TOLERANCE IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Tolerance in a multicultural society
SOMETIME next year Fiji will most likely go to the polls when the life of the Parliament comes to an end. In the lead up to the general elections, we can expect politicians of all persuasions to start firing up their base and supporters.
As the political temperature rises, it is likely that intolerance and name calling may be the preferred approach to debate between rival political parties, candidates and their surrogates.
In a democracy, it is vital to have a healthy contest of ideas to enable the voters to understand and determine how they should exercise their right to vote.
But what politicians must remember is Fiji’s turbulent past, and to learn lessons from the fruit that is borne by intolerance and prejudice.
We have suffered and come close to the edge of the abyss because of our collective failure as a nation to practice tolerance and respect the rule of law.
In some respects, Fiji’s experience with tolerance is partly rooted in our colonial past.
Schools, social clubs and even cemeteries were racially segregated during that time.
The whites fraternised at the Defence Club, Fijians at the Union Club, Indians at the Merchants Club, Chinese at the China Club and Part Europeans at the United Club.
These clubs often became nests for cementing biases and judgments the different races had of and against one another, thus perpetuating intolerance.
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Fiji’s founding Prime Minister, was a great believer in the virtue of tolerance.
Retired veteran journalist Matt Wilson recalls a time in the late 1960s when Ratu Mara sponsored a motion to allow Indians membership of the Defence Club in Suva.
He was supported by the late Ratu Sir Edward Cakobau who later became deputy prime minister.
At that time, only “Europeans” were permitted in the hallowed rooms of the Defence Club.
It was the bastion of colonial rule, where Fiji’s white masters drank the finest scotch from crystal glasses.
Mr Wilson was approached to oppose the motion, but reportedly refused. As a result of the motion being approved, Sethi Narayan, Ramanlal Kapadia, Vijay R Singh and Abdul Lateef were among the first Indians admitted to membership of the Defence Club.
Ratu Mara made another important move to remind neighbouring countries that Fiji was a multicultural nation.
A meeting of the South Pacific Commission was to take place in Suva. Ratu Mara arranged for Vijay R. Singh to be the meeting’s chairman. This was unprecedented.
Never before had a Fiji Indian presided over an important meeting of Pacific Islanders.
Ratu Mara’s motive was to create an environment of tolerance and understanding of the ethnically diverse nature of Fiji.
He later recommended Mr Singh for a knighthood and promoted him to be his Attorney-General.
Tolerance requires that we appreciate diversity, showing respect for the essential humanity of every person, irrespective of race, religion, culture, sexual orientation or political persuasion.
It requires that we be understanding of people who may look different and see things differently from us. It is acceptance that other viewpoints may have a certain validity.
“To be tolerant means remembering that it’s not our differences that divide us. It’s our judgements about each other that do”( Wheatley).
Intolerance separates people, creating barriers and ill feeling which can lead to hate, xenophobia and discrimination.
What does it take to be tolerant? Koila Costello, a long-time consultant working in the area of counselling, conflict resolution and peacebuilding says “we need to refrain from judging too quickly and using our assumptions to guide our relationships and actions. It requires us to pause, reflect and be curious to understand what we see or hear and to clarify. To discard our prejudices and biases, and to look at what exists in the moment”.
Aisake Casimira, a social justice advocate says that tolerance means the ability to live with our differences.
“It does not mean acceptance of what makes us different, but merely the recognition that each of us is different. Its importance lies in its contribution to building or sustaining a society that has political integrity, social justice and which is economically distributive.”
Quite often we are quick to jump to conclusions about people from other communities or races.
Intolerance can sometimes lead to narrow mindedness and bigotry. We form opinions and impressions of others based on assumptions, gossip or rumours.
This often has the result of entrenching prejudice and intolerance of others in our midst. We have all been guilty of this at one time or another.
No one community or group in this country has a monopoly on virtue.
A simple example is illustrative. Some find the practice of certain groups throwing flowers into the sea at Suva Point as part of their religious rite, annoying.
Others find the annual choral competitions that go on for hours at Furnival Park in Toorak, Suva, irritating when they are trying to study or sleep.
A suicide bombing in the Indonesian city of Makassar on Palm Sunday which wounded fourteen people is a reminder of the dangers of religious intolerance and extremism.
On the same day, security forces in Myanmar killed more than 100 people protesting against that country’s latest coup.
Fiji society has gone through transformational changes since the first migrants arrived on our shores more than a century ago.
Rapid urbanisation, globalisation, the internet and demographic shifts (indigenous Fijians are now the country’s largest ethnic group) are gradually eroding entrenched ethnic divisions.
People of different ethnicities share the same neighbourhoods, attend multiracial schools and are intermarrying more.
Education, upward social mobility and socio-economic status are diluting the traditional divisions based on ethnic identity, religion or gender.
I attended a wedding in Suva of a part Chinese female doctor who married an Indian colleague.
Their families were comfortable having the wedding celebrated first according to Hindu rites and later, a Catholic exchange of vows. Neither race nor religion were an issue.
The changing environment in Fiji has meant that we have all had to adjust to the challenges of living alongside each other and having to deal with each other’s foibles and habits, some of which may be irritating and annoying.
They may even unintentionally occasionally cause offence.
To live out being a tolerant person we have to connect intentionally, being mindful about the way we communicate and treat each other to ensure that together we feel seen, heard and valued. Ultimately tolerance is about respect, even of things we may not understand.
It is natural that as a country that we will have different (and even opposing) views and perspectives on a whole range of topics or issues such as land, affirmative action, indigenous rights and so on.
This is to be expected given our cultural perspectives, history and outlook on life. We are often hostage to tribalism and politics.
Tolerance requires that we seek to transcend and confront our personal prejudices.
However, it is important that we have an honest debate on these pressing national issues.
In doing so we need to ensure that they are analysed in a calm, respectful and rational manner, free from invective.
Our parliamentarians are well placed to take the lead in this. Their record suggests there is room for improvement.
Where we differ, there is no need for rancour, abuse or spite. There is no need to belittle or ridicule, much less assault a political adversary.
It will be a sign of our political maturity when we are able to have respectful conversations on difficult issues without demeaning our opponent. Our leaders must create the space to enable and promote tolerance, respect and fairness for all citizens.
Honest communication, respect and dialogue will be necessary tools in this endeavour.
Fiji’s history tells us that many people in this country have been hurt from the events of 1987, 2000 and 2006. They cannot be glossed over.
Perhaps, something akin to a Truth & Reconciliation Commission might be considered to finally bury some of the