Fijileaks
  • Home
  • Archive Home
  • In-depth Analysis
    • BOI Report into George Speight and others beatings
  • Documents
  • Opinion
  • CRC Submissions
  • Features
  • Archive

THE LURE OF RETURNING TO THE RED LIGHT ARENA OF POLITICS: SODELPA's contributions to the President's speech to Parliament reveal shocking lack of foresight and harping on politics of race and chiefship

12/9/2017

10 Comments

 

The Politics of Land Lease Money: During the 1987 general election campaign the late Tui Nadi, Ratu Napolioni Dawai, a staunch Bavadra supporter, argued that a number of chiefly title disputes were linked to lease money since chiefs received a great deal more than other members of a mataqali. Dawai had himself received over $25,000 a year from the NLTB. Thirty years later, Ro Kepa argued in Parliament this week that the equal distribution of native Fijian land lease money is not conducive to the traditional livelihood of native Fijians:

Picture
Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa says the equal distribution of iTaukei land lease money is not conducive to the traditional livelihood of the iTaukei.

Ro Teimumu says the previous distribution system was used to fund the programs and policies of the villages. She says the equal distribution to individuals is taking away the system where the iTaukei used to work together in the past.The previous system saw the highest percentage of lease money going to the chief and the heads of the landowning units. She also says the qoliqoli returns should go to the iTaukei owners, not to the state. Source: Fijivillage News, 12 September 2017.

Picture

"In advocating the old distribution system, Ro Teimumu was condoning inequality among Taukei, using facile cultural justification. What the party overlooked was that many chiefs in Fiji did not receive lease money yet still fulfilled their obligations to the vanua successfully because communalism and reciprocity were crucial values of Taukei culture. The old distribution policy actually contributed to inequality and the marginalisation of ordinary Taukei in their traditional villages; and they never questioned it because of the belief that it was an essential part of Taukei culture. It must be noted that the chief’s lease allocation was a private entitlement and he [or she] was not obliged by law to spend or redistribute his share of lease monies on traditional obligations. Those chiefs in receipt of land monies had benefited from a land policy that had its origins in the colonial order, which contributed to some chiefs becoming individualistic and very wealthy while ordinary Taukei remained disadvantaged despite also being owners of an important communal resource." - Sefanaia Sakai, a teaching assistant in governance at the University of the South Pacific. His area of research is land and politics in Fiji

Fijileaks: The 2014 election result loss on same issue has cut no ice with SODELPA. Sefanaia Sakai, analyzing "Native land policy in the 2014 elections" in the book The People Have Spoken, edited by Steven Ratuva and Stephanie Lawson, 2016, argued the following: "Issues concerning land insecurity, which should have been SODELPA’s political trump card, appear to have failed to gain much appeal during the 2014 elections, even though the party got the great majority of its votes from among Taukei. For ordinary Taukei, acquiring basic needs and making progress were more important and many believed that their customary land was safe...Land issues may have had some impact on the results of the 2014 elections, but the concerns expressed by SODELPA in their campaign were not sufficiently persuasive among Taukei, let alone other communities, to give SODELPA victory in the elections. It seems that Taukei voters, who outnumber all other ethnic groups in terms of voting power, considered other basic matters such as education, water, electricity and other infrastructure as more important than land. In addition, the equal distribution policy gave FijiFirst an advantage, as many LOU members whose lands are leased received economic benefits denied under the old system."

With respect to land policy, SODELPA claimed that the equal distribution of lease monies was not conducive to the traditional livelihood of Taukei. SODELPA leader Ro Teimumu Kepa, a high chief and beneficiary of the previous system of distribution, explained that chiefs, as heads of the mataqali and yavusa, had responsibilities to the vanua and their larger shares would cater for major obligations.

Deposed SDL Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, while campaigning for SODELPA, invented his own version of redistribution when replying to a question that the author posed during the SODELPA campaign in Wainivula, Suva. He said that the party would let the provincial council decide on the fate of the equal distribution policy in consultation with the people. This was clearly different from Ro Teimumu’s position that SODELPA would revert to the old system.


These contradictory views became counterproductive to the party’s campaign before the elections. First, in advocating the old distribution system, Ro Teimumu was condoning inequality among Taukei, using facile cultural justification. What the party overlooked was that many chiefs in Fiji did not receive lease money yet still fulfilled their obligations to the vanua successfully because communalism and reciprocity were crucial values of Taukei culture.

