People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress
Encyclopedia
The People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress (initially, People's Charter for Change and Progress) is a proposed legal document which would complement the Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands
. It would establish compulsory guidelines for any government policy in Fiji
over the coming years. The People's Charter is due to be completed and come into force prior to the scheduled 2009 general election
.
A draft version of the Charter was released to the public in early August 2008. Input from the public will be received in August and September. Council member Filimoni Kau has stated that objections will be considered, but that the Charter will go ahead in any case.
, head of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces
, who overthrew the elected Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase
in December 2006. Bainimarama alleged that Qarase was corrupt
and racist
, and declared that a People's Charter was necessary in order to prevent corruption and racism within future elected governments.
The overall objective of the Charter is defined as follows:
Much emphasis is laid on the necessity to prioritise national unity over the politics of separate ethnic communities.
In August 2008, shortly before the Charter was due to be released to the public, it was announced that it recommended a change in the name of Fiji's citizens. If the proposal were adopted, all citizens of Fiji, whatever their ethnicity, would be called "Fijians". At present, the word "Fijian" does not denote a nationality, and refers exclusively to indigenous Fijians
. Citizens of Fiji are referred to as "Fiji Islanders". The proposal would change the English name of indigenous Fijians from "Fijians" to itaukei, the Fijian
word for indigenous Fijians.
Archbishop Petero Mataca
summed up the Charter by saying it would "reinforce the quality and sustainability of democracy in Fiji" and "provide a clearer vision of the principles and values we want to live by".
Asked by a journalist whether Qarase
would be allowed to take part in the election, Bainimarama said he would: "That is also in the commitment we had yesterday and that was [sic] always been there" .
In May 2008, Bainimarama added that the military would enforce future governments' compliance with the provisions of the Charter.
(NCBBF), supposed to be "broadly representative of Fiji society (including leaders and representatives from the civil society including NGOs, the private sector, religious and community organisations, employers/workers and youth organisations, and the political parties)" .
The NCBBF held its first meeting on January 16, 2008. It reportedly began with an "in depth" assessment of the state of the nation .
Officially, the NCBBF's work on the Charter is overseen by an independent monitoring group, which reports directly to President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. The monitoring group is chaired by Sela Molisa
, a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu
. Reverend Amy Chambers
is also a member of the monitoring group. The NCBBF itself is composed of three task teams, one (co-chaired by Ratu
Josefa Serulagilagi and Attorney General
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
) tasked with focusing on good governance
, another (co-chaired by Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo
and Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry
) on economic growth, and the third (co-chaired by Lorrine Tevi and Health Minister Dr. Jiko Luveni
) on "social cultural identity and nation building."
On June 24, 2008, the NCBBF made several recommendations, all of them in line with Bainimarama's original aims. These included:
The NCBBF advocated implementing electoral reforms before holding any election. A representative of the Council stated: "The NCBBF is of the firm view that change is long overdue and that Fiji urgently needs a new electoral system based on equal suffrage - that is one person, one vote, equal value."
On August 5, 2008, the NCBBF announced that it had endorsed a draft Charter document, which was to be released shortly thereafter. Fijilive reported that the NCBBF planned to "gauge the views of the people on the draft Charter via a public awareness campaign over the next six weeks". Meetings would be held in public venues, the Charter would be advertised in the media, and there would be "consultations by public relations teams at grassroots level in all the villages and settlements throughout the country".
, who opposes the Charter, has, however, stated that a referendum would constitute legal validation.
In addition, specific proposals aimed at promoting national unity and reducing inter-ethnic divisiveness:
in Fiji, Archbishop Petero Mataca
, who became co-chair (with Commodore Bainimarama) of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji. However, others were more cautious, noncommittal or openly critical. Fiji Women's Crisis Centre
coordinator Shamima Ali
declined to comment. Fiji's Citizens Constitutional Forum continued to oppose the military coup, calling it unjustifiable, but in response to the proposed Charter, said there is "a serious need to re-look at problems to find solutions to move the country forward".
