Bainimarama's coup-coup land

Fiji experiences a failed democratic system - Daniel K Fale
I would like to comment on Kalafi Moala’s comments about Bainimarama’s coup-coup land and play the devil’s advocate because everything stated in his written comments are not all true.

First we have a country, Fiji, that existed as a democracy before anybody knew that a person named Bainimarama even existed. This country started having coups because of the shortfalls that a democratic system of government naturally produces in many undeveloped third-world nations, an
experience that is made worse many times over because of racial tensions.

Bainimarama ended up in his position not because he pursued power for himself in some sort perverted power hungry ambition - like many of those dictators we learn about in history did, however, Bainimarama’s hand was forced because of a corrupt and hijacked democracy that instigated a coup
when an Fijian citizen (though an Indian born Fijian) through fair and democratic elections became Prime Minister of Fiji. The instigators of the 2000 coup were all behind bars after the ordeal but were about to be given official pardons in 2006 (pardons that one can imagined on being guaranteed
to them before they instigated the coup detat in the first place - if this were true, how much more corrupt can you get?).

Also laws in 2006 were to be passed by the Qarase government to further make Fijian Indians second-class citizens by restricting ownership of maritime resources to ethnic Fijians only. Bainimarama did not support the coup of 2000 and was therefore a marked man, and assassination attempts on his life so far were most likely not because of what he is doing now but because he did not support the previous 2000 coup of the hijacked and corrupt democracy that previously existed in Fiji!

I also would like to refute the entire paragraph that Mr. Moala wrote that stated that: -

“There has never been anyone in the history of mankind that has done the kind of things Bainimarama is doing and survived. Those dictators and rulers in every generation, in any nation, have always failed. They were doomed to fail once they violate the very principles that make any society keep itself alive and growing.”

I would like to introduce Mr. Moala to Fransisco Franco (born 1892), the well-known dictator of Spain (1936-1975) was perhaps one of the most successful dictators in history. History is very quiet on this successful dictator because his accomplishments are contrary to what should be the ultimate fairy-tale fate of all dictators, which is to die of some gruesome death or by suicide after being trapped. It is interesting though to note that Franco does have some similarities to Bainimarama, they both see themselves as saving their countries from an elective form of government that had caused political turmoil and divisions in both of their countries.

They both do not have ideologies or theories that guide their principles and actions like the Hitler’s and Stalin’s of history, but rather carry a pragmatic and practical view of government and its administration. They both had/have well-known disputes with the Royal family or High Chiefly families
due to government policies. They both have millitary backgrounds, and were very vicious when dealing with the media, because the normal rules of the country were suspended during which the media could usually freely practice
its rights. Under both Franco and Bainimarama almost all activities of the people in their countries such as the businesses, recreation, freedom of worship, and travel of the people both local and foreign remain to be free of government intervention.

Franco lived a long and full life (and since Mr. Moala put God in the conversation, the Giver-of-life certainly let Franco live a long 83 years which reaches beyond (80) an age that has significant biblical meaning, and coincidentally, Franco also has the same birthday as Tupou I on the 4th December). Franco also successfully had a pre-arranged government set-up to succeed him and continue to maintain peace and stability in Spain after his time was over. Spain’s economy miraculously grew under Franco and Spain became a developed nation under his policies and administration. Only time will tell which side of the fence Bainimarama will be placed by history.

In other words, each country and each person cannot automatically be pre-judged classified or labeled to be one thing or another, but each needs to be judged/analyzed/considered separately with a full view of all aspects of the situation in which each country and person is in.

In Fiji’s case, for anyone to think that to fix things and make things right by simply holding elections will solve Fiji’s political problems I think they are dreaming themselves. Fiji’s problems run deeper than that. Sometimes when you have an exception to the rule, for example a successful dictator like Franco, or perhaps maybe even a Bainimarama, most people cannot accept it either simply because it is out of the ordinary, or because they simply cannot accept that there are such things as an exception to the rule, especially when that exception challenges precious long held beliefs or perhaps even their understanding.

Malo. Daniel K Fale, Nuku‘alofa, Tonga

Dictator's are failed wannabes - Sam Tupou
I cannot go to where Mr Fale wants to go, speculating on half truths and hearsay and straying from one questionable point to another. I do not accept that Bainimarama and Franco are successful dictators or will succeed in leaving a legacy that people will look up to and admire. The blunt fact is that they are dictators, have put themselves out as abnormal beings and will definitely go down in history as failed wannabes who unfortunately took up a lot of precious good time and resources of their respective countries, besides the lives that they messed up.

In 2005 the last of Francos public statues was removed from Madrid because people want to have nothing to do with Franco. Is this the sign of a successful dictator? 35 years after Francos death Spain continues to conduct enquiries into the atrocities caused by his regime. Franco willed in 1969 for Juan Carlos to succeed him on his death hoping he would continue Francos legacy. After he died in 1975 the new King moved to dismantle Francos systems of government and restored democratic rule. I wonder what legacy Bainimarama will succeed in leaving, if he is to be a successful dictator. I can conjecture that like Franco the good citizens of his nation will remember his time as a dark black hole in their history.

It is accepted that liberalized democratic systems of government in a third world setting such as ours easily attracts criticism from anyone with an agenda or an axe to grind, but the simple truth is that Fiji of the past had a government system that worked well for many generations of Fijians and helped put Fiji to the forefront in our regional family of nations. Where is Fiji now? Since the successive systems of coups, it has slid to last in the Pacific and is fast losing its place, face and standing in the world family of nations.

I support Kalafi’s views that there is only one place for Dictators such as Bainimarama and that is definitely down. - Sam Tupou, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea