Fiji Week, 2005
Encyclopedia
Fiji Week
celebrations commenced on 7 October 2005, and culminated with Fiji Day on 10 October, the 35th anniversary of Fiji
's independence from British
colonial rule
. The official program focused on forgiveness and unity. It culminated with a day of prayer and fasting on Fiji Day. Schools, towns, and villages featured religious and cultural programs, with major celebrations Suva
, Lautoka
, and Labasa
. The festivities were organized by the Ministry of National Reconciliation and Unity, with the assistance of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration.
band. This was followed by an opening address by Vice-President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi
and speeches by Nadogo Paramount Chief Ratu Viliame Rovabokola, and Military Forces
Chief of Staff Colonel
Meli Saubulinayau
. The launch was also attended by Finance Minister Ratu Jone Kubuabola
in his capacity as Acting Prime Minister, standing in for Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase
who was making an official visit to India
and was therefore unable to attend the ceremony. I make them look gud
and the national language needed to be considered, too, and should not be shied away from for fear of causing offence. "Should we retain our national flag that conveys historical continuity from the days of the Cakobau
government to the period of British Colonial rule
, or is it time for a new one?" he asked. "What language are we to adopt as the national language?" He was optimistic about the state of race relations in Fiji: "We celebrate who we are although we come from different communities. We are one nation, one people. We have differences and these cause problems and tension at times but we are not on the brink of inter ethnic strife," he considered.
Madraiwiwi cautioned that any political model adopted would have to be accepted by the population as a whole. "There is some suggestion that the Fijian model ought to be adopted as being the first people, the host culture, the landowners and the majority of the population. I have no issue with that proposition, so long as it is acceptable to all other communities as well," he said. "The critical element is inclusiveness. It is only when the model we adopt and implement is one all can accept, can the prospect of genuine and lasting reconciliation be real."
Province
of Macuata
, called on everyone affected by the events connected with the coup
which rocked the nation in 2000, including the government, the Indo-Fijian community, the wives and children of the victims, and the people of Nadogo, to forgive and move on. "I know it's difficult to forget the past but I urge everyone here today (yesterday) to try and move the country forward," he said. "I believe if we all have faith in what we want to achieve, there's no doubt we will achieve it together as a community."
Rovabokola paid tribute to the Indo-Fijian community, and called on his people in Nadogo to treat them kindly in considering issues related to the leasing and use of land. "They have been part of our lives and they are the very ones who made us what we are today, and I urge you to consider their plight and assist them in whatever way possible," he said. Citizens of India
n origin should reciprocate by respecting indigenous Fijians' cultural differences, he considered.
Frank Bainimarama
, Army Chief of Staff Colonel Meli Saubulininayau said that if the nation was to move forward, its citizens must be not only clever, but wise. Colonel Saubulininayau said that Fiji could not afford people who were bright, but unwise. He thought it imperative that the younger generation learn from the mistakes of the past, without dwelling on them.
, Opposition Leader
Mahendra Chaudhry
, and National Federation Party
leader Raman Pratap Singh
.
, the country had made little progress, a once prosperous and united nation had slipped back into poverty and division, with a deterioration in the basic services of health and education. These problems needed to be addressed urgently, he said. He also claimed that the government was using the nation's independence day to promote its political agenda. The theme of "Promoting national unity and healing through forgiveness" linked the celebrations too closely with the controversial Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill
. The bill, which Chaudhry strongly opposes, is aimed at empowering a commission to compensate victims and pardon perpetrators of the 2000 coup
, and is alleged by Chaudhry and other detractors to be nothing other than a legal mechanism for releasing supporters of the present government who have been convicted and imprisoned for their role in it.
parliamentarian
Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi
said that people had been seen attending other functions in the capital, and blamed Prime Minister Qarase's absence for what he said was a poor turnout to the launch of the celebrations. The timing of the Prime Minister's official visit to India, coinciding with the celebrations of the 35th anniversary of the country's independence, was unpatriotic
, he said. "The Prime Minister’s visit to India on the 35th anniversary of Fiji’s independence reflects his lack of patriotism. There was no compelling need for Mr Qarase and his excessively large batch of hangers on to depart now, under the pretext of opening the consulate, when it has been in operation for almost a year," Vayeshnoi declared. The visit to India was nothing more than a publicity stunt, he alleged, saying that it would not work as the Indian government was well-informed about Qarase's "racist" policies.