The National Federation Party and the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
Party both opposed the idea of a People's Charter implemented by an unelected government . Fiji’s Methodist Church
, to which a majority of indigenous Fijians
belong, also opposed the Charter , stating that it had been instructed by God
to do so. The Fiji Labour Party
supported it. The Fiji Council of Churches offered cautious support, urging people not to oppose it outright, and suggesting that it provided "a window of opportunity for the nation to move forward".
Samisoni Pareti of the magazine Islands Business expressed doubt as to whether elections could be held as promised in early 2009 if the interim government insisted on having the People's Charter in place before the election. In Pereti's view, the Charter would not be completed in time, and Bainimarama might have to choose between postponing the election (and thus sparking the ire of the international community) or abandoning his People's Charter . Pareti's prediction turned out to be accurate: the election was postponed.
By contrast, New Zealander human rights activist Thakur Ranjit Singh expressed public support for the People's Charter, stating that fresh elections alone would not address the "fundamental problems in Fiji", such as "the agenda of the nationalists who want Fiji for Fijians and Fiji as a Christian state" or a "culture of corruption, nepotism and cronyism"; the People's Charter must therefore, in Singh's view, be implemented before any election takes place .
The responses of Indo-Fijian cultural and religious organisations were mixed. The Hindu
organisations Arya Pratinidhi Sabha and Sanatan Dharam Pratinidhi Sabha supported the process and agreed to take part in the NCBBF. By contrast, Sangam, an organisation representing South India
ns, refused to do so, as did the Fiji Muslim League
, describing itself as non-political. On an individual basis, prominent Indo-Fijians such as Shamima Ali, Brij Lal
, Imrana Jalal
, Wadan Narsey and Richard Naidu
refused to support the Charter.
In March 2008, an editorial in the Fiji Daily Post commented that "a one-sided ‘People’s Charter’ for Fiji may not have the ameliorative effect its enforcers hope for. To truly succeed, the charter, like the nation, must proceed by bipartisan agreements, by consultative dialogue that brings victors and vanquished to the table of compromise so that a just settlement is achieved".
The Pacific Islands Forum
supported the proposed Charter .
In April 2008, a Fiji Times
opinion poll found that public opinion was evenly split, with 46.2% disagreeing with the idea of the Charter, and 45.8% supporting it. The poll was taken in the context of a public debate over the Charter, during which it was supported by Joseva Serulagilagi (Chairman of the Tailevu
Provincial Council),
Lorine Tevi (President of the Fiji Council of Social Services), and Pundit Kamlesh Arya (President of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji), and opposed by Wadan Narsey (Professor of Economics at the University of the South Pacific
), Richard Naidu (Senior Partner at the Munro Leys law firm) and Tupou Draunidalo
(Former Vice-President of the Fiji Law Society).
was critical of its content. He dismissed as "unreasonable" its proposal to dissolve political parties which "engage in activities that breach important values of the Constitution". Qarase also opposed the proposed change in the country's demonym, which would enable all citizens of Fiji to refer to themselves as "Fijians": "That term [Fijian] is embedded into the indigenous population. It is a very sensitive issue and it will be opposed very strongly." Qarase stated that the Charter made a number of good suggestions, but that it would, on the whole, increase inter-ethnic tensions. He stated that "[s]ome of the key proposals in the charter, if implemented without the approval of an elected parliament, would be contrary to the provisions of the 1997 Constitution." He called upon the Charter to be voted on by an elected Parliament, and, alternately, suggested a referendum to decide the issue. He added:
Ousted Opposition leader Mick Beddoes
also expressed his opposition to the Charter. The Fiji Labour Party
, whose leader Mahendra Chaudhry
is a member of the interim government, officially supported the Charter.
Academic Brij Lal
, one of the authors of the Constitution, described the Charter as "too prescriptive", commenting that it appeared to aim at creating an unfeasible utopia. He added: "I think that for the charter and some of the recommendations to have credibility, they have to be endorsed through parliament."
The Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma
has confirmed its opposition to the Charter, both because it originates from a government that came to power by force (despite the Church having openly supported the coups of 1987 and 2000), and because the Church deems it to be an "an illegal, dangerous document that, if followed, will have a negative impact on the lives of Fiji citizens". Following a Church conference, Church general secretary Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu told the media:
The National Federation Party has called upon citizens to boycott the charter consultation process, claiming that the Charter would disadvantage Indo-Fijians. Referring to the proposed abolition of the communal voting system, to be replaced by a "one man, one vote" electoral process, party secretary Pramod Rae
stated:
Ousted Vice-President
and lawyer Joni Madraiwiwi
has sought to take a balanced and cautionary view:
Jone Dakuvula, of the Citizens' Constitutional Forum, has commented favourably on the Charter:
Bainimarama has attacked some of his critics, labelling their objections self-serving:
In October 2008, the Fijian Teachers Association objected to a proposal for the Charter to be presented to children at school, describing the idea as "propaganda".
by 2013, and that the Constitution would "derive its impetus from the recommendations under the Charter".
Constitution of Fiji
The 1997 Constitution of Fiji was the supreme law of Fiji from its adoption in 1997 until 2009 when President Josefa Iloilo purported to abrogate it. It was also suspended for a period following the 2000 coup d'état led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama....
. It would establish compulsory guidelines for any government policy in 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...
over the coming years. The People's Charter is due to be completed and come into force prior to the scheduled 2009 general election
Fijian general election, 2009
General elections were, until recently, scheduled to be held in Fiji in March 2009. They are now expected to be held by September 2014.-Context: Scheduling a return to democracy:...
.
A draft version of the Charter was released to the public in early August 2008. Input from the public will be received in August and September. Council member Filimoni Kau has stated that objections will be considered, but that the Charter will go ahead in any case.
Context
The People's Charter is the brainchild of current interim Prime Minister Frank BainimaramaFrank 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...
, head of the Republic of Fiji 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...
, who overthrew the elected 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...
in December 2006. Bainimarama alleged that Qarase was corrupt
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
and racist
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, and declared that a People's Charter was necessary in order to prevent corruption and racism within future elected governments.
Stated objective
In April 2007, a draft version of the Charter was published . The draft, intended as a general presentation of the future Charter's aims, began with a statement that "Fiji’s politics and overall governance have been dominated by and deeply mired in divisive, race-based politics, policies, and institutions". Consequently, the text authors state, "Fiji needs to become a more progressive and a truly democratic nation; a country in which its leaders, at all levels, emphasize national unity, racial harmony and the social and economic advancement of all communities regardless of race or ethnic origin."The overall objective of the Charter is defined as follows:
- To rebuild Fiji into a non-racial, culturally-vibrant and united, well-governed, truly democratic nation that seeks progress, and prosperity through merit-based equality of opportunity, and peace.
Much emphasis is laid on the necessity to prioritise national unity over the politics of separate ethnic communities.
In August 2008, shortly before the Charter was due to be released to the public, it was announced that it recommended a change in the name of Fiji's citizens. If the proposal were adopted, all citizens of Fiji, whatever their ethnicity, would be called "Fijians". At present, the word "Fijian" does not denote a nationality, and refers exclusively to indigenous Fijians
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
. Citizens of Fiji are referred to as "Fiji Islanders". The proposal would change the English name of indigenous Fijians from "Fijians" to itaukei, the Fijian
Fijian language
Fijian is an Austronesian language of the Malayo-Polynesian family spoken in Fiji. It has 450,000 first-language speakers, which is less than half the population of Fiji, but another 200,000 speak it as a second language...
word for indigenous Fijians.
Archbishop Petero Mataca
Petero Mataca
Petero Mataca is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Suva, Fiji. After his education at St. John's College, Cawaci, he was ordained as a priest on 20 December 1959...
summed up the Charter by saying it would "reinforce the quality and sustainability of democracy in Fiji" and "provide a clearer vision of the principles and values we want to live by".
Short-term consequences
Commodore Bainimarama has said that the People's Charter will prevent any candidate for the 2009 general election from campaigning on racist and divisive policies. Such candidates would be barred from taking part in the election.- "That will be taken care of by the charter so if anybody with Qarase-like policies comes in, the charter will automatically remove them."
