New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who has been vocal against December’s Fiji military coup, says he would be treated like a “leper” if he came.

Laisa Taga
When Pacific Islands Forum leaders meet in Tonga in October, hope that two old boys of Suva’s famous Marist Brothers High School are there.

One is the host, Tonga’s Prime Minister, Dr Fred Sevele. He’ll be there for sure.

The other is Fiji’s military strongman and interim prime minister, Frank Bainimarama. He should be there if there is to be a breakthrough in the Fiji situation. But there are moves to try to keep him away.

There have not been any official protests lodged with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva so far over the coup leader attending.

But Secretary-General Greg Urwin, in a response to LETTER FROM SUVA, said: “It is clear from media reports that some members of the Forum have been discussing the issue of Fiji’s attendance.”

With only two months to go before the leaders converge on Nuku’alofa, there’s been mixed reactions to Bainimarama’s announcement he plans to attend.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who has been vocal against December’s Fiji military coup, says he would be treated like a “leper” if he came.

Apart from criticisms of Clark’s insensitive use of the word “leper”, there have been retaliatory remarks from the commander.

Bainimarama himself said Clark has been “insensitive”, using such a word in such a way in a region where leprosy sufferers have had so many struggles. He said she will “self destruct”.

A Fiji academic, now living overseas, is of the same view. “Helen Clark has lost her balance. She is simply being too vindictive,” said this academic, who is not seen as a Bainimarama supporter.

“It is time for her to be a bit more accommodating of Frank. It is also time for someone to talk to Frank that he should be is a bit more conciliatory. Sometimes, emotions get the better of him.”

Clark certainly knows how to dish out the “cold shoulder” treatment. At the Kiribati Forum in Tarawa, in 2000, she snubbed Fiji’s then Interim PM, ironically Laisenia Qarase, whose overthrow by Bainimarama she now condemns.

One regional commentator who attended the Kiribati Forum said: “With Clark there, the atmosphere was icy. She snubbed him, so he snubbed her. But he got on with John Howard not too badly.”

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister and current Forum chairperson, Sir Michael Somare wants Fiji’s foreign minister to attend the Forum.

He told Radio New Zealand that he would prefer Ratu Epeli Nailatikau to be there rather than Bainimarama.

“I would be quite happy if Ratu Epeli could be accepted by all the other islands leaders.

“Knowing Fiji’s tradition, Ratu Epeli is a Cakobau, he is well respected, and Bainmarama comes from his line of chieftaincy,” Somare told Radio New Zealand.

Somare, however, will consult other leaders about his views.

Judging by the PNG election results when this edition went to press, Somare is highly likely to again lead its delegation.

But is Somare’s position also the position of the Forum? Will he be able to convince other leaders? How much say will New Zealand and Australia have on whether Bainimarama attends?

It will be interesting to watch.

Secretary-General Urwin, who is an Australian, told LETTER FROM SUVA, that Fiji, as a member state, will be invited. But it is up to the individual member states to make their own decisions about the level of their representation, he explained.

Why should Bainimarama attend?

LETTER FROM SUVA has been told that if Forum leaders are genuine about getting Fiji back on course to democracy, they should ensure Bainimarama joins them in Tonga.

As the Fiji academic says: “It helps no one to have the Interim administration, and Frank in particular, isolated. It is time he had a face-to-face meeting with other leaders.

“This will give him as much opportunity to explain his position as for others to raise their concerns. All we have had so far is exchange of volleys via the media between the leaders.

“The best and possibly the only means of getting Fiji back on to a path to democratic rule is via dialogue at the level of the leaders.

“These guys need to be put in a room with a large bowl of kava and the door locked until they come up with an amicably acceptable solution.”

It is time. The reality is that Bainimarama is the one calling the shots, figuratively speaking, in Fiji.

Clark’s “cold shoulder” diplomacy is not going to get anywhere with him. It merely raises the temperature.

Someone locking the door and Dr Sevele getting out the kava bowl might just be a better way. It’s definitely time for the other Forum leaders to start talking with Dr Sevele’s fellow Marist old boy.

The 38th Forum Leaders Meeting will have before it a broad range of important issues. These include: The recently completed review of RAMSI (the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands); Proposals relating to the Regional Institutional Framework; and A report on progress on implementation of the Pacific Plan. Leaders will also discuss the role that the Forum has played in supporting a return to parliamentary democracy in Fiji.