Posts Tagged ‘Fiji’

What Do Google Users Know About Fiji and Fijians?

// January 16th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Fiji Coup Coverage

Searching Google for Fiji? Try stopping for answers here.

Where do Fijians Come From?

Fiji

I am sure the question above is asked by Americans the most. Where do Americans come from? Fijians come from the South Pacific Island country of Fiji. Duh. Now don’t ask where the South Pacific is on the map.

Why is Fiji water so good or so bad?

Why is Fiji

I’ll pick so bad. Where do we start? A sizable population of Fijians cannot access safe drinking water while the rest of the world is having the ‘drop of water untouched by civilization.’ Fiji Water is actually not owned by Fiji, pays no taxes to the military regime, and the people of Fiji do not benefit from the corporation in our country. Moreover, the American corporation has trademarked the brand name FIJI–the name of a nation-state–without paying anything to the Fijian government. How do you get away with trademarking the name of a country? Lets not get started on the carbon footprint.

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“Twice-Removed”

// January 14th, 2010 // No Comments » // Canada

I think a lot about this somewhat forced migration–first from India to Fiji on indenture ships and then from Fiji to the United States by modern aircrafts. There is a real crisis of identity and belonging.

I had an epiphany yesterday that we have been working really hard to change “twice-removed” into “an opportunity to start twice-over.” As Indian kids, we are taught to make the best of every opportunity and a lot of us do just that. The problem is that I cannot find a reason that we had to start “twice over.” I have no idea how my life would have been in India for my great-great grandparents and I have no clue why my parents left Fiji. So “twice-removed” is “twice-removed without reasonable cause.” And that may be the root of all my anger and frustration. And pain.

All my life, we’ve been told to get out of countries where we made our homes. I grew up hearing about how Uganda removed Indians only to experience something similar in Fiji. I hope I get third-time lucky because this time there is definitely a reason: I would no longer need to struggle to make sense of a life and existence I did not choose.

And I can already see my PhD dissertation topic — Postcolonial Indian Disaporic Identities in ____________. I am excited and content with life.

Have You Seen This Movie?

// November 11th, 2009 // No Comments » // Fiji Coup Coverage

It’s Pirate of the Fiji Islands, the third sequel. The first two starred Sitiveni Rabuka but he was dethroned by George Speight for the third movie, which really crashed and burned at the box office. Despite the apparent failure of the brand, the producers have brought it back with a new face hoping against hope for a hit this time.

Feel free to use Fiji Freedom Bloggers.

Interview on Pacific Beat – Radio Australia

// November 8th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Fiji Coup Coverage

I finally broke my silence and spoke out in the media against the repressive Fijian regime. And now I probably cannot come back home. Who would want to go back to Fiji in this state?

People are not too happy, but as an academic, I do need to stand up and make a statement against this. In Germany, the intellectuals did not speak till it was too late. This poem penned by Pastor Martin Niemöller was targeted at German intellectuals during Hitler’s rise to power and is apt for what is happening in Fiji:

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Look at it this way: First they came for the ‘racists’ like Qarase. Now he is called a ‘terrorist’–a conveniently borrowed term from the Western world, which uses it sparingly to label and target dissidents. Then they came for the judiciary. Then they went after the media, bloggers and journalists. Finally, now the target is academics. Who is next? Is there any freedom of speech left in my beautiful country? The government-controlled media did not even publish anything about this latest atrocity.

Everyone has to speak up. No one is free when some are oppressed.

There is one thing that I do need to clarify. I oppose a hard diplomatic stance to Fiji. Sanctions or encouraging military invasion in Fiji from the ANZ South Pacific hegemony only makes the regime turn inwards and become more oppressive, making the path to reforms increasingly difficult.

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Are the Foreign Fijian Students Going Back Home?

// November 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // Fiji Coup Coverage

They raided the law society in Fiji, sacked the judiciary, put journalists in jail, punched and deported academics. I have a BA in Political Science, an MA in International Relations, currently a law school candidate and enthusiastic blogger. What am I supposed to do when I go back? Can I go back?

We go to foreign countries (in this case, dragged), have our accents ridiculed, adjust to different cultures, customs and ways of life while still yearning to come back home. Many of us see no reason why Fiji cannot be a thriving country instead of the pariah state it is turning into.

But what incentive do we have to come back to Fiji when our own are being detained, interrogated and deported?

The last Fijian student I spoke to was trying to get into a nursing program so that she could get a visa and adjust her status to live in the United States instead of going back. My own sister (MS in Engineering) married and became an American citizen. None of them have gone back to Fiji lately.

After getting citizenship here, it costs $3000 per person to reinstate the Fijian residency. What’s the incentive Bainimarama? Your criminal activities and infringement on basic human rights and liberties? Is that how you will treat your educated Fijians when they decide to give up their privileges to come back and serve Fiji? There is no reverse colonial effort here. We simply want to be proud of Fiji instead of hanging our heads in shame each time you do something utterly ridiculous.