This was not the first time Fiji's national celebrations have attracted controversy. Fiji Week, 2004
, the previous year, was marred by a boycott from several leading politicians and other public figures, who accused the government of using the ceremonies to promote a political agenda.
Fiji Week
Fiji Week is a week of festivities culminating in Fiji Day on 10 October annually...
celebrations commenced on 7 October 2005, and culminated with Fiji Day on 10 October, the 35th anniversary of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
's independence from British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial rule
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. The official program focused on forgiveness and unity. It culminated with a day of prayer and fasting on Fiji Day. Schools, towns, and villages featured religious and cultural programs, with major celebrations Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
, Lautoka
Lautoka
Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...
, and Labasa
Labasa
Labasa is a town in Fiji with a population of 27,949 at the most recent census held in 2007.Labasa is located in Macuata Province, in the north-eastern part of the island of Vanua Levu, and is the largest town on the island. The town itself is located on a delta formed by three rivers - the...
. The festivities were organized by the Ministry of National Reconciliation and Unity, with the assistance of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration.
Opening ceremonies, 7 October
Official ceremonies began with singing by a 500-member choir, accompanied by a militaryMilitary of Fiji
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...
band. This was followed by an opening address by Vice-President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi
Joni Madraiwiwi
Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi is a Fijian lawyer, politician and was the Vice-President of Fiji from 2004 to 2006. He was sworn in on 10 January 2005, following his nomination by President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo and his subsequent approval by the Great Council of Chiefs on 15 December 2004...
and speeches by Nadogo Paramount Chief Ratu Viliame Rovabokola, and Military Forces
Military of Fiji
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...
Chief of Staff Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Meli Saubulinayau
Meli Saubulinayau
Colonel Ratu Meli Saubulinayau is a Fijian career soldier, who, as of January 2006, headed the Strategic Unit in Suva. He was appointed to the post at the beginning of January 2006...
. The launch was also attended by Finance Minister Ratu Jone Kubuabola
Jone Kubuabola
Ratu Jone Yavala Kubuabola was Fiji's Minister for Finance, a position he held starting in 2000. He also represented the South West Urban Fijian Communal constituencies in the House of Representatives, to which he was elected as a candidate of the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua in...
in his capacity as Acting Prime Minister, standing in for Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase is a Fijian political figure. He served as the sixth Prime Minister of Fiji from 2000 to 2006. After the military quashed the coup that led to the removal of Mahendra Chaudhry, Qarase joined the Interim Military Government as a financial adviser on 9 June 2000, until his appointment...
who was making an official visit to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and was therefore unable to attend the ceremony. I make them look gud
Vice-President Madraiwiwi
In his opening address, Vice-President Madraiwiwi called on the nation to face up to the question of its identity. This was necessary to foster true reconciliation and unity, he said. Issues like the flagNational flag
A national flag is a flag that symbolizes a country. The flag is flown by the government, but usually can also be flown by citizens of the country.Both public and private buildings such as schools and courthouses may fly the national flag...
and the national language needed to be considered, too, and should not be shied away from for fear of causing offence. "Should we retain our national flag that conveys historical continuity from the days of the Cakobau
Seru Epenisa Cakobau
Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau was a Fijian Ratu and warlord who united part of Fiji's warring tribes under his leadership, establishing a united Fijian kingdom.-Background:...
government to the period of British Colonial rule
Colonial Fiji
The United Kingdom declined its first opportunity to annex Fiji in 1852. Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau had offered to cede the islands, subject to being allowed to retain his Tui Viti title, a condition unacceptable to both the British and to many of his fellow chiefs, who regarded him only as first...
