Politics taking precedence over traditional alliances in suspended party
Joe Ratuvuki (right), with Aseri Radrodro (left) and a party member at the Suva Holiday Inn. Mr Ratuvuki later joined the second faction at Kshatriya Hall.
The split in suspended SODELPA has shown that politics is taking precedence over traditional alliances.
It is an emphatic declaration that the two should not be mixed in the practice of the doctrine of separa
tion of power.
Over the years, the iTaukei have struggled with this doctrine. Maybe they are now more comfortable to separate politics from the vanua and traditional alliances.
One prominent example is the Tui Namosi, Ratu Suliano Matanitobua. He is a traditional ally of Ro Teimumu Kepa. But he is with Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu in the rival faction.
Namosi is traditionally part of the Burebasaga Confederacy headed by Ro Teimumu. She is the paramount chief of Burebasaga and Rewa. Ratu Naiqama is the Tui Cakau, paramount chief of Cakaudrove and the Tovata Confederacy comprising Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Lau. But there are Lauans who have aligned themselves with Ro Teimumu’s group led by Vijay Singh.
Joe Ratuvuki, who is from the West and part of the Burebasaga Confederacy, was seen mixing with the Vijay Singh crowd at Suva’s Holiday Inn before he decided to cross over and join Ratu Naiqama’s group at Kshatriya Hall.
In the traditional context, Ratu Naiqama had gone into the heart of Burebasaga and captured Ratu Suliano in a coup. In the past, that would have caused a bloody battle.
Today, it is a different kind of battle – a clash of personalities and ideologies – the moderates versus the conservative right wingers – in the same suspended party.
The question though is, will this weaken the solidarity of the vanua? It should not, if the doctrine of the separation of power is practised in its purest form. There would be no issues and the vanua is unaffected by what happens in the political arena.
It has to start with the chiefs. When they go into politics, they should not use their traditional influences to garner support. If they do, they will blur the line between politics and the vanua.