime Minister who is still with us 24 years on and still carries the memories (and scars) of being detained and beaten during the 56 day ordeal in which he and 35 other MPs were held hostage. I know Chaudhry’s story first-hand because I interviewed him for Australian television in the wake of the rebellion. And, yes, he was physically assaulted by Speight’s goons during his ordeal, as well are suffering the outrage of being the democratically elected prime minister – the people’s choice – being violently and unlawfully removed.
It was treason. And George Speight was subsequently sentenced by Justice Michael Scott to “hang by the neck until dead” before that sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. This should have meant the term of Speight’s natural life because prisoners who are sentenced to death normally don’t get paroled or pardoned. Except, of course, in Fiji.
George Speight spent most of the past two decades in Naboro with a prominent co-conspirator – the high chief of Naitasiri, the Qaranivalu, Ratu Inoke Takiveikata. In one of his first public acts after he was released last December, the Qaranivalu attended the Great Council of Chiefs meeting in February and made his presence felt by saying that the GCC should have power over the parliament. In other words, Speight’s gang – according to his patron, the Qaranivalu – believe that the chiefs should be able to tell our elected representatives what to do.
This is the mindset of these people that makes them so dangerous even now. They aren’t into tearful expressions of sorrow and apology for the lives they took and the pain they caused. They aren’t into the group hugs and “reconciliation” claptrap that is being peddled by bleeding hearts like the RFMF Commander or the Assistant Minister for Women. They are hard men who took up arms 24 years ago to remove a democratically-elected government headed by an Indo-Fijian in support of the indigenous cause. And it is precisely because they were thwarted and have spent almost a quarter of a century behind bars that they are bound to take up their fight with just as much determination, if not more so.
Mahendra Chaudhry calls on George Speight to “tell the truth” about who was really behind the 2000 rebellion. But he knows this isn’t going to happen. Because the mission – which they share with Sitiveni Rabuka – is total indigenous supremacy in Fiji. And until that is achieved, there will be no genuine truth or reconciliation. It is a fantasy being sold to a gullible electorate while the Rabuka government goes about building the indigenous agenda piece by piece.
Yes there are Indo-Fijian senior civil servants and diplomats but these appointments are token. And only the blind can’t see what is happening in Fiji – the slow but steady marginalisation of the one third of the nation that is non-iTaukei and an indigenous elite placed in all key positions in the civil service and offices of state. Even Sitiveni Rabuka’s partner in government, Biman Prasad, isn’t safe. Grubsheet keeps hearing that the Prime Minister doesn’t trust him. And there are reports that those around Rabuka are pressing for the FICAC charge against the NFP leader to go ahead.
Sitiveni Rabuka maintains the pretence of equal opportunity when there is none. He is careful not to let his guard down in public about the Coalition’s blatant ethnic and religious bias. But someone who knows him well told Grubsheet that in an unguarded moment late at night with a few “grogs” in him, Rabuka openly said to those present that his agenda was to “complete what he began in 1987”.
Qori. That’s what is happening in Fiji and now some of the old iTaukei Movement’s stormtroopers are out of prison and back on the streets. They are not here for tearful apologies and truth-telling but to bring their energy and fanaticism to the task of completing the mission. The only real question is whether the existing leadership and the wider iTaukei establishment will be able to control them and especially George Speight. Because he has an ego and a sense of self-entitlement that makes Lynda Tabuya look like a shrinking violet – a demure village girl at the feet of a chief.
As someone very senior in Fiji told Grubsheet: “George Speight is a psychopath. It is all about him and he answers to no-one”. So God help us if Speight and the likes of the Qaranivalu – who is already publicly asserting the power of the chiefs over the parliament – really start to flex their muscles again. As this person also said: Quote. “They will rue the day they freed George Speight because they cannot control him”. Unquote. These are genuine sentiments behind the fluffy media headlines about Speight having “done his time” and how we should all forgive and move on.
The thing is, Fiji, and especially for young people: You really had to be there in 2000 to understand what these bastards did. They removed a democratically-elected government and held MPs hostage for eight weeks at the then parliamentary complex at Veiuto. They beat the democratically-elected prime minister and assaulted other MPs. They shot a military officer (who is still serving) in the back. They buried one of their own who died in the gardens of the parliamentary complex. Women were brought in and there was unrestrained sex and drinking, according to those present. And they destroyed the economy and set Fiji’s development back for years.
But it’s the individual suffering the rebels inflicted that is just as bad. The rebellion emboldened iTaukei nationalists in the wider community and many of them attacked their fellow citizens. A reign of terror began in which iTaukei thugs invaded people’s homes, settlements and farms. They raped women, inflicted terrible beatings, stole their victim’s possessions and in some instances, destroyed their homes. Jewellery was ripped from the necks of Indo-Fijian women in the street. And the whole tenor of society disintegrated as a wave of racism took hold and non-iTaukei were abused or elbowed off pavements, something Grubsheet has experienced personally in central Suva.
All this flowed from the actions of these men, including a fresh exodus from the country on top of the tens of thousands who left in 1987, which is again being replicated today. And now they are free.
“Mixed feelings” is the overall tone of Saturday’s media coverage. But for those like Mahendra Chaudhry who were on the receiving end, there’s nothing mixed about it. He hopes George Speight will finally tell the truth but he already knows he won’t. Because the mission isn’t over.
The Prime Minister is publicly maintaining the pretence that the process of releasing the 2000 rebels was somehow independent. It is a lie.
You just have to read the Constitution to know that Siromi Turaga and now Graham Leung, plus their stooge at the JSC, Salesi Temo, have engineered the whole thing. And the President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, had no choice but to go along with it.
Now for some of Saturday’s media coverage, beginning with Mahendra Chaudhry’s reaction…
Not surprisingly, the Chair of the GCC wants bygones to be bygones…
Yet clear evidence of differences of opinion on racial lines:
It’s astonishing that for the second day running, the Fiji Times makes no mention of the fact that its “Chairman Emeritus” and columnist – the fugitive and crook, Mahendra “Mac” Patel – was among those pardoned even though he absconded on bail and was never tried.
We are at least spared one of Mac’s opinion pieces in today’s FT ( to have run one would have drawn attention to their selective reporting). But why has there been total silence from the Fiji Times star columnist, Richard Naidu, for the past six weeks? Is it that he is too madua these days to say anything about contemporary political events? Or is he constrained by self-interest?
The other star FT columnist, Waden Narsey, also doesn’t say anything about the Speight release or the FICAC saga.
But could Waden’s article today perchance be related to recent events?
The good old Fiji Times. To go with the aforementioned article is this:
And to return to the story we’ve been covering for the past week – the FICAC scandal – the Prime Minister signals that Barbara Malimali should step aside during any inquiry into FICAC. But is it also a sign that he is planning to cut Biman Prasad loose?
The PM seems awfully keen on this inquiry all of a sudden. Hmm. Because what if an inquiry finds that the laying of the FICAC charge against the NFP leader shouldn’t have been halted?
Finally, my warmest thanks to those readers who have left comments of encouragement in my despondency over the events of the last couple of days. They are very much appreciated.
The coup grandfather put on his uniform and went to the army barracks during 2000 coup but allegedly wasn’t successful in taking over the military again. He was not able to partner with egoistic speight at the parliament where hostages were being kept. He eventually drove around Suva in his army uniform and then went back to bottle collecting job.
What this tells me is a major confrontation upcoming between the itaukei parties current and to be formed. They simply won’t get along. Forget about inflation, gdp, sugar and tourism. There is clash for supremacy on the cards and be it via illegal means as we all know from the history that is written.
Unfortunate and tragic situation for a nation that never reached its full potential.
GD there is no rule of law in Fiji. There is only the pretense of the rule of law.
It has all gone to custard. This is worse than post 25th September 1987. It is now real free for all with many different power pockets. Very dangerous. We read some journalists comment earlier in one of the posts that the vulagis are out of the equation in the power struggle amongst the itaukei power pockets – while true, we think in getting there the vulagis will continue to be used as a distraction before the different power pockets get to the actual shit fight.
By the way remember chaudry at the end of day is all about himself. He is very egotistical. He is very astute in getting publicity and even coming across as the people’s man, he is about his own self aggrandishment. He does know what pulses to press to get people’s attention and make ordinary folks think he is thinking for them. He ultimately is about himself. Ask the farmers how he screwed them in the 90s and early 2000.
But we digress.
You are right Kalouniwai will reel over because he is weak and ultimately from a chiefly background. And we know what they are like.
The only hope is, like one of the earlier commentators said, if all of these different power pockets come out and have a huge shit fight. At the moment they are all pulling in different directions and screwing the country in the process.
