September 11, 1997

By Michael Field 

SUVA, Sept 11, 1997  - Fiji, which nine years after two dramatic military coups was Tuesday told its constitution and political system must completely change direction, was Wednesday calmly and without passion debating the news.

Only a handful of people have spoken against it, notably Nationalist Sakeasi Butadroka, but veteran political observers here are unsure of whether any of the opponents have the numbers to halt change now.

Butadroka has labelled the planned changes a "sell-out".

But local talkback radio was debating other topics and their were no marches or raised voices.

The Constitution Review Commission report was tabled Tuesday in Parliament by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, calling for the country to return to the multi-ethnic democracy it lost in the two military coups of 1987.

Its main recommendations call for a constitution that would encourage the emergence of multi-ethnic governments on the Westminister parliamentary system. Power sharing should be achieved through the voluntary cooperation of political parties and Fiji should move away from the communal system of representation.

Its recommendations will now be studied by a parliamentary select committee.

The News Corp owned Fiji Times editorially criticised this move, saying it was committing the nation to another spell of uncertainty. Parliament must consider whether Fiji could afford to prolong decisions.

"It should realise that we cannot keep the nation, potential investors and the international community on tenterhooks while we shy away from making some difficult decisions," the Times said.

Locally owned rival the Daily Post, which earlier this week published the report before it was released, praised the report, especially its call for open government.

"If the country is truly going to move forward in the way envisaged by the commission then government would have to improve its accountability record by adopting the recommendations," the Post said.

In a front page story it said cabinet was split over the report with at least three ministers speaking strongly against it.

If it is true Rabuka is remarkably calm about it all, having left Tuesday night for an official visit to the United States.

Significantly the Methodist Church, the most powerful in the country, is calling for racial unity. In 1987 it played a key role in supporting the nationalist Taukei movement back Rabuka's seizure of power.

New church president Ilaitia Tuwere is instead calling for unity and prayer, and prosperity and unification of all races.

A Fijian chief, Ro Filipe Tuisawau of Rewa, near here, said the report was utopian and would not be acceptable.

"The report will create more division than unity," he said.

Politically Opposition leader Jai Ram Reddy was restrained, saying the report was not an end in itself but another step towards achieving a consensus that would result in a constitution acceptable to all people.

The small Vanua Independent Party opposed the recommendations.

"It seems that the 1987 coups have not served their purpose because the way things are going we will only put the Fijians in a very dangerous situation," party leader Iliesa Duvuloco said.

The General Voters Party, made up of mixed race people mainly, rejected the report because if implemented their representation would be cut back.

Copyright: Michael Field