REVISITING SPEIGHT COUP VIOLENCE: WHEN FIJI INDIANS LIVES DID NOT MATTER TO FIJIAN THUGS

THE SPEIGHT COUP VIOLENCE: WHEN FIJI INDIANS WERE VICTIMS OF ITAUKEI THUGS

Thakur Ranjit Singh

PROLOGUE:

This article was initially written in 2000 in the aftermath of violence brought about by George Speight’s attempted coup in 2000 . Then, and even after that, Frank Bainimarama and Fiji Military had taken a tough stance against lawless thugs in Fiji.

There was as frenzy amongst Australia, New Zealand and Fiji media and NGOs, and protest against Fiji were organised by NGOs. Many of those who were shouting democracy and human rights, had taken a blind eye when Fiji Indians were victims of these lawless Itaukei (Fijian native) thugs. 

They had no idea about Fiji and its transition into democratic stability by arresting problems that had plagued Fiji’s discredited young democracy, and search of a home-grown solution.

While we do not condone violence, many appreciate the dilemma security personnel in Fiji faced then in kicking butts (read asses) to bring stability. Considering Fiji’s turbulent trial with (Western) democracy and human rights, balancing human rights against fragile security situation does create dilemma for security personnel-and Bainimarama had done well then. (Not sure about now in  2021)

Muaniweni Fiji Indian victims of racially-inspired violence in May 2000, crying to see their house looted and burnt by the rebels and criminal Fijian thugs.

The people rallying for action against Fiji Military for kicking asses of Itaukei thugs were quite when my people, Fiji Indians, got beaten, raped, and pillaged. The fears for the thugs were the same they had created for the Indo-Fijians, with strict security situation brought in by a military government when democratic system failed to provide security. This was coupled with, as my previous articles on Commissioner Savua showed, police were caught with their pants down and rendered impotent (read poofter) by a poor and wanting leadership.

Some Chiefs and the British-made divide and rule institution, the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) have been the greatest threat to democracy in Fiji.  A salute to Bainimarama for disbanding this parallel government where Chiefs retained and held on to power by sowing seeds of racial discord and projecting Fiji Indians as a threat to Itaukei whose situation was created by draconian divide-and rule policies of the British, ably abused by the Chiefly powers and the GCC.

We need to revisit violence and lawlessness caused by George Speight’s attempted coup and revisiting an area which became the face of turmoil and thuggery -Muaniweni.

The purpose in reminding this history is for the new generation in Fiji to realise how the poster-boys Itaukei on tourism postcards became racial thugs in the 21st century.

George Speight, the attempted coup leader, misled people and caused a spate of racial violence targeting Fiji Indians. People need to be educated about democracy and constitution to avoid other false prophets like Speight.

In 2000, when George Speight and his army of racist Fijian thugs assaulted democracy, many Fiji Indians were the victims. Many self-appointed and foreign-funded NGOs jumping up and down for strong arm tactics of army on the thugs had then remained quite.

I witnessed that violence when I was the Publisher of the now-discontinued Daily Post newspaper. I visited violence-struck community in Muaniweni near Suva and reported on the harrowing and shameful criminal incidents by Itaukei who were once the friends of these people.

I reproduce one such article to inform those who criticize Bainimarama for his strong arm tactics against lawless thugs who had also tried to murder him in November, 2000 (See another FIJI PUNDIT story).

People need to see in their rear-vision mirror to see where Fiji has come from.

Fiji Indians for ever will be thankful to Bainimarama for delivering Fiji Indians a common name, social justice, dignity - and security. No previous leader of Fiji could deliver these.

Lets now look in the rear vision mirror...................

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A COMMUNITY IN FEAR AT MUANIWENI

The attacks have stopped - - but the fear lingers on

You drive up the once dusty (but now tar sealed) Sawani Road from Suva, Fiji for some 30 minutes and you will come to a junction road to the right hand side, reading “Savu Road.” The rich farming area there is known as Muaniweni, which is home to some 110 Indo-Fijian (co-jointly referred to as Fiji Indians) households comprising some 700 people in total. They are farmers on Crown land (what Crown? you may ask) and provide a unique landscape to this area with lush dalo plantations and other cash crops. They also raise cattle and grow rice, ginger and other types of vegetable.

Speight -behind bars now, serving his term for treason

You drive further into this dusty, narrow, winding and repair-starved Savu Road for some 10 minutes; you will come to a twin school complex at the riverbank. This is called Muaniweni Indian School and Vunicibicibi Secondary School, which were established some three decades ago by the Fiji Indian community for the benefit of all the residents.

In the aftermath of Speight coup on 19 May, 2000, that place had gone through devastation and racial hatred erupted by some misplaced, greedy, opportunist and power-hungry people. It could be described as a war zone. We were greeted by fear and grief-gripped Indo-Fijian farmers and their families, depicting a picture of despair and helplessness. We were shocked and saddened by the stories of inhumane and criminal acts committed on this peace loving, hardworking and religious Indo-Fijian farming community.

Muaniweni Indo Fijian victims of racially-inspired violence in May 2000, crying to see their house looted and burnt by rebels and criminal Fijian thugs.

After cries of help, Muaniweni and Nasi residents in Baulevu, Naitasiri were happy for the setting up of Muaniweni Police Post next to the local school.