Technology is the great equalizer. The illegal military regime can ban the press and throw out academics. What is it going to do about online media and blogs? Are you going to ban the Internet too and start hunting down bloggers in other countries?

And yet, after everything that the illegal regime has done, some people still hope and think that Bainimarama is the best thing for Fiji. Really? People in Germany also thought that Adolf Hitler was their only hope until it was too late. For people to sanction this behavior under the guise of ‘refuting colonial intentions’ is uneducated and ill-advised. Wake up! You always have another option. Another Fiji is possible. You don’t need the likes of Qarase and Bainimarama to lead you into the future.

My Email to PM Bainimarama

// November 4th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Fiji Coup Coverage

Dear Illegal PM of my country,

I hope this email gets to you or gets published in a medium that can reach you. Unfortunately, you seem to have isolated yourself from the press instead of using it to gain leverage over your opposition.

I supported your coup in 2006 because I really did believe that you did the right thing by getting rid of the racist and homophobic Qarase.  But what you have done since then has been atrocious: cracking down on the media, detaining and deporting journalists, breaking diplomatic ties with countries and acting like ‘the law.’ Deporting Dr. Brij Lal is the last straw.

How do you expect your ‘best and brightest’ academics, journalists, solicitors and entrepreneurs to come back home and contribute to Fiji when you keep infringing on freedom of speech by throwing us in jail and deporting us anytime we cast doubt on your (false) promises?

How do you expect us to put our minds together and work on pressing issues of concern to Fijian society when you censor and eliminate our voices?

This goes beyond a diplomatic attack on our colonial cousins in Australia. Dr. Brij Lal is an exemplary Indian scholar on the Girmit and Indenture system with profound knowledge Fijian history and the current political situation in Fiji. In fact, he is probably one of the minds to tap in order to lead the country. And now I really hope Dr. Lal publishes a bunch of work against your illegal regime.

I love Fiji. But your military regime saddens and shames me,

-Prerna
–
Law School Candidate
Masters in International Relations
Blogger | Change.org

Coupster Bainimarama Expels Leading Academic From Fiji

// November 4th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Fiji Coup Coverage

Now illegal Prime Minister of Fiji, Voreqe ‘Coupster’ Bainimarama has totally pissed me off with his detention expulsion of leading academic Dr. Brij Lal from the Fiji Islands.

An Australian academic of Indo-Fijian descent, Brij Lal was detained by the military in Suva yesterday and given 24 hours to leave the country. He had recently spoken out against the regime, saying he was doubtful that democracy would be restored in 2014. The U.S. says it deplores this action, even though Obama was congratulating Fiji on democratic rule just a month ago. Make up your mind America.

Bainimarama, how do you expect your ‘best and brightest’ academics, journalists, solicitors and entrepreneurs to come back home when you keep infringing on freedom of speech by throwing us in jail and deporting us anytime we cast doubt on your (false) promises?

As a wanna-be politician, have you ever heard the phrase “keep your friends close, your enemies closer?”

What are you telling your bright Fijian students studying at foreign universities, hoping and dreaming to serve Fiji one day, when you silence the voice of a leading Fijian academic?

This goes beyond a diplomatic attack on our colonial cousins in Australia. Dr. Brij Lal is an exemplary Indian scholar on the Girmit and Indenture system with profound knowledge Fijian history and the current political situation in Fiji. In fact, he is probably one of the minds to tap in order to lead the country. And now I really hope Dr. Lal publishes a bunch of work against your illegal regime.

Dumb move Coupster.

Fiji Falls On the Press Freedom Index

// November 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Fiji Coup Coverage

The latest press freedom index rankings released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has Fiji plunging 73 places to 152 after a crackdown on the media by Fijian dictator Frank Bainimarama.

No criticism whatsoever is allowed of Commodore Bainimarama or the military regime. Under Section 16 (1) of the Emergency Regulations (titled “Control of Broadcast and Publications”), if the Permanent Secretary for Information (Lieutenant Colonel Neumi Leweni) “has reason to believe that any broadcast or publication may give rise to disorder … or promote disaffection or public alarm, or undermine the Government” then he “may, by order, prohibit such broadcast or publication”.

As a consequence of this policy, Baimarama moved soldiers into newsrooms for weeks to censor stories. Foreign journalists were deported, including Rex Gardner, publisher of The Fiji Times. A Fiji One TV reporter, Edwin Nand was thrown into jail for reportedly transmitting information overseas. Recently, a Mother Jones reporter doing an investigative piece on Fiji Water was kidnapped, questioned and almost raped.

When the Permanent Secretary of Information was asked whether censorship regulations of Fiji media would be relaxed, he replied that if it was up to him, it would be kept in place for another 5 years.

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