Fiji Independence Day 10th October 2011: Independence from Whom?
By Ratu Tevita Mara
9 October 2011
Fiji became an independent sovereign state on 10th October 1970 when its colonial status was abrogated. Ratu Sir
Kamisese Mara, first Prime Minister of independent Fiji, received from Prince Charles the documents evidencing Fiji’s
independence. That independence was and remains a great source of pride and joy to all Fiji citizens. On that day the
dark clouds of colonialism were swept away.
Today, however, a fresh cloud darkens the future of Fiji. That cloud is Bainimarama’s evil dictatorship and junta, which
now controls all aspects of life in Fiji at the barrel of a gun. A reign of terror exists in Fiji; corruption is
rampant; and so is poverty. Promised elections in Fiji have no credibility as holding credible elections would expose
the current unlawful rulers to prosecution.
The junta and all its actions have been held to be illegal, by Fiji’s Appeal court Ruling of 2009.
The current Fiji judiciary is not independent. Fiji remains excluded from international institutions on account of its
sharply deteriorating human rights record and failure to take credible moves towards democratic elections. Unions,
churches and anyone else putting up their hand in protest are harassed and persecuted. The media is totally controlled.
Central administration is totally dominated by army officers, their relations and friends and quislings.
Currently the junta is seeking, with the aid of huge overseas loans that will burden future generations, to bribe its
citizens into submission, while continuing its reign of terror. Those bribes, orchestrated in a clumsy and grotesque
fashion by the two chief culprits within the military junta, are no substitute for ordinary human rights.
Many Fiji citizens are keen sportspeople. They will be discouraged by the outcome of backhanded and clumsy interference
in sport affairs in which (as in the case of most affairs) the junta has no competence. The junta's artificial attempts
to inject soldiers into the Fiji rugby team for purpose of confrontation with the New Zealand authorities is a case in
point. The outcome is shame.
An interesting point is that the President has omitted to follow the customary practice of speechmaking on the occasion
of Fiji’s independence. Is the President lost for words suitable enough to describe the sadness of Fiji’s current
situation?
Fiji WAS independent but NOT now. Fiji is bound in the shackles of a military dictatorship led by the murderer
Bainimarama.
Fiji now needs to be independent from the current evil dictator Bainimarama and military junta. This independence is the
only thing that will release Fiji from its current reign of terror, from escalating poverty and from every conceivable
ill inflicted by the murderer Bainimarama and his military junta.
God Bless Fiji
ENDS