Elections and Racial Harmony in Fiji

Mana (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 11, 24 November 1977, Page 5

Elections and Racial Harmony in Fiji

Contributed by the Fiji Student Christian Movement

The second general election in 1977 is now over and the ruling Alliance Party has been returned to power with an increased majority. Politically, 1977 has been the most eventful and interesting year since Independence.

For about six years, from 1970, Fiji had a period of peaceful stupor. Our peaceful transition from Colony to Dominion was a source of pride and our political leaders and our newspapers often reminded us and the world of the peaceful and multiracial

inature of Fiji society. We were lulled into complacency by our own praise and self-» congratulations. The emergence of Sakeasi Butadroka’s Fijian Nationalist Party in early 1976 and the rift in the National Federation Party that arose out of the passing of the Amendments to the Agricultural Landlords and Tenants Ordinance in November 1976, however, brought to the surface the undercurrents of sensitive issues that are so closely related to the racial, religious and class differences that exist in this country. The issues concerned the Constitution of our country, the rights of the various communities, the question of land ownership, inequalities in wealth, job opportunities, trade union power, foreign influence and national sovereignity. In the past we tried to bury these issues far away below the surface of our political consciousness. Shallow slogans such as ‘multiracialism’, and the ‘Pacific Way’ substituted for deep analysis and informed dialogue on the problems and faults of our society. We were always calling upon outsiders to come and tell us what we should do and then conveniently putting aside any solutions that appeared to be unpalatable to certain vested interests. Inevitably the only way this country was brought to confront the crucial issues squarely was through the agitation of such ‘radical’ people as Butadroka and S. M. Koya.

begin to feel that having let off steam in the last election it is now time to forget and pretend again that the problems of land. Constitution, races, and unequal opportunities have been solved.

However, we, the youth of Fiji, should not be lulled into compalcency because we will be inheriting all these problems in the near future. It seems very possible that the Alliance Party, having gained such an overwhelming majority, will become arrogant with its powers and set out to suppress not only the opposition but also the free expression of criticism and ideas that it regards as a threat to its concept of the ‘Pacific Way'.

The ruling Alliance Party constitutes the same old faces who have ruled this country for the last 10 years. There is not one woman in the party, nor is there a genuine representative of the young people of the country in the Party. One of the most important challenges that the Alliance Party will face in the enxt five years is the necessity of listening and respecting the views and aspirations

Butadroka and the trade unionist, Taniela Veitata, are now languishing in jail, and S. M. Koya and many of the Indian leaders who supported him are out of Parliament. The Alliance Party is back in power with a more than comfortable majority, with the Opposition reduced in strength and divided between supporters of Mr Jai Ram Reddy and Mr Koya. The country seems set for another five years of relative tranquility. People may

of young people, and of actively involving them in the process of nation-building. Young people have political aspirations and they want to participate in the political process. In the last election the Alliance Party promised to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 years. The young people will not forget this promise and they are looking forward to seeing it fulfilled soon. The Alliance Party prides itself on being the most multiracial party in Fiji, but a look at the Cabinet shows how heavily biased it is to mainly one race. There are eight Fijians and part-Fijians in the Cabinet proper, and only three Indians, and only one out of the six Ministers of Sate is an Indian. The last two elections have shown that Indian suport for the Alliance has fallen considerably — from 25 per cent in 1972 to 16 per cent in May 1977, and then another drop of IVi per cent ot I4‘/i per cent in September 1977. The composition of this Alliance Cabinet is very shortsighted and is bound to further alienate the Indian community in Fiji.