Editor,
Random house has finally given us two versions of a dictator. However we are still to hear from Mr Fale which definition leads his argument, because the second version is arguably applicable if for example Bainimarama did things like withholding health services and medicines to a certain region of the country that opposes him which then led to people there dying from preventable diseases. Corruption, nepotism and murder of minorities and political opponents are obvious weapons of choice that he will also not sit and twiddle his fingers on.
Our initial discussion was on Kalafi's submission on Bainimaramas Fiji and this is the real issue. Mr Fale's pet project on Franco reared its head to ask for understanding. I disagreed with the comparison between Franco and Bainimarama because economically, socially and culturally the two are poles apart. Even if time stood still to allow one regime merging comparison, the misfit being forced on us to understand or accept is without doubt criminal in nature.
If this is an enquiry, the main piece of evidence here is that the so called Spanish miracle means little to Spaniards bent on exacting compensation for the criminal atrocities committed on them during Franco's regime and they have repeatedly sought this over the last 34 years. Secondly, and again I repeat myself here, when the last of his public statues was removed from Madrid in 2005 and concurrent government sanctioned enquiries probed into Francos dark past, than the so called success that has been painted inviting of us to drink from is now a travesty, fraud and murky, perhaps bittersweet to those silly enough to try.
Mr Fale reminds me that his thought of the day on Saturday is also his thought of the day on Tuesday and perhaps every other off day where he thinks these thoughts help best to float a boat. Perhaps he can consider these other few; ...The cost of knowledge is high, but that of ignorance is higher." (David Smith
...When all is certain and understood, there is little need for imagination, however when all is doubt and uncertainty, the imagination becomes a key survival tool.... (Jan Wyllie).
...Knowledge and intelligence need to be used and widely shared for the sake of sustainable development of this our global village." (Dr Akira Ishikawa).
Knowledge and understanding breaks down walls, divisions, prejudices, discrimination and biased agendas. That is perhaps why it is alluded to as dangerous since it can be deviously used by those who wish to twist truth, hoping to subjugate others to their perverted control, ill conceived ideas and rule.
Abnormal by the way is defined as irregular, nonstandard, uncharacteristic, atypical, anomalous, unusual, strange, odd, perculiar, deviant, aberrant and malformed. The Fijian people in 1874 who drank yangona and enjoyed umu pork and taro did not change simply because the flag of another country flew over them. Many generations of Fijians continued to do the same thing and thrived under the governing authority of the day, and I mean many generations.
So, we really should be getting back to the central issue of Bainimaramas Fiji and not the clever attempt at a sidetrack. To date I state Bainimaramas and any other wannabe dictators kudos nil, Fijian peoples freedom absolute.
Sam Tupou
stupou [at] pngsdp [dot] com