The Police post came late for about 100 residents who had abandoned their homes to take refuge at Sanatan Primary School in Lautoka, and later at Fiji Girmit Centre in a refugee camp. It is a pitiful sight to see their battened houses with lush green farms and neat well-kept compounds abandoned by the residents.

Other Fiji Indians in the area who did not want to move had transferred all womenfolk to their relatives' places away from Muaniweni for their security. However with life getting more secure because of the new police post and armed soldiers, most are coming back to the place they call home – and the only home they know.

They have been subjected to thuggery and fear by the nearby village youths who appear to be under nobody’s control. One helpless farmer commented that it appeared that the whole village condones this pillaging and assault on hard – working helpless Fiji Indian community. And they are supposed to be Christians!

Rebel soldiers causing mayhem and violence, seeking supremacy and Fiji for Fijians. It is such culture of violence and separation that Bainimarama then wanted removed from the new Fiji

Our team was pleasantly surprised by the philosophical comments of one Indigenous Fijian(Itaukei) Police officer at the police post:

I am a Christian and my heart cries out for these (Fiji) Indian farmers and what the so called Christians did to them. We need to break the cultural barriers between the races. Fijians should be taught Hindi while Indians should be taught Fijian language and culture. Our education system is to blame for this mess. Our schools are too exam oriented and we teach very little human values. We should concentrate more on extra curricular activities.

One perhaps need to ask why did not the supposedly visionary leader, Ratu Mara, who ruled Fiji for 17 years after independence in 1970, did that. Did he, like Ratu Sukuna also was very British and believed in ruling over a divided Fiji, where through fear could divide and rule, and they derived their support from driving Indian fear of takeover of Fiji? You be the judge. 

Another thuggery–scarred Indo-Fijian farmer commented that teaching of the Constitution should be included in the school curriculum:

Everybody should know about their rights, especially the new generation of Indigenous Fijians so that no George Speight in future can mislead them about their Constitutional protection.

Another neighboring Indian farmer had his radio, two workhorses, one calf and five chickens stolen.

We, with our family, including young children, spent the night in the open fields for fear of attack. Our stolen horses are used to cart stolen items from other farms. The most disappointing scene is that the elder thugs use young school - age children of ten to twelve years as apprentice in this looting. They send these youngsters to steal, if we say anything then they come out to threaten us. We are just wondering, what will happen when these kids grow up?

 

Where are all the moral and religious teachings? Church and their talatalas (preachers) should take some blame for these lawless people. The greater blame should go to the parents who cannot and do not manage the moral teachings of their young ones. If my son brings anybody’s stolen items home, I will whip him. Most Indian children know this.”

Muaniweni Community post which brough some law and order to the area.  Bainimarama Government wishes to prevent a repeat of such violence through policies removing racial segregation and promoting racial integration where all have a common name of "Fijians" .

One farmer whose brother left his nearby home for the refugee center said he could not make himself to leave the place he calls home. He added:

One thug came with a gun that was new and still packed in its box with its wrappers intact. He shot my cows, gutted them and took them to the Parliament. Anybody could walk in your farm and take whatever they wanted.

The residents however agreed that Fijians (Itaukei) by nature are very nice people, but they appear to have been misled. Once the political problems are sorted out at the top level, then they are confident that things could return to normal, and they could go back to farming.

If things do not improve and they are not allowed to live with dignity then they would like to join the others in the refugee camp and plead other countries to grant them refugee status.

In all this, the philosophical pleadings of the police office should be considered. The community leaders should get together to build a bridge of cultural understanding, and perhaps both the communities need to work more closely to appreciate each other well. This will ensure that in future political differences, they do not become mere pawns in the hands of the politicians who have their own personal agenda.

[Hope our media in Fiji, the Fiji Times and the Fiji Sun could revisit the area in 2021 and report on it after two decades  and see what has changed and improved. Go ahead, Fred Wesley and Peter Lomas-make my day]

Footnote:

Therefore the strong-arm tactics that we see in Fiji now (after May, 2000) to address the culture of violence among Fijians against others and those trying to destabilize peaceful multi-racial setting and provide security to all is to address such political instability created by those with vested interests. 

Many measures introduced by Bainimarama Government were to address exactly the situation that in the past promoted racial segregation and animosity.

These were the issues spoken by Muaniweni residents some 13 years ago and now being addressed with policies which try to make Fiji a home for all Fijians, with common name and destiny.

It is hoped Australia, New Zealand and NGOs financed by them can appreciate what Fiji has been through and what it needs- a home-grown solution without foreign influence and meddling.

THAKUR RANJIT SINGH

E-Mail: thakurjifj@gmail.com

Blogsite: FIJI PUNDIT: www.fijipundit.blogspot.co.nz

Additional Reading:

 http://epress.anu.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/ch165.pdf

[About the author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a journalist and media commentator and runs his blog site, FIJI PUNDIT, that tells what others fail to tell. He is a former publisher of Fiji's Daily Post newspaper, and is based in Auckland, New Zealand. This article was originally  written and published in the Daily Post in May, 2001 under the column Liu Muri by Aage Picche. This is intended as a historical reminder of our dark past.]

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