A Great Praradox - a Coup and Girmit Commemorated on Same Day
On this day May 14, 1987 a group of soldiers led by Sitiveni Rabuka, then an army colonel, stormed Parliament in the country’s first coup d’etat.
The event was to change the course of Fijian history.
The coup overthrew the democratically elected Fiji Labour Party-National Federation Party Coalition Government of Dr Timoci Bavadra.
It set in motion a series of events three coups and five elections later plus a new Constitution (2013) - the man that started it all, Mr Rabuka is back in the spotlight. This time he is not only having a second crack at becoming Prime Minister again as leader of a new party in this year’s General Election, The People’s Alliance, he has whipped up another storm over his trip to India where he is now.
It was earlier thought he was going there for medical reasons given that he had been to India before for a knee operation.
Now we hear from his party that he was invited from the Indian Defence Attache. The Republic of Fiji Military Forces Commander Major-General Ro Jone Kalouniwai has queried this, saying
the relationships with Defence Attachés are only for defence to defence relationships and not individual persons.
It appears to be shrouded in mystery.
Even the Indian Defence Attaché based in Canberra and looks after Fiji, Tonga and Papua New Guinea is shocked and surprised and had no idea about this so called invitation to Mr Rabuka according to Major-General Kalouniwai.
The Indian High Commission in Suva says it knows nothing about a meeting with the Indian Defence Attaché.
The controversy has escalated because of Mr Rabuka’s military background and it coincides with the 35th anniversary of his May 14 1987 coup.
He was acquitted by the court for any alleged involvement in the 2020 mutiny at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Nabua.
It also does not help when The PA failed to put out a media statement about Mr Rabuka’s trip and it’s purpose before he left.
If it was not for medical reasons or meeting with the Indian Military Atrache; then what was the purpose of the trip?
Who did he meet in India? These are legitimate questions that must be answered in the public interest because of his position and influence in the Fijian political environment.
The people have a right to know. Without the information, there will be speculation about the reasons for the trip.
While Mr Rabuka has apologised for his coups he has put on a new positive spin on his narrative.
He has said words to the effect that the coup gave Indo-Fijians the opportunity to seek greener pastures overseas.
His recent statement was not the first time he had used this line.
Some years ago in Auckland Mr Rabuka was invited to a wedding anniversary celebration of a Fijian couple from a prominent business family.
He told the predominantly IndoFijian gathering that without his coup they would not be in New Zealand.
They took it as a joke and applauded him for his sense of humour. They were among the 70,000 who fled looking for safe havens and greener pastures.
While it was true what Mr Rabuka said it trivialised the atrocities, hurt, pain and suffering the IndoFijian community collectively felt.
Only those who could afford it and had the right credentials in terms of skills, experience and qualifications left Fiji.
The rest, making up the majority, stayed and had to rebuild their lives and confidence in this country.
That was shattered again in 2000 when the George Speight coup toppled the Fiji Labour Party Government of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry. He was the first IndoFijian PM.
But the May 1987 coup destroyed the economy and many lives and dreams putting us back 10 to 20 years.
It is not known whether May 14 was chosen to stage the coup because it was the same day in 1879 that the first batch of Indian indentured labourers arrived in Fiji or was it a mere coincidence.
Only Mr Rabuka can answer that question.
But the descendants or Girmitiyas will end their one-week Girmit Carnival to commemorate the 143rd anniversary of the Indian Indentured system at Syria Park, Nausori today (Saturday).
What they can’t avoid is that today is the 35th anniversary of the May 14, 1987 coup.