Fiji’s military government, under Frank Bainimarama, has delayed the advent of national elections, in a country racked by racial divisions and strife.
To understand the current political problems facing Fiji, we need to understand the history behind it. As part of the British Empire, Indian workers were taken to Fiji to work in the cane fields etc., but when British rule ended the Indians were left there, and no arrangements were made to return them to their country of origin. To say there is a cultural divide between the Fijians and Indians is an understatement; there has been no significant mixing between the two groups, and there has been a power struggle between them now for decades, resulting in the current state of affairs.
The irony is that Bainimarama took over Fiji with the aim of “embracing multiculturalism” and bringing equality to the Fijians and Indians; unlike Fiji’s earlier three coups, which aimed to reassert the rights of ethnic Fijians over governments dominated by ethnic Indians. Once again, multiculturalism is shown to only be enforceable under regimes using dictatorship methods.
Kevin Rudd and his Labor government have been quick to attack Fiji, claiming that they are a military junta, or dictatorship. But what about Rudd’s stance on China? Australia’s Chinese-speaking Prime Minister and his government don’t want to talk about China being a one party communist dictatorship, one which is conducting genocide against the Tibetan people. In communist China there have been no free elections and no freedom of speech since the communists took over in 1949.
The founder of communist China, Chairman Moa, was responsible for the deaths of 100 million people, a situation even worse than that caused by either Hitler or Stalin. The Chinese are known to execute people and then send a bill for the cost of the bullet to the family of the victims. Does Rudd agree with what China is doing? Or is it all about money?
So if you are a small country, like Fiji, Rudd’s government will criticize you, but if you are rich and powerful, like China, then you can do whatever you like to your people and not be criticized by Rudd. This is a double standard. Ask yourself, is Kevin Rudd a hypocrite?
Chairman Rudd shows his hypocrisy over Fiji
Fiji’s military government, under Frank Bainimarama, has delayed the advent of national elections, in a country racked by racial divisions and strife.
To understand the current political problems facing Fiji, we need to understand the history behind it. As part of the British Empire, Indian workers were taken to Fiji to work in the cane fields etc., but when British rule ended the Indians were left there, and no arrangements were made to return them to their country of origin. To say there is a cultural divide between the Fijians and Indians is an understatement; there has been no significant mixing between the two groups, and there has been a power struggle between them now for decades, resulting in the current state of affairs.
The irony is that Bainimarama took over Fiji with the aim of “embracing multiculturalism” and bringing equality to the Fijians and Indians; unlike Fiji’s earlier three coups, which aimed to reassert the rights of ethnic Fijians over governments dominated by ethnic Indians. Once again, multiculturalism is shown to only be enforceable under regimes using dictatorship methods.
Kevin Rudd and his Labor government have been quick to attack Fiji, claiming that they are a military junta, or dictatorship. But what about Rudd’s stance on China? Australia’s Chinese-speaking Prime Minister and his government don’t want to talk about China being a one party communist dictatorship, one which is conducting genocide against the Tibetan people. In communist China there have been no free elections and no freedom of speech since the communists took over in 1949.
The founder of communist China, Chairman Moa, was responsible for the deaths of 100 million people, a situation even worse than that caused by either Hitler or Stalin. The Chinese are known to execute people and then send a bill for the cost of the bullet to the family of the victims. Does Rudd agree with what China is doing? Or is it all about money?
So if you are a small country, like Fiji, Rudd’s government will criticize you, but if you are rich and powerful, like China, then you can do whatever you like to your people and not be criticized by Rudd. This is a double standard. Ask yourself, is Kevin Rudd a hypocrite?
References:
Rudd on Fiji’s suspension, Radio Australia News, 14 May 2009
Lay off Bainimarama, he’s doing it for Fiji, Fiji Daily Post, 5 May 2009
Fiji leader defies democracy call, BBC, 1 May 2009