The old distribution policy actually contributed to inequality and the marginalisation of ordinary Taukei in their traditional villages; and they never questioned it because of the belief that it was an essential part of Taukei culture. It must be noted that the chief’s lease allocation was a private entitlement and he was not obliged by law to spend or redistribute his share of lease monies on traditional obligations. Those chiefs in receipt of land monies had benefited from a land policy that had its origins in the colonial order, which contributed to some chiefs becoming individualistic and very wealthy while ordinary Taukei remained disadvantaged despite also being owners of an important communal resource.

In 2010, the Bainimarama Government amended the Leases and Licenses Regulations of the Native Land Act to ensure equal distribution of lease money to mataqali members. The amendment was introduced in line with a government policy of inclusiveness and designed to address inequality among Taukei landowners. Wealth from the use of Taukei land through leasing has been substantial, but had not been distributed on an equal basis.

According to the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB, formerly the Native Land Trust Board or NLTB), the total lease income distributed to LOUs has increased from FJD$24 million in 2000 to FJD$64 million in 2014 (TLTB 2014, p. 11). For the first time, under the new equal distribution policy, chiefs and commoners within a mataqali would share the economic gains from the use of their mataqali land equally (see hypothetical scenario Figure 1). Before the amendment, the TLTB usually deducted 25 per cent as an administration fee and also to assist the TLTB to generate development projects on Taukei land.

There were also three categories of chiefs who received the largest share of the lease money under the old distribution system: turaga ni vanua (village chief) received 5 per cent, turaga ni yavusa (tribal chief) received 10 per cent, and turaga ni mataqali (clan chief) received 15 per cent. Often a single chief would receive the full 30 per cent entitlement because he was holder of all three titles and belonged to the clan whose land was leased for development.

The remaining 45 per cent was shared by the rest of the mataqali members. In 2013, the Bainimarama regime also reduced the TLTB share from 25 per cent to 10 per cent, putting an emphasis on the TLTB self-funding its own operation rather than relying so heavily on deductions from lease money.

The equal distribution policy has also contributed to the reduction in the number of registered disputes over chiefly titles in the country in 2013 and 2014. For example, the Native Lands Commission received three chiefly titles dispute cases in 2014 compared to 13 recorded cases in 2013. The commissioner attributed this decline to the implementation of the equal distribution policy by the Bainimarama Government (FBC 2014). However, the validity of this analysis could be substantiated only after in-depth research on the issue of equal distribution and titles disputes. - Sefanaia Sakai

Meanwhile, it is clear Ratu Naiqama's suspension from Parliament served him no purpose, for he has returned to Parliament to sing same old tune. SODELPA is fast becoming a derelict imitation of Butadroka's Fijian Nationalist Party, and come 2018 general election will bite political dust. What about the 40 percent of native Fijians who VOTED for FFP?

Picture
SODELPA parliamentarian Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu stresses that politics in our country will continue to be race based for some time.

While speaking on the President’s opening speech in parliament, Ratu Naiqama says this is the reality on the ground.

Ratu Naiqama then accused the minority communities of block-voting during the elections.

He then went on to say that SODELPA reassures all the minority religious and ethnic communities in Fiji that the party is committed to assuring their security in the country.

While speaking about the 2018 elections, Ratu Naiqama said that they agree with the recommendation that the ballot papers must have the party name, symbol as well as the names of the candidates.

He also says that they are recommending that pre-polling be restricted to emergency workers and essential services and that the rest of the population vote on voting day, to make it truly a one day election.

Ratu Naiqama also says that as the apex of the Itaukei institutions, the good governance and wellbeing of the Itaukei firstly is the responsibility of the Great Council of Chiefs.

He says the unique role of the GCC is to make recommendations to the government of the day for the wellbeing of the Itaukei.

Ratu Naiqama says the only remedy for the country is to choose new leadership in 2018.

Fijileaks: Ratu Naiqama is accusing ethnic minorities of block voting in the elections; he is repeating his Cakuadrove subject and coupist and now SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka who had accused Indo-Fijian of bloc voting in the 1999 general election which had resulted in the defeat of his SVT Party to Mahendra Chaudhry's People's Coalition. 