, or is it time for a new one?" he asked. "What language are we to adopt as the national language?" He was optimistic about the state of race relations in Fiji: "We celebrate who we are although we come from different communities. We are one nation, one people. We have differences and these cause problems and tension at times but we are not on the brink of inter ethnic strife," he considered.
Madraiwiwi cautioned that any political model adopted would have to be accepted by the population as a whole. "There is some suggestion that the Fijian model ought to be adopted as being the first people, the host culture, the landowners and the majority of the population. I have no issue with that proposition, so long as it is acceptable to all other communities as well," he said. "The critical element is inclusiveness. It is only when the model we adopt and implement is one all can accept, can the prospect of genuine and lasting reconciliation be real."
Ratu Viliame Rovabokola
In his address, Ratu Rovabokola said that Fiji was facing difficult times and that the only way forward was to pursue reconciliation and forgiveness and find any way possible to unite. Rovabokola, who holds the title of Tui Nadogo, or Paramount Chief of Nadogo in the Vanua LevuVanua Levu
Vanua Levu , formerly known as Sandalwood Island, is the second largest island of Fiji. Located 64 kilometres to the north of the larger Viti Levu, the island has an area of 5,587.1 km² and a population of some 130,000.- Geography :...
Province
Local government of Fiji
Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions, which are further subdivided into fourteen provinces; the self-governing island of Rotuma and its dependencies lie outside any of the four divisions. Each division is headed by a Commissioner, appointed by the Fijian government...
of Macuata
Macuata
Macuata is one of Fiji's fourteen Provinces, and one of three based principally on the northern island of Vanua Levu, occupying the north-eastern 40 percent of the island. It has a land area of 2004 square kilometers....
, called on everyone affected by the events connected with the coup
Fiji coup of 2000
The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of a non-native Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, on 19 May 2000, the attempt by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority on 27 May, and...
which rocked the nation in 2000, including the government, the Indo-Fijian community, the wives and children of the victims, and the people of Nadogo, to forgive and move on. "I know it's difficult to forget the past but I urge everyone here today (yesterday) to try and move the country forward," he said. "I believe if we all have faith in what we want to achieve, there's no doubt we will achieve it together as a community."
Rovabokola paid tribute to the Indo-Fijian community, and called on his people in Nadogo to treat them kindly in considering issues related to the leasing and use of land. "They have been part of our lives and they are the very ones who made us what we are today, and I urge you to consider their plight and assist them in whatever way possible," he said. Citizens of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n origin should reciprocate by respecting indigenous Fijians' cultural differences, he considered.
Colonel Saubulininayau
Standing in for Armed Forces Commander CommodoreCommodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Frank Bainimarama
Frank Bainimarama
Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of April 2009, Prime Minister...
, Army Chief of Staff Colonel Meli Saubulininayau said that if the nation was to move forward, its citizens must be not only clever, but wise. Colonel Saubulininayau said that Fiji could not afford people who were bright, but unwise. He thought it imperative that the younger generation learn from the mistakes of the past, without dwelling on them.
Fiji Day, 10 October
Fiji Day itself was marked by speeches from President Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu UluivudaJosefa Iloilo
Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, CF, MBE, MSD, KStJ was the President of Fiji from 2000 until 2009, excluding a brief period from 5 December 2006 until 4 January 2007 . He held the traditional title of Tui Vuda, the paramount chief of the Vuda district in Ba Province on Fiji's northwest coast...
, Opposition Leader
Leader of the Opposition (Fiji)
The post of Leader of the Opposition is a political office common in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. It did not originate in Fiji but has a long tradition; in British constitutional theory, the Leader of the Opposition must pose a formal alternative to the government, ready...
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
, and National Federation Party
National Federation Party (Fiji)
The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...
leader Raman Pratap Singh
Raman Pratap Singh
Raman Pratap Singh is a Fijian lawyer and politician of Indian descent. His father, Ram Jati Singh, was a member of the Legislative Council, elected on the National Federation Party ticket. Raman contested the 1994 election on the NFP ticket, winning the Bua Indian seat in the House of...
.