Provincialism is also coming out very strongly now. The confederacy thing is also happening. The Westerners will get screwed again as they always have been. But this time some of the provinces believe they should have far more rights and access to power than others. This element is very strong.
People like mac patel who are the old corrupters are back in the scene but they also need to realise that these young itaukei power pocket people don’t really give a shit about him. He had his day during ratu mara and qarase’s time. Not any more. These new comparatively young, highly racist and ambitious ones see people like mac patel as a momentary inconvenient vulagi who they have to tolerate in their social circle because Rabuka, who was given a Rolex watch by mac patel, will invite him to these official functions. Mac Patel in time will be just another vulagi greaser with no dignity and who can be disposed off at will.
Mac Patel should have his return ticket to Sydney booked and paid for.
Enough said.
As someone said correctly, we need a reset.
GD in the same vein, are you aware that Pita Wise, whose surname is a contradiction in terms, at some meeting with Richard I love myself because i am a hypocrite Naidu, Jenny I will masi polo anyone so I can be relevant and get invited to all the cocktails Seeto and others to discuss apparently some proposed immigration laws, challenged Richard I love myself because I am a hypocrite Naidu, to a punch up?
Apparently Pita the not so Wise wanted to thump Richard I love myself because I am a hypocrite Naidu and things go out of hand. Unfortunately no blows were exchanged but Richard wanted to take it further by lodging a complaint but like Biman’s matter it was swept under the carpet.
Fissures is right. There are many of these power pocket groups and who are all pissing all over the place to mark their territory.
By the way Pita Wise is untouchable because his sister is with Lalabalavu senior, who is running his own little government also.
Welcome to animal farm.
Back in the 90s he was known as Richard shit pants because if he didn’t get his way he shits his pants. Nothing it seems has changed. Pardon my French but we were crude back then.
I get the point about truth and reconciliation. But if Fiji was genuinely doing this, then it would happen before George was released. Come along, explain what happened, say sorry and move on.
The question is why didn’t it happen this way round?
Because it is not genuine. They whole thing is facade.
If this was a Batman movie Gotham Asylum is now in charge and Bane is out.
Let us look back into the past. All the way back into 2022.
That time when we heard all about how great leaders would keep government in check. We would be heralding a new era of good governance.
Shall we just keep pretending things are better now because we can make jokes about govt? But can we?
What a failure.
The only right thing to do now is to Run Speight over with a car and “The End”. These old Idiot I-Taukei man cannot decide for the future of our young populace.
Rabuka suffers from Dementia, he says something today and tomorrow he is saying a different stuff. If you see George Speight on the road. Run him over.
I mean no harm, but even God is blind in Fiji. Such idiots get to live freely. Jesus is sleeping in Fiji and allowing these fools to run the country.
Indiana are also idiots, they need to leave Fiji. Send your young ones abroad. No need to repopulate these idiots land where people like Arieta say Speight did good things for Fiji. Idiots will never change.
Mahendra Chaudhary has been seen to embrace Rabuka and sit at the same table during the last three election campaigns. All this in deep desperation just to remove the previous government. The man was convinced that Rabuka was a changed man just like Biman has.
I would not be surprised if he hugs George Speight as well soon. His judgement is questionable and the whole thing is all f*cked up, if you ask me. All “leaders” in Fiji are f*cked up and then they all wonder why they are where they are and why the country is where it is.
All native Fijians are behind George Speight and celebrating his release.
The majority in Fiji are Christians who believe in forgiveness. George has served his time and is remorseful. The Corrections Service has vouched for this and the Mercy Commission has endorsed the finding. So due processes were followed. George is a harmless creature. He is not foolish to try and stir trouble a second time. He knows the Army will take him out if he does. So chill folks.
Army? Which army are you on about? The same one that has let him out in the first insistance and must be well on their way to breeding more of the same coup leaders? The army is gutter material in Fiji. Shame on anyone who upholds them.
You sound like one of those dhoti wearing Ketan Lal types who have never served but are always keen to criticise. Go wash your mouth out.
You dont speak for native Fijians. There is need for the Ketan Lal’s of this world like yourself to soil their dhotis over Georgie’s release.
The Indians never soiled in their Dhoti’s. It is the I-Taukei who have soiled in their Sulu for Generations. Because you lot are scared of losing something which was never lost. Always living a lie that Indians took your land. Bastards like you soil your Sulu everytime you see a successful Indian walking down the street.