Picture

Rabuka: "The result of the election and especially the orchestrated bloc voting by the Indian community clearly shows how far apart we still are racially. Your vote is your democratic right but judging by the way you have bloc voted, turning inward to your own communal interests, I appeal to you all to show greater responsibility to our wider common interest as a nation."

Chaudhry had rejected Rabuka's charges.
"It is the leaders who are dividing the nation, it is the Labour party who will unite the people."

Picture
Picture

Fijileaks: SODELPA should read the coded message hidden in the above statement to Parliament. Fiji must brace itself for FIFTH COUP if SODELPA under Rabuka and his nationalist mouthpieces continue to vilify Indo-Fijians (especially Aiyaz Khaiyum and Indo-Fijian Muslims) leading up to the 2018 general election. It will give the military perfect excuse to intervene and deny SODELPA power (if it wins), and international community will buy into their reason. No one wants civil war. And Indo-Fijians must not allow themselves to become the new Rohingyas of the South Pacific, pariahs once again in Rabuka's 2018 Fiji! Sadly, so far no leader has emerged who is above race, chiefship, religion, and corruption - who is willing to put FIJI FIRST.
Even Bainimarama has fallen along the way. Cry the Beloved Country!

10 Comments
Tomasi
12/9/2017 12:30:34 pm

Victor, while I agree with you on many issues, I wish to remind Sakai that he has a lot more to learn about the meaning of land, land ownership, chiefly system, traditional family values and systems, and the ugly faces of dictatorship and its adverse and dangerous impacts on the traditional and modern families of Fiji and the nation.

The decision to radically change the systems at the NLTB was a unilateral and highly political one to say the least. It is a very long, complex and tragic story when we talk about Fijian lands, etc. If Bai or Yum were wise enough, they would be inclined to consult with the owners of the land first and foremost. Then they would then use the Fijian administration system and the NLTB and then the GCC to ascertain the real needs and cahllenges facing Fijians today. The NLTB essentially represents the colonial agenda of making landowners largely powerless through the subtle but evil mechanism of ownership without any control. Native Fijians may own the land, but are powerless to do any significant economic action or derive optimal benefit from it because they do not control their land and other resources.

The twin dictators must be schooled again in the basic kindergarten values of respect for family and neighbours. Fijian villages are basically family communities. Native lands belong to these families who have heads called chiefs, elders, etc. When any Government orparty or persons or Tom, Dick or Harry, bai Khai or Fenu, imposes their own political agenda into land matters including ownership, control, leases and lease money distribution, they are essentially intruding into sacred family territory.

My advice to Bai and Yum and all those near and far, stay out of the native lands. They are private family property. To thrust your mouth or poke your nose into native land issues is akin to intruding into a private and sacred family legacy. Take a quick trip into memory lane. Look at all the GMs and Mans of NLTB who have tried to meddle with Native Lands. Families are sacred gifts from God. We mess with it at the risk of inviting God's wrath. May we learn to respect all people, cultures and traditions. Or plunge on into the abyss caused by our own selfish and human follies.

Reply
Chiku
12/9/2017 08:47:59 pm

The more things change the more it remains the same. That's true not only for this political party but for Fiji politics as well.
One ruling elite ( an elected one ) misrule the people of Fiji and is replaced by another ruling elite ( a coup installed one ) who misrule the people of Fiji.
The cycle of misrule has not ended.
When will it end?
Will election 2018 finally bring the qualitative change?

Reply
Ratu
12/9/2017 10:56:15 pm

Fiji Leaks is the champion of Identity politics. Your criticism of SODELPA is a case of the pot calling the kettle black,
If u've read an ounce of psychology u would know that higher order thinking that rejects race as a human category does not occur naturally in human beings. Khaiyum thinks it can be legislated out of human thinking. But it can't. Failed socialist experiments around the world that tried to create "the new man" attests to the futility of that ideal.
People change by going through shared experiences. The only exception is u, Victor Lal, a product of a famous Fijian secondary School which seems to have given you a SODELPA mindset that makes u see race in every cupboard u look into but not the same group that SIDELPA stands for but that of yr own,
Every action has a reaction. Perhaps just perhaps SODELPA is reacting to a genuinely felt grievance and should we not be lending them our ear?

