What Fiji Needs - A Response

What Fiji Needs - A Response

Editor,

Contrary to the claims of the expatriate Australian Graham Davis - the self-style "independent" journalist who is working as a paid propagandist for the Fiji Military Regime - Fiji will not have a "genuine democracy" if the Fiji Military continues to have its arbitrary and dictatorial rule by decree way. ( Graham's letter 'what Fiji needs' the Australian 14/1).

This is the view even of some erstwhile staunch supporters of military regime and its purported plans to build a " better Fiji " and a "true democracy".The six unchallenged years of its arbitrary rule show very little evidence of that. Instead there is now a widespread conviction that the military rulers are entrenching themselves in power and merely paying lip service to returning the country to democratic rule. Most independent observers and fact finding missions to Fiji have drawn this conclusion. (This is why subsequent fact finding missions have been denied entry into the country).

Graham Davis clearly does not qualify as an independent observer. His views are predictable. He is on the regime's payroll.

His praise for the Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr is misplaced. He wants us to believe it's to Mr Carr's "credit that he appears willing to listen to his Fijian counterpart's explanation" on the trashing of international constitution law expert Professor Yash Ghai's draft constitution..I would contend Mr Carr has a duty to listen to the voice of the opposition and the voice of the people of Fiji to get a proper explanation on things. Listening to his "Fijian counterpart" is tantamount to behaving in the way third world African and Arabian leaders have dealt with the dictators in their midst. Their behaviour almost invariably did more harm then good because it helped to prop up the dictators.

How is the situation in Fiji different?

Is Fiji still not under a military dictatorship six years after the takeover to create a "genuine democracy"?

Graham Davis is trying to sell us "castles in the air" with his talk about "first genuine democracy in Fiji's history".

People with their feet firmly on the ground will not buy what Graham's selling.

It's counterfeit .

Sincerely,

Rajend Naidu

Sydney

ENDS

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