‘Last month’s meeting and its hugely positive outcome which even bitter political rivals accepted will undoubtedly go some way in setting the tone for a more tolerant approach by the international community toward the interim administration’s stated inten


The meeting of political leaders held at Fiji’s Parliamentary complex last month has brought much needed hope for the possible way forward for the country.
By all accounts and media reports, the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and there was an air of positivity despite people of wide ranging political views and persuasions being present under the same roof. This is indeed a welcome sign and goes a lot of distance in clearing the air and setting the right frame of mind and context for the much-awaited forthcoming President’s Political Dialogue Forum (PPDF).
Two of the most significant leaders who found this second political leaders’ meeting as being fruitful were Pacific Islands Forum chairman and Niue Premier Toke Talagi and former Fiji Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, who was deposed when Commodore Bainimarama took over the country in December 2006. This indeed says a lot about the proceedings of the meeting.
Talagi welcomed the resumption of the political dialogue in Fiji saying, “Consistent with the calls of Forum leaders, I welcome the resumption of political dialogue in Fiji as this is an important step in the process of Fiji’s return to parliamentary democracy.
“The Pacific Islands Forum looks forward to the President’s Political Dialogue Forum being an independent, inclusive and comprehensive process able to achieve Fiji’s earliest possible return to parliamentary democracy in the best interests of all the people of Fiji.” At this meeting last month, the Political Leaders Forum discussed the agenda for the PPDF and agreed that another meeting will be held this month. The agenda includes discussions on the democratic experience in Fiji, parliamentary and electoral reform, the general election and the people’s charter.
Like the Forum chairman, Qarase was also uncharacteristically upbeat telling the media that the agenda of the PPDF took prominence in the discussions at last month’s meeting at which party leaders and representatives reached a consensus.
 “The atmosphere of the meet was good and there was a genuine intent among leaders to come to a consensus regarding issues that have to be ironed out before an election is held,” he told Fijilive.
This was despite the fact that Bainimarama’s opening address at the meeting in which he reiterated his strong criticism to attempts by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and pro-democracy and non governmental organisations based in Fiji to force the issue and press for early elections without going into the underlying issues his administration was trying to deal with.
“We are not going to have an election in 2009 just to please the CMAG. When we decide the date to have an election, in terms of national interest in Fiji, the CMAG and the Pacific Islands Forum will have no choice but to accept that.
“We are not going to be dictated to on this matter,” he said in a statement released to Fiji media.
He also stated he would not be dictated on when Fiji would go to the polls by any organisation within the country nor would his interim administration bow to any sort of pressure from outside the country.
Bainimarama also underscored the fact that it was crucial for political leaders to agree on a new electoral system especially since Fiji’s history had shown the communal election structure was divisive and denied citizens the right to choose their parliamentary representatives in fair manner.
The fact that despite Bainimarama’s firm stand that he has held ever since he took over the reins of the country, the proceedings went on in a positive fashion is perhaps beginning to show the Pacific Islands community’s willingness to give his government a fair chance to take things forward.
It also sends signals to the international community that the Pacific neighbourhood is sympathetic to Fiji’s situation and recognises that the interim leadership has a point about electoral reform.
Most of all, it clears the air of the cacophony of international voices demanding instant elections or the return of parliamentary democracy at the earliest without even considering the interim administrations underlying reasons for electoral reform.
Pushing for elections at any cost and putting pressure to bring back democracy under an extraneously set deadline cannot be the answer to Fiji’s complex situation.
Why not give the country a genuine opportunity to sort out its race based electoral system? It is hard to see how countries that cherish these values of the political equality of all races and fair play can justify not seeing another country’s rationale in trying to adopt similar equitable systems, instead insisting on bringing back existing systems that actually proliferate and reinforce racial inequality.
The reason is plain. These countries have little understanding of the historical and cultural dynamics that have shaped Fiji.
In fact it is these inequities that over the years got institutionalised under a political system that has held this country—whose potential everyone in the world acknowledges—back from growing into a vibrant and wealthy economy with a hard working and creative multiracial and multicultural society in the manner of countries like Singapore.
Instead of setting deadlines and putting increased pressure, the international community must work together with the country’s leadership to achieve an equitable electoral system that is not based on race but in line with any modern democratic system that promotes true egalitarianism.
Last month’s meeting and its hugely positive outcome which even bitter political rivals accepted will undoubtedly go some way in setting the tone for a more tolerant approach by the international community towards the interim administration’s stated intentions and goals.
It was encouraging to see that even the greatest critics of the interim administration and Bainimarama’s leadership were supportive of the move to involve leaders of all persuasions, non government organisations and other stakeholders to seek a permanent solution to Fiji’s long-standing fundamental problems. The inclusive approach in such a positive frame of mind is indeed a very welcome development.