Reply
Equality??
13/9/2017 05:15:20 am

All the comments here are fine by me but lets ask this question.
What do Indo-Fijians want in Fiji?
That question will resolve all these issues were are talking about and may be just may be it will make Indo-Fijians leave the native Fijians alone.

Indo-Fijian politicians and now a Pakis-Fijian (ASK), are talking about equality for all. Its a dream that will never come true. As long as the VKB exists there is no equality, I will be a native with indigenous rights plus Fijian citizebship and ASK will ONLY be foreigner with Fijian citizenship, PERIOD. Why cant we respect and honour our differences and work together. Tell me something, these Indians, if they migrate to Australia will they try and become Aborigines after 50 years? Will they fight the NZ govt because they want to be called Maoris after 100 years? Are the Indians in China trying to be called Chinese. Whats wrong with the Indians in Fiji?
Let us run our country, and we will give other races the best hospitality we are known for.

Reply
GOAT
14/9/2017 10:08:48 am

@Equality.....very amusing decipher of the word "Fijian". Are you from Marist as well???Sounds like you too have a vacuum between your ears.
"Fijian " is used for Fiji citizens to denote NATIONALITY (i.e where geographically ,one is domiciled). You ,like the rest of the freed AFRICAN slaves from AMERICA seem to confuse yourselves between ETHINICITY and NATIONALITY.
You who claim to be indigenous are also called Fijians because you live here in Fiji.If you lived in Australia, you'd be called Australian,not ABORIGINAL. I am a New Zealander and a Fijian and nobody calls me MAORI just beause I live in NZ as well.
You sound like a dumb idiot from either RKS, QVS or MARIST ,because that's where all the vacuum filled human heads come from. IDIOT ,NO SCHOOL AFRICAN. Go get the book"WHITE PACIFIC" and read about your real ethnicity, you African ulukau.

Rajend Naidu
13/9/2017 02:11:02 am

Editor,
Boycotting Parliament To Make A Point.
We learn from France 24 News Eye on Africa ( 13/09 ) that the Opposition in Kenya has boycotted parliament opening by President Uhuru Kenyetta whose election win was annulled by the Supreme Court and a new election ordered .
The Supreme Court judges also stayed away from the parliament opening.
The Opposition has demanded " substantial overall changes " to the Electoral Commission including the sacking of some members.
Sometimes drastic steps need to taken in politics to ensure democratic political participation does not degenerate into a political farce or give legitimacy to that which is not legitimate.
The Kenyan Opposition has demonstrated that parliamentary democracy is not a case of roping in the Opposition to merely go through the democratic motions to give legitimacy to the ruling elite.
It's an alternative government in a very real sense and must be recognised as such .
The Kenyan opposition presents a model for all opposition parties in developing democratic countries.
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Reply
O.Malamalanitabua. link
13/9/2017 08:12:01 pm

Tomasi well said...Sakai you have a lot to learn about the Land[Vanua]the Chiefs have people who fought over land well before the so called EUROPEANS arrived in Fiji and put claims to all land that have title as Freeholds.The British who laid claims to all Territories under the Colonial Rule had done a lot of damage as we now witness in Fiji.The Chief Custodians of all Lands in Fiji are our Chiefs who have the wisdom and the tenacity to look after their land within their Yavusa or Vanua.Even in our History we learnt that Ma'afu fought and laid claims in Lau,some parts of Vanua Levu and Viti Levu.Since year 0 the Old Testments we read land grabs by the Israelites and today the Jews are fighting against the Palestians on the land they now claim given to them by God.The British Government had interfeared and gave the land under the Balfour Agreement.The Jews must learn to share with the Palestinians and put an end that they are God's people.No their motive is Greed and Avarice and its fueling the present problems in Israel.No Peace will come until they face reality...Jews,Muslims and Christians worship the same GOD.The Land in Fiji belongs to the Taukei who were the First Arrivals and stake their claims as Custodians.The concept of ownership is Europeans{British} and in 1874 as the Deed of Cession was signed by the Chiefs the Land and its people Taukei only were part of British Empire under the rule of her Majesty Queen Victoria.So Land in Fiji became a Political hot potato and the rest is History.
As someone who grew up in a village in Nadroga the distribution of the lease money was a very welcoming and facinating event that took place in Vale Levu the home of the Village Chief.Everyone had their share and even the Vasus' were given money too and all were happy to spend as they like.The best time was in December the expectations were that each child had a bigger share and everyone had fun time for Christmas.
As I learnt from my parents the Chief's share was use as Trust Fund for the Village,Turaga ni Yavusa for his Yavusa and the Turaga ni Mataqali for his Mataqali.All debts at the Indian Shops were pay in full too even school fees.All were winners and no loosers.
As of now we have to have individual account from the bank and the money is paid in with fees incurred by the Bank.With so much paper work the present method used by the iTLTB is cumbersome and the Taukeis' are loosing out especially the Chiefs who by birthright are the true custodians of the Land{Vanua}The Land as we all know has eyes,ears and mouths,the elders who are given responsibilities as leaders...Turaga ni Yavusa Mataqali Vanua are chosen by the people and dealing with Land is vital in Communal Living.Bainimarama has done a worse and careless move by undermining our Chiefs in Fiji.As Taukeis' live in villages communal Protocol is Paramount.Greed and Avarice is the Trade Mark of the FFP.The Land and the Qoliqoli have a sting at the Tail and 2018 for Bai and Khaiyum to be honest in dealing with the Land.Abolish Landbank,restore GCC and NLTB. As for the Village By-Laws...the Villages and the Chiefs must run the affairs of the Taukeis...and you two control fricks...HAND_OFF!!!