F**ken ass Speight raped Fiji. Indian women suffered the most. Without Dhoti wearing Indians, there won’t be a Fiji. Now go on and eat FMF crackers. Another Indian owned company without most I-Taukei’s will live in dire poverty.
Be grateful to Indians, we provide jobs and countless medicines to Fiji. Free medical and so on. No Indian ever stole a dime from Fiji. Yet, you guys worship white man, sold your souls and ass to Fiji Water and land for resort to earn peanut up your Sulus.
Fiji Times is owned by trailer Patel an Indian, FMF, Rups, Vinod Patel, RC Manubhai, BIL, Shantons, FSC, Rice Company, Fiji Dairy, Rewa Dairy, CJ Patel and the list goes on.
What have the I-Taukei achieved? Don’t talk about rugby because Indians sponsor rugby since FRU is bankrupt. Shop N Save is running Drua and Super Rugby.
If the two coups didn’t happen, I-Taukei and Indians would have lived in harmony. A lot of Indians still don’t want to be part of I-Taukei group. Because we don’t soil in our Dhoti’s but your kind soils in their Sulu each time an Indian speaks facts.
Now get lost and eat some bread and butter because both items comes from Kai India companies.
Damn. Angry Ind hit the nail on the head so hard he broke the freaking hammer.
Not all. Be fair, Slacker. Just 99%.
All.
What has Rabuka done for the iTaukei in the last 37 years? He screwed the nation much, so they give him yet another chance to fully complete the job. The people of Fiji are not idiots, they are smart arses. The whole country is full of them. You will realise as you walk the streets, on the sporting fields, at work places, on TV, in the civil service, everywhere you go. The country should get a gold medal for being full of smart arses.
I ask again, what has Rabuka done for the iTaukei in the last 4 decades? In the last 2 years more than 50% have gone to living in poverty and they love it – the smart arses. Time to be exuberant and cut cake whilst dressed in kalavata and salusalu.
Have you heard the guy speak, he talks rubbish, exactly what the people want.
Victims of abuse usually have a lengthy time of recovery, and often that is aided by focusing on the good memories and letting the horrid memories fade. But part of full recovery is acknowledging the horrid really happened, and that the guiltless are often victims and are not to blame. (The rapist is at fault, not the raped.)
I thank GD for reminding us of the horrid facts of those coup times, and I am glad I made the decision for a life in Australia instead of in Fiji.
So who was behind the 2000 Coup?
Mara and Ganilau instigated the 1987 coups.
Will Speight be made in charge of Fijian mahogany again? But Fiji manufactures methanphetamine drugs now.
If only I wish these comments were so tongue in cheek.
Isa Fiji. The Osama Bin Laden of the South Pacific is back.
NFP, you have failed our nation and its people. Your time in government has been marked by ineffectiveness, and now, you’ve lost all credibility. Are you blind to the damage you’ve caused? You are at the very root of the crisis Fiji faces today, and worse still, there’s more suffering ahead. By joining this government, you’ve deceived the people, allowing yourselves to be manipulated, exploited, and silenced. Once their agenda is fulfilled, you will be discarded without a second thought.
Prepare for the inevitable. When you’re thrown out, you’ll be left to confront the bitter truth: you will never be forgiven or forgotten for the catastrophe you have supported. Your legacy will be one of betrayal, bringing our nation and its future to its knees.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but in 2022 the return of Rabuka in coalition with the NFP seemed to many to be preferable to another term of ASK and Frank B. Has Rabuka really changed? Shall we give him another chance? Those were the big questions.
The answer then from the single largest group of voters was no, he cannot be trusted. Their thinking was Frank may be a bully, but he’s a strong, non-racist leader and that’s what these guys need, someone to keep the factions in their place and families safe. That’s how they voted, but as it turned out in insufficient numbers to keep out the various factions united only by their mutual interest to end ASK and Frank’s reign of power. Since then the facade of parliamentary rule has unravelled, Rabuka’s true colours are revealed we have one big mess.
Solution? To flourish, multiculturalism, security and optimism for the future needs a solid economic foundation. If the West wants to keep Fiji out of China’s orbit, this is now their big test*. The business and services sectors in Fiji are struggling with the loss of skilled labour to Australia and elsewhere and are desperately seeking well educated Filipinos and others with good attitude to fill the gaps. Maybe this is the answer, but they need to get a move on or the place is going to fall apart.