Asked by a journalist whether 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...
would be allowed to take part in the election, Bainimarama said he would: "That is also in the commitment we had yesterday and that was [sic] always been there" .
In May 2008, Bainimarama added that the military would enforce future governments' compliance with the provisions of the Charter.
Methodology
The Charter is to be prepared by a National Council for Building a Better FijiNational Council for Building a Better Fiji
The National Council for Building a Better Fiji is an organisation established in 2007 by the government of Fiji. Its task is to prepare the People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress proposed by interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, who came to power in a military coup in...
(NCBBF), supposed to be "broadly representative of Fiji society (including leaders and representatives from the civil society including NGOs, the private sector, religious and community organisations, employers/workers and youth organisations, and the political parties)" .
The NCBBF held its first meeting on January 16, 2008. It reportedly began with an "in depth" assessment of the state of the nation .
Officially, the NCBBF's work on the Charter is overseen by an independent monitoring group, which reports directly to President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. The monitoring group is chaired by Sela Molisa
Sela Molisa
Sela Molisa is a ni-Vanuatu politician. He is currently a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu, and was briefly Minister for Trade in Serge Vohor's Cabinet from April to May 2011...
, a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu
Parliament of Vanuatu
The Parliament is the unicameral legislative body of the Republic of Vanuatu.It was established by chapter 4 of the 1980 Constitution, upon Vanuatu's independence from France and the United Kingdom....
. Reverend Amy Chambers
Amy Chambers
Amy Chambers is an Anglican priest in Fiji, and the Principal of St John the Baptist Theological College in Suva.Born as Amy Fong Toy to a farming family of Chinese descent in Labasa on the northern island of Vanua Levu, she was educated at Labasa Secondary School. She taught for one year at St...
is also a member of the monitoring group. The NCBBF itself is composed of three task teams, one (co-chaired by Ratu
Ratu
Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...
Josefa Serulagilagi and Attorney General
Attorney-General (Fiji)
Fiji's chief governmental legal officer is the Attorney General. According to the Constitution of Fiji, the Attorney-General is required to be a qualified lawyer and sits in the Cabinet. The office of the Attorney-General is the oldest surviving executive office in Fiji, having been established...
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum Fiji's Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Anti-Corruption, Public Enterprises, Industry, Investment, Tourism and Communications...
) tasked with focusing on good governance
Good governance
Good governance is an indeterminate term used in development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in order to guarantee the realization of human rights. Governance describes "the process of decision-making and the process by which...
, another (co-chaired by Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo
Josateki Nawalowalo
Ratu Josateki Tuivanuavou Nacagilevu Nawalowalo, commonly known as Ratu Jo Nawalowalo, was a Fijian chief, businessman, and the Chairman of the Kadavu Provincial Council...
and Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
) on economic growth, and the third (co-chaired by Lorrine Tevi and Health Minister Dr. Jiko Luveni
Jiko Luveni
Jiko Luveni is a Fijian dentist who is better known for her work to combat AIDS.Luveni was educated at Lautoka Fijian School and then at Nabua Secondary School in Suva, before enrolling in Adi Cakobau School in Sawani. She graduated in dentistry from the Fiji School of Medicine in 1967, the first...
) on "social cultural identity and nation building."
On June 24, 2008, the NCBBF made several recommendations, all of them in line with Bainimarama's original aims. These included:
- abolishing communal electoral rolls, and replacing them with proportional representation
- abolishing compulsory voting
- reducing the voting age to 18
- new anti-discrimination laws.
The NCBBF advocated implementing electoral reforms before holding any election. A representative of the Council stated: "The NCBBF is of the firm view that change is long overdue and that Fiji urgently needs a new electoral system based on equal suffrage - that is one person, one vote, equal value."
On August 5, 2008, the NCBBF announced that it had endorsed a draft Charter document, which was to be released shortly thereafter. Fijilive reported that the NCBBF planned to "gauge the views of the people on the draft Charter via a public awareness campaign over the next six weeks". Meetings would be held in public venues, the Charter would be advertised in the media, and there would be "consultations by public relations teams at grassroots level in all the villages and settlements throughout the country".
