Fiji Quotes
There are two ethnic groups in Fiji. The indigenous Fijians and immigrants from India and their descendants. The Indians originally came to trade and represent a globalized, mercantile culture whereas the indigenous tribes did not have the tradition of business. Over time, the minority Indians were economically more successful than the majority, which tended to resent the Indians. As the Indians were the political minority with no strong tradition of protection of minority rights, they became victims of discriminatory behavior in a nation where the traditional political structure of tribal chiefs and tribes dominated politics. Religion also separated the Hindu Indians from the Christian tribals. In the early 21st century, an Indian was elected prime minister, but this led to a revolt and coup by some traditional tribals. Finally the coup was put down but the society had been split apart and there was continuous argument over rights and whether the coups plotters should be punished.
Fiji is a multi-racial and multi-cultural society consisting of descendants of the original Fiji natives, immigrants from India and Westerners. The traditional Fiji chiefs wanted their positions of leadership recognized in the Fijian legal and governmental system. However, many of them were hostile to the Indians who were economically very successful and not part of the traditional tribal structure. But they and the Europeans are Fiji citizens just like the native descendants, and the traditional chiefs, if they wanted to represent the government had to represent and respect all—not just the traditional natives.
Fiji had been divided ethnically between the indigenous tribes and Indian immigrants. The latter were pushing for modern democracy and the latter wanted it tempered by traditional authority of tribal leaders and traditional values.
The strife between the indigenous Fiji people and the Indian immigrants was not as serious when Indian immigration to Fiji began. The immigrants rented land from the natives at good prices and did the hard work of tilling the land. They had a different work ethic and developed the Fiji economy substantially. However, the Indians became more wealthy and better educated. The minority group became equal or dominant in most aspects of Fijian society and inter-ethnic strife and jealousy eventually developed. This became the modern problem of Fiji.
Although he pleaded for unity, Fiji has been ethnically divided ever since and in 2009 reached a de facto coups over ethnicity.
So many of the lesser developed nations glory for the past and wish to regain it, that is unusual to see a Prime Minister who recognizes that the future can be far better than any past history for the nation.
The justification was a sham. He forced the President to resign, appointed a new President who then fired the Prime Minister and dissolved Parliament.
Religious and ethnic political conflict had broken out in Fiji. Some in the Christian majority strove to make Fiji officially a “Christian country” and marginalize the Indian Hindu minority. The archbishop opposed and thwarted them.
There had been a coup in Fiji which had been put down after a few weeks. There was thought of not reopening the fissures of the society by identifying and trying the plotters and participants in the coup. The Senator did not agree.
In a number of traditional cultures it is considered impolite and disrespectful to be critical of leaders. Actually, this is also true in armies, police departments and especially many corporations even in modern society. In Japan, until recently many newspapers would not print criticisms of the government in most cases. However in the political arena, if there is democracy and no legal restrictions on criticism, cultures change over time and people hold their leaders more accountable.
Fiji had undergone a succession of coups and the unstable political situation and the ethnic strife had caused man of the educated young people to emigrate. This “brain drain” is common in many third world countries.
