“Recent events in the Kingdom, prior to the momentous announcement of 10 November 2004, suggest that change, i.e. peaceful democratic change, is possible and the real question now is whether all the forces who are in favor of change, can work together to achieve it in a systematic manner or whether it will be allowed to happen haphazardly.”

by Lopeti Senituli

My immediate reaction was, "Fakafeta'i e ma'u koloa! Thank you for the gift!"

Generations from now, Tongans will repeat those sentiments, over and over again, as they commemorate 10 November 2004, as the date when HM King Taufaha'au Tupou IV, gave his people the ultimate gift - a role in the selection of some of his Cabinet Ministers, and thus acknowledging that they have an integral role to play in the democratic governance of the Kingdom of Tonga. In doing so, His Majesty has taken on the mantle and mana of King Siaosi Tupou I (The Emancipator), the Founder of modern Tonga. In doing so, His Majesty has also kept true to historical tradition where reigning Tongan Monarchs have devolved political and temporal powers to a new lineage, whilst retaining spiritual and religious powers for themselves. Tu'i Tonga created Tu'i Ha'a Takalaua, who, in turn, created Tu'i Kanokupolu. Now the Tu'i Kanokupolu is beginning to devolve political and temporal powers from Himself, but not to a new lineage, but to the People themselves, the primary repository of political power in any democratic system of government.

I must say that I looked forward to the Prime Minister's televised statement to the nation announcing His Majesty's gift, on the evening of November 10, with some trepidation. The last time he made a televised statement was to rationalize why the former Ministers for Police; Justice and Attorney General; and Labour, Commerce and Industries, were asked to fall on their swords. On top of that, HM King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV had officially closed the Legislative Assembly sessions for 2004 earlier that day, and past practice has been that national television and radio lead their evening news bulletins on such days with an unedited recording of His Majesty's Address from the Throne. When the national TV and radio stations repeatedly advertised that their evening news bulletins for that day would actually lead with an address to the nation by the Prime Minister, followed by His Majesty's Address from the Throne, the specter of more Ministerial blood on the floor did cross my mind.

The Prime Minister's statement began, " HM King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV has graciously agreed to a recommendation from HRH the Prime Minister, for the appointment of four additional Ministers from the elected members of the Legislative Assembly." The historical significance of his statement did not register until he said, "Two of the new Ministers will be selected from the nine Noble members of the Legislative Assembly elected by the Kingdom's Nobility. Two will be chosen from the nine elected Representatives of the people."

Unbelievable!

The Prime Minister went on to state he believed that, "the widening of Cabinet membership will be a natural progression of the Kingdom's political system" and that it, "will be a reflection of the democratic principles of Tonga's Constitution." He also declared that, "the changes will be in line with a comprehensive agenda for reform of the Government and the economy and privatization."

He continued, "His Majesty's decision is a departure from usual procedure. He has traditionally chosen Ministers from outside Parliament. They then became members of the House by virtue of their Ministerial positions and do not have to seek election. In this case the new Ministers will be "Grace and Favour" appointments. They will differ from the current holders of Ministerial office who were appointed by the Sovereign without recommendation from the Prime Minister. Their tenure of office shall be largely dependent on their retention of their mandate from the electorate."

There was however a small but, in hindsight, very significant difference between the Tongan version of the Prime Minister's statement, which was presented first, and the English version. In the Tongan version, the sentence, "In this case the new Ministers will be "Grace and Favour "appointments" is missing. To my limited knowledge of the English language, the modifier "grace-and-favour" is normally used with reference to a house or flat owned by the Sovereign and granted free of rent to a person to whom the Sovereign wishes to express gratitude. If that is the context in which HM King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV was making his gift, then perhaps my "Fakafeta'i e ma'u koloa," was premature. In any case, my interpretation of the phrase "grace and favour," is in conflict with everything else that the Prime Minister said on the evening of 10 November 2004.

But it does raise some very interesting questions. What other options did the Prime Minister have before settling on the one he announced? With the military background he has, I doubt if he only had one option. Was the option he announced, a hurried compromise between himself, HRH The Crown Prince, and HM the King? If so, this could partially explain the contradiction in the English version of the statement. Notwithstanding the numerous other questions that are bound to arise, and whether we ever get any rational (or irrational) answers to them, the truth that stands unchallenged today, is that HM King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV has given us, the people of Tonga, the ultimate gift.

Local kava connoisseurs refer to the political situation in Tonga, in comparison to the rumblings in the regional neighborhood, as a taupilo', which, on the one hand, can be interpreted as a 'pillow fight', and on the other, a 'farting contest'. My humble opinion is that it is neither of the pleasurable, nor of the constipation-relieving, kind! Rather, up to now, it has been a one-sided political conflict with those in favour of democratic change winning minor battles here and there, but with no realistic prospect, as yet, of winning a full frontal war. The conventional wisdom is that as long as the composition of the 30-member Legislative Assembly remains skewed in favor of HM the King (with 12 nominees who serve as Cabinet Ministers), and the 33 Nobles of the Realm (with 9 Representatives), the prospect for more democracy is minimal. Recent events in the Kingdom, prior to the momentous announcement of 10 November 2004, suggest that change, i.e. peaceful democratic change, is possible and the real question now is whether all the forces who are in favor of change, can work together to achieve it in a systematic manner or whether it will be allowed to happen haphazardly.

In a paper I presented at a Conference on "Conflict in the Pacific" at the University of the South Pacific, Suva in October, I quoted Indonesian academic, Dr Arief Budiman, when asked by 'The Economist' in July 1997 about the most likely route his country would take out of the political quagmire and violent collapse of the national economy after the collapse of the Suharto regime. With apologies to Dr. Samuel Huntington, Dr.Budiman said, "'Intervention' as performed by, say America in Haiti, is out of the question. 'Replacement' on the model of the people-power revolution in the Philippines is unlikely. 'Transformation' by the ruling elite as happened in Taiwan is out of the question. The best hope lies in 'Transplacement' a combination of elite-led reform and popular pressure in which the powers that be negotiate a peaceful settlement with the forces of change as they did in Chile."

I then went on to make my own humble prognosis for Tonga saying that it will take a combination of the 'Transformation' of HM the King, (a road to Damascus type conversion) and a 'Transplacement' process where the 33 Nobles of the Realm, with the support of the nine People's Representatives and the backing of people-power, negotiate with HM the King, a way forward, (a road to Emmaus type of dialogue).

I believe His Majesty's Gift as announced by the Prime Minister on 10 November 2004, is the result of the "Transformation" of His Majesty. The "Transplacement" phase begins on 16-17 March 2005, when first the Nobles of the Realm, then the People of the Land elect their representatives for a new and different Legislative Assembly and the beginning of a new epoch in Tonga's history.

29 December 2004