Implementation
It remains unclear how the People's Charter will be officially implemented. The interim government has announced that the public will be consulted, but no official reference to a referendum has been made. Legally, if the Charter is deemed to alter the Constitution, it could only be adopted by a two thirds majority of elected members of Parliament. Parliament is currently not in session, having been dismissed after the coup. Deposed Prime Minister Laisenia QaraseLaisenia 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 opposes the Charter, has, however, stated that a referendum would constitute legal validation.
Content
The People's Charter was released to the public on August 6, 2008. Among its key proposals were the following:- addressing the root causes of coups through political, social and economic reform;
- toughening the sanctions against coups;
- building "conflict resolution mechanisms for groups and individuals affected by coups";
- empowering courts to penalise or dissolve political parties which "engage in activities that breach important values of the constitution";
- establishing "civic programmes to raise public awareness about the injustice and illegality coups and issues of democracy and good governance";
- ensuring a separation between Church and State;
- enhancing and facilitating "public participation in all aspects of governments";
- enacting a Code of Conduct for government leaders;
- reforming land legislation to facilitate general access to land use, while maintaining and enhancing indigenous landowners’ rights;
- officialising the military's role in overseeing the governing of the country;
- introducing a one-man, one-vote electoral system, to replace the communal electoral rosters.
In addition, specific proposals aimed at promoting national unity and reducing inter-ethnic divisiveness:
- changing the official demonym of Fiji's inhabitants from "Fiji Islander" to "Fijian", a term currently applied only to indigenous FijiansFijian peopleFijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
; - promoting interfaith dialogue;
- teaching both the Fijian languageFijian languageFijian is an Austronesian language of the Malayo-Polynesian family spoken in Fiji. It has 450,000 first-language speakers, which is less than half the population of Fiji, but another 200,000 speak it as a second language...
and HindiHindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
in schools, so as to promote multiculturalismMulticulturalismMulticulturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
; - instituting a national anthemGod Bless FijiMeda Dau Doka or God Bless Fiji is the national anthem of Fiji. The melody was adapted from a 1911 hymn by Charles Austin Miles entitled Dwelling in Beulah Land...
in the country's three main languages: Fijian, Hindi and EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Prior to publication
The proposed Charter received strong support from the head of the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in Fiji, Archbishop Petero Mataca
Petero Mataca
Petero Mataca is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Suva, Fiji. After his education at St. John's College, Cawaci, he was ordained as a priest on 20 December 1959...
, who became co-chair (with Commodore Bainimarama) of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji. However, others were more cautious, noncommittal or openly critical. Fiji Women's Crisis Centre
Fiji Women's Crisis Centre
The Fiji Women's Crisis Centre" is a Non-Government Organization established in 1984. It offers counselling and legal, medical, and practical support to woman and children victims of violence. The Women's Crisis Centre started in August 1984...
coordinator Shamima Ali
Shamima Ali
Shamima Ali is a Fijian political activist of Indian descent. As of January 2007, she is a member of the Fiji Human Rights Commission and the Coordinator of the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre ....
declined to comment. Fiji's Citizens Constitutional Forum continued to oppose the military coup, calling it unjustifiable, but in response to the proposed Charter, said there is "a serious need to re-look at problems to find solutions to move the country forward".
The National Federation Party and the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
The Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua is a political party in Fiji...
Party both opposed the idea of a People's Charter implemented by an unelected government . Fiji’s Methodist Church
Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma
The Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma is the largest Christian denomination in Fiji, with 36.2 percent of the total population at the 1996 census...
, to which a majority of indigenous Fijians
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
belong, also opposed the Charter , stating that it had been instructed by God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
to do so. The Fiji Labour Party
Fiji 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...
supported it. The Fiji Council of Churches offered cautious support, urging people not to oppose it outright, and suggesting that it provided "a window of opportunity for the nation to move forward".
