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Dixon Seeto puts his head above the parapet - no longer afraid of the fate of his small Chinese community in Frank Bainimarama's post-coup Fiji!

15/4/2014

7 Comments

 
In one of many leaked cables, the then American Ambassador to Fiji, Larry Dinger informed his masters back home: “THE CHINESE IN FIJI KEEP THEIR HEADS DOWN, HOPE FOR THE BEST”.

In his leaked cable, exposed by Wikileaks and dated 5 December 2006, Dinger begins by summarizing as follows: "The Chinese community in Fiji, estimated at 6,000-10,000 persons, is hoping to ride out the crisis caused by the military's announcement that it is deposing the lawfully elected government of Fiji.  A PRC Embassy official told us the Embassy knows of only 17 Chinese residents who have left Fiji because of concerns for their safety.  The Embassy is working with community leaders, he said, to finalize contingency evacuation and "stay in place" plans. 

A prominent Chinese-Fijian leader said most of these plans and other emergency preparations have been generated by the Chinese community itself, though it welcomes any support it can get from the PRC Embassy and the Taiwan Trade Mission in Suva.  Both officials we spoke to said they do not expect any violence against the Chinese community, but are taking precautions in light of the violence against Chinese in Tonga and the Solomon Islands.  The PRC government has not taken a strong stand against the military's actions, in keeping with its "non-interference" policy, though it did endorse the UN Security Council press statement on Fiji.”  

Chinese Embassy Developing Contingency Plans

Dinger also revealed the role the Chinese Embassy was playing in Suva as dictator Bainimarama was consolidating his brutal hold on power:

“Fei Mingxing, DCM at the PRC Embassy in Suva, told us the Embassy is working with the Chinese community in Fiji in developing contingency plans should the military takeover in Fiji lead to unrest or violence.  The Embassy held meetings with community leaders each of the last two weeks, and contacted leaders by phone after the announcement by Commander Bainimarama 12/05 that he had assumed control of the government.  The Embassy has made tentative plans to help with an evacuation, should it become necessary.   Embassy staff and families all remain in Suva, said Fei.  Employees have been advised to stock up on water and food supplies, based on the assumption that the Embassy will adopt a "stay in place" response to any unrest.  Fei said he is aware of only 17 permanent Chinese residents of Fiji who have left because of safety concerns.  He had heard of no problems since Baimimarama's announcement.  Fei estimated that 6,000-10,000 people of Chinese descent currently reside in Fiji.”

Chinese Community Taking Proactive Stance with Seeto’s help
 
Dinger shed further light on the concrete role Seeto was playing to protect the Chinese community: “Dixon Seeto, former president of the Chinese Association of Fiji, told us 12/05 that while the PRC Embassy has been helpful, the local Chinese community in Fiji initiated almost all the contingency planning mentioned by Fei.  Few among the entrenched Chinese community, he noted, have PRC passports. The Chinese Association has arranged for a large water tank to be installed at the Sun Yatsen school in Suva, the likely assembly point for Chinese if there is large-scale unrest.  It has also tentatively arranged transportation to Nadi should an evacuation become necessary. The association is working closely with the police to ensure Chinese farmers in rural Fiji are looked after.  The association has provided cell phones and other equipment to the police to make communication easier, he said.  Seeto said his association works closely with the Taiwan Trade Mission in Suva, as well as the PRC Embassy, and will accept help from either.”

Seeto feared “Tongan Re-play of Violence” against Chinese in Fiji

A month before the dictator had seized power in Fiji, Nukualofa, the Tongan capital, had gone up in racial flames, with many Tongan-Chinese businesses directly targeted, burned, and looted by angry Tongans. Seeto and the Chinese Embassy in Fiji were taking no chances.

Dinger reported to Washington: “Seeto agreed with Fei that long-term Chinese residents will ride out the crisis, but said that more recent Chinese arrivals in Fiji, especially those with PRC passports or dual-citizenship, may pull up stakes more quickly.  He noted with some disdain that the newly elected President of the Chinese Association (a New Zealand dual-citizen) was among those who have already left.  Seeto has therefore once again assumed the de-facto presidency of the association. Seeto said that members of the established Chinese community in Fiji, numbering about 6,000, are accepted and well-integrated citizens of the country, and therefore feel relatively safe.  Nevertheless, given the violence against Chinese in Tonga and the Solomons, the Chinese community must be prepared for the worst.”

Chinese Embassy adopts “Hands Off” attitude to dictator’s coup

Dinger, under a separate heading, “PRC Keeping its "Non-Interference" relayed the following: “Fei told us 12/06 that, as far as he is aware, the PRC has no plans to make any statement about the military's actions, in keeping with its "non-interference" foreign policy.  He noted, however, that the PRC endorsed the 11/29 Security Council press statement on Fiji which called upon the Fiji military to "exercise restraint and avoid taking any action that would undermine the rule of law and run counter to the best interests of the people of Fiji.”

In conclusion, Dinger concurred with Seeto and Fei, noting in his cable: “We agree with Seeto and Fei that widespread violence against Chinese is unlikely.  However, Chinese businesses are prominent throughout Fiji, and especially in central Suva. They could be a target if there is any breakdown in law and order after the military takeover. Given the violence that took place against Chinese businesses in Tonga, the proactive stance of the Chinese community seems entirely appropriate.”

