Love and compassion

HOW, and why can Japan, a powerful country in the world bluntly, and arrogantly stated through its Foreign Affairs Minister, Yoko Kamikawa that it continues to support a resilient, sustainable, and stable Fiji, and the Pacific, after it ignored the plea of Pacific peoples (with the exception of Sitiveni Rabuka) by dumping nuclear waste in the Pacific since August, 2023. This is the third time Japan is invading our Pacific Islands. The first and second, were in World War I, and World War II, but luckily, for Fiji and the Pacific, friendly and powerful allies like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand came to our aid.

Unfortunately, this third time around, our former allies have not been so helpful, in fact they deliberately choose to adopt this well known pandemic highlighted last week by General Secretary of Pacific Council of Churches, the Rev Simione Tugi in what is known as the culture of silence.

On the other hand, our own Fiji Prime Minister, honourable Sitiveni Rabuka to the dismay, disbelief, disappointment and horror of our Pacific countries, and peoples, especially his own fellow Fijians, came out in open support of Japan’s decision to dump nuclear waste in the Pacific.

What makes it more shocking is that not only the majority of Pacific countries, and our peoples, were in total opposition to this dumping, but Fiji’s Parliament by overwhelming majority also voted against it in 2023.

Honourable Rabuka based his decision on what he called, ‘Prime Minister’s prerogative’. Nobody in or outside of Government has been able to explain the legality, or lawfulness of his action, (or is it part of the culture of silence?), and whether his actions or omissions require punitive and remedial actions under the law.

My plea to Japan, our powerful neighbours like the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand and our own honourable PM Rabuka, is that what our people desire most is to be treated with love and compassion, as members of God’s family here on this planet. Other important values like honesty, and trust will follow suit. SAVERIO BALEIKANACEA Delainavesi, Lami