Samisoni Pareti of the magazine Islands Business expressed doubt as to whether elections could be held as promised in early 2009 if the interim government insisted on having the People's Charter in place before the election. In Pereti's view, the Charter would not be completed in time, and Bainimarama might have to choose between postponing the election (and thus sparking the ire of the international community) or abandoning his People's Charter . Pareti's prediction turned out to be accurate: the election was postponed.
By contrast, New Zealander human rights activist Thakur Ranjit Singh expressed public support for the People's Charter, stating that fresh elections alone would not address the "fundamental problems in Fiji", such as "the agenda of the nationalists who want Fiji for Fijians and Fiji as a Christian state" or a "culture of corruption, nepotism and cronyism"; the People's Charter must therefore, in Singh's view, be implemented before any election takes place .
The responses of Indo-Fijian cultural and religious organisations were mixed. The Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
organisations Arya Pratinidhi Sabha and Sanatan Dharam Pratinidhi Sabha supported the process and agreed to take part in the NCBBF. By contrast, Sangam, an organisation representing South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
ns, refused to do so, as did the Fiji Muslim League
Fiji Muslim League
The Fiji Muslim League is a Muslim religious and social organisation based in Suva, Fiji. Nearly 7% of Fiji's total population, including 16% of the Indian community, is Muslim...
, describing itself as non-political. On an individual basis, prominent Indo-Fijians such as Shamima Ali, Brij Lal
Brij Lal
Brij V. Lal is a Indo-Fijian historian . He was born in Labasa, on the northern island of Vanua Levu. He was educated at the University of South Pacific, the University of British Columbia and the Australian National University.- Academic career :...
, Imrana Jalal
Imrana Jalal
Imrana Jalal, sometimes known as Patricia Jalal , is a Fijian lawyer and activist of Indian descent, who serves as a human rights advisor to the United Nations Development Program and as a member of the International Commission of Jurists, a body of sixty eminent judges and lawyers, to which she...
, Wadan Narsey and Richard Naidu
Richard Naidu
Richard Naidu is a Fijian lawyer of Indian descent. A partner with the Munro Leys law firm, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Presidency of the Fiji Law Society on 9 September 2006 .-Naidu and the 2006 coup d'état:...
refused to support the Charter.
In March 2008, an editorial in the Fiji Daily Post commented that "a one-sided ‘People’s Charter’ for Fiji may not have the ameliorative effect its enforcers hope for. To truly succeed, the charter, like the nation, must proceed by bipartisan agreements, by consultative dialogue that brings victors and vanquished to the table of compromise so that a just settlement is achieved".
The Pacific Islands Forum
Pacific Islands Forum
The Pacific Islands Forum is an inter-governmental organization that aims to enhance cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific Ocean. It was founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum...
supported the proposed Charter .
In April 2008, a Fiji Times
Fiji Times
The Fiji Times is a daily English-language newspaper published in Suva, Fiji. Established in Levuka on 4 September 1869, it is Fiji's oldest newspaper still operating....
opinion poll found that public opinion was evenly split, with 46.2% disagreeing with the idea of the Charter, and 45.8% supporting it. The poll was taken in the context of a public debate over the Charter, during which it was supported by Joseva Serulagilagi (Chairman of the Tailevu
Tailevu
Tailevu is one of the 14 provinces of Fiji. One of eight Provinces based in Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island, its 755 square kilometers occupy the south-eastern fringe of the island, along with some central areas. At the 2007 census, the most recent to date, it had a population of 55,692, the...
Provincial Council),
Lorine Tevi (President of the Fiji Council of Social Services), and Pundit Kamlesh Arya (President of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji), and opposed by Wadan Narsey (Professor of Economics at the University of the South Pacific
University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific is a public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. It is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment. USP's academic programmes are recognised worldwide, attracting students...
), Richard Naidu (Senior Partner at the Munro Leys law firm) and Tupou Draunidalo
Tupou Draunidalo
Tupou Draunidalo is a Fijian lawyer. On 9 September 2006, she was elected Vice-President of the Fiji Law Society, defeating Rajesh Gordon. -Political activism and arrest:...