President Iloilo
Speaking at Albert Park, President Iloilo said that all citizens needed to resolve to make a difference, as individuals, families, and communities, to the nation. He also called for an honest facing up to past injustices. "It is important that we continue to strengthen our economic and political progress. We can achieve this only if we can make an effort to face our past to allow relief and dignity for those who have experienced violations and to ensure that that pain is acknowledged," he said. He also emphasized that he considered spiritual faith and values essential to the nation's progress, and called on all citizens, schools, cultural and religious institutions to promote what he called Fiji's national values.Mahendra Chaudhry
Opposition Leader Mahendra Chaudhry should take the time tor reflect on where the nation was heading. He lamented that since the coups of 1987Fiji coups of 1987
The Fiji coups of 1987 resulted in the overthrow of the elected government of Fijian Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, the deposition of Elizabeth II as Queen of Fiji, and in the declaration of a republic...
, the country had made little progress, a once prosperous and united nation had slipped back into poverty and division, with a deterioration in the basic services of health and education. These problems needed to be addressed urgently, he said. He also claimed that the government was using the nation's independence day to promote its political agenda. The theme of "Promoting national unity and healing through forgiveness" linked the celebrations too closely with the controversial Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill
Reconciliation and Unity Commission (Fiji)
The Reconciliation and Unity Commission is a proposed government body to be set up if the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, which was introduced into the Fijian Parliament on 4 May 2005 is passed...
. The bill, which Chaudhry strongly opposes, is aimed at empowering a commission to compensate victims and pardon perpetrators of the 2000 coup
Fiji coup of 2000
The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of a non-native Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, on 19 May 2000, the attempt by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority on 27 May, and...
, and is alleged by Chaudhry and other detractors to be nothing other than a legal mechanism for releasing supporters of the present government who have been convicted and imprisoned for their role in it.
Raman Pratap Singh
In his address, the leader of the National Federation Party said that the country really needed leaders who would sacrifice their personal interests and work together for the sake of the nation. Infighting, communal rivalry, cheap politicking, and blind greed had shattered the image that the world had once had of Fiji, widely described as "the way the world should be." "Instead of sharing and co-existing, the people have retreated into their racial compartments instead of uniting both as communities and as a nation," he said. "Instead of uniting as a nation, our leaders have created a racial gulf that is tearing our island nation apart." While acknowledging that leaders occasionally called for harmony, he insisted that it would not be achievable without working to establish common ground.Controversies
Fiji Labour PartyFiji Labour Party
The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. Most of its support at present comes from the Indo-Fijian community, although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian, Dr. Timoci Bavadra. It is...
parliamentarian
House of Representatives (Fiji)
The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. It is the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone has the power to initiate legislation...
Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi
Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi
Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi, is a Fijian politician of Indian descent. He was one of the youngest members to be elected into Parliament in 1992. He has represented the Nadroga Indian Communal Constituency, which he won for the Fiji Labour Party in the parliamentary elections of 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, and...
said that people had been seen attending other functions in the capital, and blamed Prime Minister Qarase's absence for what he said was a poor turnout to the launch of the celebrations. The timing of the Prime Minister's official visit to India, coinciding with the celebrations of the 35th anniversary of the country's independence, was unpatriotic
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
, he said. "The Prime Minister’s visit to India on the 35th anniversary of Fiji’s independence reflects his lack of patriotism. There was no compelling need for Mr Qarase and his excessively large batch of hangers on to depart now, under the pretext of opening the consulate, when it has been in operation for almost a year," Vayeshnoi declared. The visit to India was nothing more than a publicity stunt, he alleged, saying that it would not work as the Indian government was well-informed about Qarase's "racist" policies.
This was not the first time Fiji's national celebrations have attracted controversy. Fiji Week, 2004
Fiji Week, 2004
Fiji Week was a week of prayer meetings and multicultural programmes that took place the week of the fourth through the eleventh of October, 2004...
, the previous year, was marred by a boycott from several leading politicians and other public figures, who accused the government of using the ceremonies to promote a political agenda.