*as it was for the British, minus the China factor back then.
So Fiji has reduced penalty for treason from death to 22 years! In all fairness Rabuka should turn himself in and start serving…to level the playing field😄
Fiji is a shitty country and the next Israel if country rapists like George speight are allowed to roam free to spread covid 19 and aids. Shame, sucks to be a Fijian 😂
Not even close in comparing Fiji as Israel – try comparing with any of the failed African republics. Sierra Leone, Guinea, Bukino Farso, Zimbabwe etc.
Jerusalem is by far more significant globally than anything in Viti.
Imagine if GS is made Minister of everything -Education, Roads, Health, Energy, Finance. Wouldn’t it be wonderful. Fiji will than trully become the way the world should be and all his kind will say “welcome home brada” and some will say he has done so.much for us.
@Army na so says & Angry Indian
Did you hear the Fiji Rugby team sing the Fiji national anthem in Fijian in tonites game against Japan? Do you know there are moves afoot to have the national anthem sung in the Fijian vernacular only?
We look forward to the day when you will sing it in the Fijian vernacular whilst wearing your dhoti.
Now that would be a sight to behold. Thank you in advance for your loyalty to Fiji.
What’s next playing rugby in grass skirts?
The issue is: are you happy to sing the national anthem in the Fijian vernacular ‘Me da dau doka..etc’?
The Kiwis do it in Maori, South Africa also do it, Samoa and Tonga etc. Its time for Fiji to do the same. Now go learn the words and sing it lustily at evry opportunity
F**k off.
Me da dau doka is a song from Viti Makawa.
The national anthem is God Bless Fiji.
Many Fijians sing it in churches throughout Fiji. The Fiji Rugby team sings the Fijian hymn version…not the vulagi English version. There are moves afoot to give people the choice to sing it in whichever version they like. Perhaps the Fiji soccer team will sing the Hindi version in a move to promote diversity? I think thats a great idea.
Wacol, no surprise you fail miserably to grasp the core reasons of NZ & SA anthems or any anthem of any country.
Maori (NZ), isiXhosa, isiZulu, seSotho, Afrikaans and English are used to embrace diversity, multicultralism, inclusiveness, oneness, patriotism, and togetherness. Celebrate a country’s heritage and history. To identify as one people.
As U2 sing: when all the colors bleed into one.
Or, the U.S. motto: E pluribus unum – Latin for “Out of many, one.”
Anthems help in nation building, encourage belonging, respect & pride for country.
Difficult concepts for you perhaps. No matter, you are not alone. Your head must be spinning by now, eh.
These are completely foreign values to 80% of Fijians living in blossful ignorance as bigots and racists.
Thank you in advance for your lotalty to Fiji, the land of the unthinking and zero inventions —
Vulagi game
Vulagi coach
Vulagi anthem
Vulagi flag
Vulagi sponsors
Vulagi laws
Vulagi religion
Vulagi language script
@ Curry sah sah
You forgot to incude the Vulagi bottle of water in the lavatories.
Tut…tut…how could you be do inconsiderate
Right, right. How could I forget the wai.
Previous to that walk we naked flies all around unwashed everything, stealing, raping women, raiding war parties hunting enemies for lunch.
Silly me.
Vinaka, saka veterinarian maqe.
Army Vet, till then eat FMF crackers and dhal soup while wearing Sulu which is ladies attire.
Soon your kind will became LGBTQ, more I-Taukei’s are turning gay. Your youths have failed you big time.
No one can force anyone to sing National Anthem. Your not an Army Vet but an idiot Vet.
Very soon the Indians will stop sponsoring rugby then eat more FMF crackers for breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The Whiteman is running rugby in Fiji. Without them Fiji was a lost course.
Your a joke, go wear your Sulu and Pray inside the Church. Don’t forget to drink grog afterwards and kerekere sugar from Indian tomorrow morning.
The person talking about water bottles in lavatories. At least they have lavatories. U go to villages you will see they don’t even have that. We used to laugh when previous government used to install toilets and do the opening of the same. You go to islands where resort owners build the outhouses for the itaukei. Quite shameful I say
MC is doing the work of the opposition.
But his days are gone.
Too late. Not much can be said or done.
No one respects the PM as he is not worthy of one.
The country has gone to the dogs. I hold no hopes.
Remittances will soon be the main income for the country. And then it will be a downhill race.