(Former Vice-President of the Fiji Law Society).
After publication
The People's Charter was released to the public on August 6, 2008. Deposed Prime Minister Laisenia QaraseLaisenia 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...
was critical of its content. He dismissed as "unreasonable" its proposal to dissolve political parties which "engage in activities that breach important values of the Constitution". Qarase also opposed the proposed change in the country's demonym, which would enable all citizens of Fiji to refer to themselves as "Fijians": "That term [Fijian] is embedded into the indigenous population. It is a very sensitive issue and it will be opposed very strongly." Qarase stated that the Charter made a number of good suggestions, but that it would, on the whole, increase inter-ethnic tensions. He stated that "[s]ome of the key proposals in the charter, if implemented without the approval of an elected parliament, would be contrary to the provisions of the 1997 Constitution." He called upon the Charter to be voted on by an elected Parliament, and, alternately, suggested a referendum to decide the issue. He added:
- "The composition of the NCBBF is not representative of the people. It is biased in favour of the Labour party, the New Alliance Party, the interim Government and coup supporters. The intention of the interim Government to implement proposed electoral changes before the elections would be illegal and in contravention of the 1997 Constitution. [...] The intention of the IG to make the charter binding on future elected governments without the authority of Parliament would be illegal and contrary to democratic principles."
Ousted Opposition leader Mick Beddoes
Mick Beddoes
Mick Malcolm Millis Beddoes, widely known as Mick Beddoes, is a Fijian politician and businessman from Nadi, who has led the United Peoples Party since 2000, and was the Leader of the Opposition at the time of the military coup of 5 December 2006...
also expressed his opposition to the Charter. The Fiji Labour Party
Fiji 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...
, whose leader Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
is a member of the interim government, officially supported the Charter.
Academic Brij Lal
Brij Lal
Brij V. Lal is a Indo-Fijian historian . He was born in Labasa, on the northern island of Vanua Levu. He was educated at the University of South Pacific, the University of British Columbia and the Australian National University.- Academic career :...
, one of the authors of the Constitution, described the Charter as "too prescriptive", commenting that it appeared to aim at creating an unfeasible utopia. He added: "I think that for the charter and some of the recommendations to have credibility, they have to be endorsed through parliament."
The Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma
Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma
The Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma is the largest Christian denomination in Fiji, with 36.2 percent of the total population at the 1996 census...
has confirmed its opposition to the Charter, both because it originates from a government that came to power by force (despite the Church having openly supported the coups of 1987 and 2000), and because the Church deems it to be an "an illegal, dangerous document that, if followed, will have a negative impact on the lives of Fiji citizens". Following a Church conference, Church general secretary Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu told the media:
- "While the charter proposes some noble principles, the Conference is of the view that the interim government and the National Council for Building a Better Fiji do not have any moral or legal authority to impose it on the people. [...] [A]ny attempt to impose and legitimise the charter outside the Constitution and by an authority which does not have the people's mandate is morally unacceptable. It defies God's authority because it lacks any legal basis and it limits the free choice of the people to act according to their conscience."
The National Federation Party has called upon citizens to boycott the charter consultation process, claiming that the Charter would disadvantage Indo-Fijians. Referring to the proposed abolition of the communal voting system, to be replaced by a "one man, one vote" electoral process, party secretary Pramod Rae
Pramod Rae
Pramod Kumar Rae is a Fijian trade unionist and political organizer of Indian descent. He was born in Suva and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree and Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of the South Pacific....
stated:
- “We’re alarmed at the proposal to disenfranchise [sic] large sections of the Indo-Fijian community, which will really be left without representation in parliament. Currently our community is guaranteed 19 seats in parliament. This charter proposal proposes to remove those.”