Reply
Rajend Naidu
13/9/2017 10:23:30 pm

Editor,
Dark Side of Race Politics
The ethnic cleansing of the minority Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar is the latest example of the dangers inherent in race politics. Antonio Guettieras the UN chief said this morning ( Aljazeera 14/09 ) when one third of the Rohingya have been forced to flee the atrocities committed by the Myanmar military crackdown how else is one to describe the situation other than ethnic cleansing. The latest figure on those who have fled is 400,000.
We learn from Samaa Web Desk article ' UN slammed over Myanmar Crisis' ( 13/09 ) that two leading human rights groups slammed the UN Security Council for inaction over the crisis in Myanmar.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International deplored the Council's FAILURE TO SPEAK OUT and demand an end to the violence and atrocities.
Human Rights Watch and AI said they were disappointed with Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize laureate and once a darling of the rights movement, who has been accused of turning a blind eye to the violence.
" Silence is not helping ... We need to see leadership from her to actually de-escalate and not remain silent" said Tirana Hassan, AI's crisis response director.
Sherine Tadros the head of AI in the UN said what is needed is pressure from the UNSC on the Myanmar State to end the violence and the awful atrocities.
We got together after WW2 and declared after the Nazi ethnic cleansing of the Jews and others, " Never Again " will humanity stand by to allow this to happen. But again and again since then this has happened. The ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya is the latest in the persecution of a people because of their race.
When will humanity learn to rise above race politics?
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Reply
Rajend Naidu
14/9/2017 08:02:08 am

Editor,
Fiji's Post Coup Democracy
Opposition MP Prem Singh ( NFP ) said in response to the President's address at the opening session of parliament, " In a democracy no one single point of view must prevail" but he said the ruling Fiji First party governed with a " my way or the highway " attitude ( Fiji Times 14/09 ).
If that is the case thinking people must ask what kind of democracy does Fiji have?
That dictatorial style of governance was understandable after the 2006 military coup and the subsequent period of dictatorship.
But in 2014 Fiji had its first post coup elections to return Fiji to democracy.
It would seem democracy - in its true sense - is still absent if on the eve of the next elections in 2018 a longstanding member of parliament should make such a statement .
Perhaps Fiji is waiting for the next elections to finally return to democracy?
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Reply
Rajend Naidu
14/9/2017 09:57:10 pm

Editor,
No Return To Military Rule
In a press conference Boris Johnson the British Foreign Minister said nobody wants a return of military rule in Burma; for the military generals to be back in power. That this was what the de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi was probably trying to avoid. But the brutal military crackdown on the Rohingya Muslims was an abomination and the civilian administration has to condemn it ( Aljazeera 15/09 ).
Yes, nobody wants the military generals to be back running Myanmar. Their years of rule did the country no good economically. And the reign of terror left the people traumatised.
Let's hope the Rohingya crisis is not a political ploy by the military generals to take back power with the claim that the civilian administration had failed.
That tends to be the modus operandi of the generals as we know from our own coup experience.
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    editor@fijileaks.com

    ARCHIVES

    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    Picture
    Picture