Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Sat, 25 Jul 1992 06:26:12 PDT
From:         "Indonesia Publications/Task Force" <apakabar@IGC.APC.ORG>
Subject:      FIJI: Rabuka's Tricks
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu

/* Written 12:04 am  Jul 25, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "SOUTH PACIFIC: FIJI MAKES BID AS SO" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Latin America
Reference: Asia, eastern
Title: SOUTH PACIFIC: FIJI MAKES BID AS SOUTH PACIFIC'S 'GOOD GUY'


suva, fiji, jul 22 (ips/kalinga seneviratne) -- fiji prime minister
sitiveni rabuka is making a bid to bring his country back in the
graces of its south pacific neighbours with offers of scholarships
an a more accessible fijian market.

but many observers say rabuka, who is also strengthening ties
with asia, is bent on showing up regional economic leaders australia
and new zealand, too. both countries have severely criticised fijian
policies over the past few years.

rabuka, who became prime minister in june, led a coup toppling
fiji's newly-elected government in 1987. he gave way to a semi-
civilian administration months later but australia and new zealand
continued economic and military sanctions they had imposed on the
island-nation following the coup.

the two countries have also led regional protests against the
controversial 1990 fijian constitution, which is racially-based and
favours indigenous fijian islanders over the country's other ethnic
groups. the constitution guarantees, for instance, 37 out of 70
seats in parliament to the indigenous fijian electorate.

about half of fiji's population are descendants of indian workers
who were brought to the islands at the turn of the century by
british rulers to work in sugarcane fields.

economic difficulties in the late 1970's intensified a simmering
distrust between the ethnic indian community and the indigenous
fijians.

a retired general, rabuka attracted regional criticism and became
the 'bad guy of the south pacific' when he led the fijian-dominated
army in the 1987 coup against a predominantly-ethnic indian
government.

but earlier this month, rabuka earned points within the region
when he offered scholarships to citizens of neighbouring countries
during the south pacific forum (spf) meeting in honiara, solomon
islands.

aimed at the region's smaller nations, the education aid will
give chances to students from spf states to study in advanced
tertiary and technical colleges in fiji.

during the same meeting, rabuka also announced non-reciprocal
trade access to the fijian market for a range of products from spf
members tuvalu, kiribati, nauru, the cook islands and niue.

while delegates at the forum lauded the initiatives, analysts say
they were aimed at pushing australia and new zealand, also spf
members, to the sidelines during the conference. (more/ips)



south pacific: fiji (2)

rabuka had described the opening up of the fijian market as an
inter-island version of the sparteca trade agreement, where similar
access is allowed south pacific island products to the markets of
australia and new zealand.

ironically, both countries announced at the same meeting that
they were renewing defence ties with fiji. but opposition groups
here quickly criticised the decision, saying it ''legitimises
(fiji's) racist, feudalistic and undemocratic constitution''.

''these governments had even promised us that defence ties will
not be resumed until a constitution acceptable to a majority of the
citizens is arrived at,'' said balwant singh rakka, president of the
indian-led national federation party. ''we expect them to honour
their commitment.''

but fijian labour party (flp) stalwart tupeni baba, who was the
education, youth and sports minister in the government overthrown in
1987, said australia and new zealand had been ''waiting for an
excuse to resume the ties''.

''they are very worried about fiji's attempts to find friends and
neighbours outside the region,'' he observed, adding the two
may be trying to monitor fiji and keep it ''within the club''.

rabuka has indicated he is bringing his country beyond south
pacific and into asia. fiji already has a trade deal with malaysia,
which is now the country's sole source of petroleum imports.
australia used to supply fiji 70 percent of its petroleum product
needs.

''rabuka would like fiji to be more reliant on asia as against
australia and new zealand,'' said baba. ''we have been talking about
links with asia in the last four or five years. but nothing
significant has (come out) as yet.''

but baba also said rabuka is ''trying to create a false kind of
leadership.'' while south south pacific countries used to look up to
fiji, things changed after the coup, he noted.

''fiji had a very good education system,'' baba said. ''and fiji
also had a progressive economic system. but fiji no longer has
those.''

''rabuka is trying to offer scholarships to people in the region
when the issue of scholarships and places in higher education is a
sensitive political issue in fiji,'' he continued. ''there's a lot
of favouritism to fijians.''

baba said 80 percent of education aid is given to fijians even
if the ''bulk of the passes are achieved by other races,
particularly indians''. (end/ips/ks/cb/92)
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