Ousted Vice-President
Vice-President of Fiji
The Fijian vice-presidency is a mostly ceremonial office. The position was created in 1990, to provide a constitutional successor to the President, in the event of the latter's death or resignation, or of his otherwise being unable to carry out his duties...
and lawyer 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...
has sought to take a balanced and cautionary view:
- "There is a critical need for dialogue and engagement in fora in which the interim government and its political opponents can participate without preconditions. The National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) can continue to develop the principles for a charter for good government. But there has to be another means for finding common ground. The onus is upon the regime, as the party holding the reins of power, to engage. Without this, the country will continue to drift, as divided and fractured as ever, with a charter and a new electoral system being imposed, and the constitution abrogated to allow the implementation of both. The implications, both internally and internationally, hardly bear thinking about. The tragedy is that many beneficial features in both the proposed charter and the electoral system would be discounted because of the manner of their implementation.
- The NCBBF must proceed with haste on the drafting of the charter. Given the determination of the commander and the military to implement what emerges from the consultations, so be it. [...] Let us see what emerges. The debate will centre on how the principles to be enshrined in the document are to be incorporated in the constitution. If the interim government wishes to force it and a new electoral system upon us, they have the backing of the military to silence dissent. But a new dispensation pushed on the people of this country will not be sustainable. In the long term, the will of the people will prevail."
Jone Dakuvula, of the Citizens' Constitutional Forum, has commented favourably on the Charter:
- "The ‘People’s Charter’ is an attempt to build a stronger liberal and secular republican democratic framework in a multi-ethnic state that continues to be dominated by an ethno-Fijian nationalism. [...] The hardline pursuit of ethno-nationalist policies during the five years that the SDL and Conservative Alliance–Matanitu Vanua (CAMV) were in power sharpened conflicts within the indigenous Fijian community [...]. The draft People’s Charter is an attempt to further reform our liberal/republican state so that the exclusivist tendency of indigenous ethno-nationalism is moderated and reoriented towards a broader concept of a multicultural, multi-ethnic nation state that stresses the civic principles of the nation as the regulator of political discourse and other interactions, thus contributing to the stability needed for overall national development. [...] While, in the last 18 months, the opposition to the interim government has not presented a coherent alternative for the way forward to the people of Fiji, there has at least been a concession that the draft People’s Charter advances ‘noble principles’ they cannot disagree with. They only disagree with the fact that the draft People’s Charter has been initiated by a regime they regard as illegal and illegitimate. They have yet to answer the realistic question: Where do we go from here?"
Bainimarama has attacked some of his critics, labelling their objections self-serving:
- "They are trying to hang on to the last straw as we make in-roads in giving a real voice and say to ordinary people in the country. [...] Naturally, there are some power hungry ethno nationalist SDL Leaders and followers, supported by the leadership of the Methodist Church and some chiefs who would not want ordinary people to be empowered in terms of decision making and aspiring for better things in life. They want to continue to remain in power and in the process ensure that the common people remain disenfranchised."
In October 2008, the Fijian Teachers Association objected to a proposal for the Charter to be presented to children at school, describing the idea as "propaganda".
Basis for new Constitution
In July 2009, Bainimarama announced that his government would introduce a new ConstitutionConstitution of Fiji
The 1997 Constitution of Fiji was the supreme law of Fiji from its adoption in 1997 until 2009 when President Josefa Iloilo purported to abrogate it. It was also suspended for a period following the 2000 coup d'état led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama....
by 2013, and that the Constitution would "derive its impetus from the recommendations under the Charter".
External links
- Draft version of the People's Charter (Fiji government website)
- Government portal: links to Fiji government documents relating to the Charter
- "Building a Better Fiji for All through a People's Charter for Change and Progress", Fiji government website, April 2007
- "Latest development on People's Charter for Change and Progress", Fiji government website, 10 September 2007
- "Fiji’s President launches People Charter for Change and Progress", Radio New Zealand International, 10 October 2007
- Fiji Times coverage of news related to the Charter
- "Rumblings of a revolution", Hamish McDonald, Sydney Morning Herald, 27 October 2007. (detailed analysis of the current situation in Fiji)
- "Fiji Charter in Unchartered Waters", Sanjay Ramesh, World Press Review, August 31, 2008. (overview of Charter-related issues)
- Commodore Bainimarama's address to the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, presenting and defending the People's Charter to the international community, September 26, 2008