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Dixon Seeto with Bainimarama lately. Seeto is the chairman of Tertiary Education Loan Scheme (TELS) Board
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Another Seeto, JENNY, along with Chen Bunn Young are preparing Fiji for September election
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Chinese flee Tonga after the November 2006 riots on that island
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Chinese shops in Tonga go up in flames
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Yat Sen was to be refuge for Chinese community in the event of widespread unrest in 2006

Larry Dinger on Dixon Seeto:
"The current civil-military crisis has hit tourism hard. Dixon Seeto, head of the Fiji Hotel Association, told us occupancy rates are currently around 50%, when they should be around 80%. The immediate future looks even bleaker. New bookings have almost dried up completely. One hotel alone, the Sheraton Denarau, has lost about 2000 room nights and USD 1 million to date. Hotels are laying off staff. Temporary workers are gone, and now permanent staff are being laid off or having hours cut back. Seeto said an RFMF press release two weeks ago saying there would be no coup was marginally helpful, but bookings will only pick up when there is a "positive signal" that the crisis is past. He is not optimistic for that anytime soon. Asked if laid-off employees are blaming the hotels, Seeto said: no, they realize the RFMF is to blame."

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Dixon Seeto (Fiji Hoteliers Association) donates towards Bainimarama's Flood Appeal
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The Hexagon Group is headed by its managing director, Dixon Seeto, who is also the President of the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association

7 Comments
Rajesh
15/4/2014 05:50:33 pm

Seeto was in senate bec of SDL.liumuri .

Reply
Race Analyst
15/4/2014 06:50:57 pm

Fijileaks Editor,

Victor Lal has blood-related Chinese members in his own extended family by virtue of inter-marriages to prominent Fijian Chinese and Gujarati families - where they also waiting to flee Fiji.

I doubt it! His family is also married into i-taukei families! So he should be supporting our Prime Minister's Fiji First Party!

Come on Victor, support multi-racial Fiji!

Reply
Fiji First Party
15/4/2014 06:54:21 pm

Victor Lal is a traitor to the Indo-Fijian community. FULL STOP!

Reply
Graham Davis Junior
15/4/2014 07:18:18 pm

Victor, as I have always declared, is arguably one of the finest journalists Fiji has ever produced.

But I have never understood, and despite many pleadings, why he is still in bed with the Sodelpa lot!

Yes, come on board, and make Fiji a non-racial Fiji!

Reply
Anit Singh link
16/4/2014 08:30:31 am

Presently Mr. Junior, people of all races in Fiji are united, in one endeavor at least, which is to democratically eliminate all traces of this illegal, unconstitutional and despotic DICTORSHIP out of the equation - after-which Fiji will naturally be a non racist Fiji – Because we are essentially good people who have long learned (lessons of history) to respect each others’ culture and customs.

You want to achieve a non-racial Fiji by disrespecting the GCC and by ‘decreeing’ (Decrees of Disgrace) away the entrenched indigenous rights provisions as guaranteed (in perpetuity) by the Peoples’ 1997 Constitution, Mr. Junior??

You want to achieve a non-racial Fiji by ‘decreeing’ (Decrees of Disgrace) away the reserved seats for Indo-Fijians as per our Constitutional rights - of the Peoples’ 1997 Constitution of Fiji, Mr. Junior??
Lucky for us, Mr. Junior, that Peoples’ 1997 Constitution is a living document – or else we would have been SOLD for toast by some of our myopic politicians.

But you are right about one thing, Junior, Victor Lal is unarguably one of the BEST journalists of our country and BRAVO to him for having the courage, conviction and clarity of vision (and skill) to tirelessly and meticulously research and write against tyranny and CHORI (i.e. corruption) – always even from the dark days Rambo.

Credit is also to Victor Lal that Mahen’s Millions have been revealed – which Mahen would rather (and otherwise) have us believe - was given to him (and his family) by the generosity of the Indian Government - whilst hundreds of Indo-Fijian families, including Chandrika Prasad’s, (victims of violence) were begging for ‘Rice and Dhal’ at the Girmit Center in Lautoka, in 2000/2001.

You are also right, Mr. Junior about The RACIST SDL government which refused compensating these poor Indo-Fijian families - victims of violence and human rights abuse (ONLY because of their blatant RACISM) and purposely misusing the allocated funds (for compensation) for AGRICULTURE SCAM and vote buying in 2001 and 2006 elections.

But the important question Mr. Junior is how the present REGIME any different from that of the SDL? – (RACIST and VOTE BUYING-WISE) since these Indo-Fijian victims of violence and human rights abuse (including arson and outright looting) are YET to this date remain -UNCOMPENSATED!!

What non-racial Fiji are you talking about Mr. Junior?? – POLITICIANS are a RACE apart and as the (FIRST) FIJI FIRST PARTY (not Fiji Theft Party) wrote in its submission to Professor Yash Ghai’s CRC

“Any Government, irrespective of its ‘claim to glory’ (legal/illegal,democratic/dictatorship), which continues to ignore such compelling and legitimate claims for victim compensation, is but an uncaring government... whilst many uncaring governments came and went (some legal, some otherwise) - Each and all of them being benefactors only of their own bellies.”

Prove me wrong – Junior!

Reply
Rajesh
15/4/2014 07:58:54 pm

Victor is the best and will remain the best not like nemani /bolatiki who have changed tune refer coup.
keep it up victor.

Reply
Police Commissioner
16/4/2014 12:57:04 pm

Fiji First Party! We know you are really the Fiji Theft Party. The Fiji First Party is Anit Singh's party, you bunch of thieves. Good one, Victor! Oh, by the way, this Victor dude also has Indo-Fijian Muslim relatives - and Rotumans - a complete kitcheri family!

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