Fijian Chiefs keep decision under wraps

By Amit Baruah

SUVA (FIJI), MARCH 13. A ``decision'' was made by Fiji's Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) today on the merits of the March 1 Court of Appeal judgment restoring democratic rule in the country, but it wasn't made public.

After sitting for nearly eight hours, the GCC meeting ``concluded'' with a resolve to brief the President, Mr. Josefa Iloilo, on the results of the meeting, seen as crucial to resolve the current constitutional impasse in the country.

While it appears that Mr. Iloilo will continue as President, the GCC, by keeping its decision to itself, has continued the unending suspense in the country. Speculation abounds, but the constitutional future must be spelt out through an official announcement by the President now.

Finally, it was expected after inconclusive deliberations over two days last week, the GCC would announce its view of the current situation in the country, with specific reference to the Court of Appeal verdict, but failed to do so. According to official sources, a delegation of Chiefs is likely to drive to Lautoka, on the western part of Viti Levu island, to brief the President on the conclusions reached by the Chiefs. After this, Mr. Iloilo is likely to announce his own decisions. How long such a process will take is anybody's guess.

An official spokesman announced after the GCC meeting to waiting presspersons that they were unable to hold a press conference as was announced beforehand, ``because it was part of Fijian protocol for the information first of all be conveyed to His Excellency, the President''.

Separately, the ousted Prime Minister, Mr. Mahendra Chaudhry, told The Hindu today that he expected general elections in the country in the middle or end of August this year. The GCC, he said, would advise the President on the kind of interim arrangements for governance required till August. Mr. Chaudhry favoured the setting up of a small caretaker Government which could have representatives of all parties - nominated by the parties themselves.

He stated that going against the decision of the Court of Appeal would invite a backlash from the international community while the people in Fiji would have to continue their struggle to restore democracy in the country.

Mr. Chaudhry, who has been under fire from sections within his own party, said he had no intention of resigning to make way for the election of his deputy, Dr. Tupeni Baba, an ethnic Fijian whose name is being mentioned for the job of Prime Minister. ``I will not bend to racism of any kind. If I step aside or resign, I would be conceding to their (the racists') demands,'' Mr. Chaudhry maintained. ``It will mean compromising the rights of Indians in the future (to hold the post of Prime Minister. I have no such mandate,'' he declared emphatically.

As far as Dr. Baba himself was concerned, Mr. Chaudhry said his ambition had got the better of him. Asked about statements regarding his style of leadership, Mr. Chaudhry rejected the criticism, which has come from both the Fijian community and some sections of the Indo-Fijians as well.

The ousted Prime Minister said he did not agree with descriptions that he was ``arrogant and insensitive''. Leaders who stood their ground were called unbending and insensitive, he said. Many times he had asked for concrete examples of his ``arrogance'', but none had been provided, he said.

Some among Mr. Chaudhry's critics have gone as far as to say that he was the ``wrong Prime Minister for the right Constitution''.

A report in a recent issue of The Review magazine published here had this to say: ``Chaudhry traits such as his rigidness, arrogance and bravery propelled him to the top as a trade unionist and politician only to bring him down as the leader of a nation... snubbing coalition allies... moving too fast on land issues, getting into a fight with the media... proved damaging, as did appointing his son his private secretary...''

However, there are those who have no quarrel with Mr. Chaudhry's uprightness and hardworking tendencies, only with his ``insensitivity'' to the conditions in the country, including his approach to the ethnic Fijian community.

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Section  : International
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