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Vote buying from Indo-Fijians or honouring the indentured dead? India ponders building monument in Bainimarama's Kiuva village to "honour" lives of Indian coolies lost in "The Wreck of Syria" on 11 May 1884

30/9/2013

17 Comments

 
THE Indian High Commission is considering building a monument in Tailevu to remember the lives of indentured labourers who died on the ill-fated Syria.

High Commissioner Vinod Kumar visited the two grave sites at Vunivatu Bay along Kiuva Beach and Matanicagi in Tailevu on Saturday where the girmitiya are buried, close to the spot where the slave ship struck a reef.

"We are grateful to the people of Kiuva for offering their land to bury the unfortunate victims that were on board the Syria," Mr Kumar said.

"This was the first time I visited the grave sites and my thoughts were with the victims, the conditions of their travel and their unfortunate end."

The villagers of Kiuva requested that a pathway be built as a trail to the cemeteries at the two sites.

"I will make these requests to the government of India as soon as possible," Mr Kumar said.

"The government of India will have to look at it and make a decision."

Mr Kumar said the villagers also requested assistance for the upgrading of roads in the area but Mr Kumar said this request would be sent to his government later.

"The government of India is thankful to Kiuva Village and other nearby villages for supporting the passengers from the Syria, for helping bring back those who were still alive and also offering their land for the burial of the unfortunate victims."

Village spokesman Seremaia Waqainabete said the trail to the grave sites and the monument were deserving of the victims buried there as they gave up their lives to travel to a foreign country.

"This will recognise their unprecedented contribution to what Fiji is today," he said.

"Their monument will commemorate their sacrifice and allow the dead to rest in peace."


Source: The Fiji Times, Monday, September 30, 2013
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Indian High Commissioner to Fiji Vinod Kumar during his visit to Kiuva Village in Tailevu on Saturday
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INDIA GAVE THUMPS UP TO  FIJI COUP
“A diplomatic colleague had dinner with Indian High Commissioner Ajay Singh a few days ago.  Singh, who has made no secret of his support for the interim government’s “clean up” effort, described the present Fiji environment as pay-back time.”  Chaudhry’s vindictiveness against the Post and FMF is illustrative, but Singh probably meant “pay back” more broadly against those who supported the 2000 coup that removed the Chaudhry government, and more broadly yet against those who have suppressed ethnic-Indian interests in the past.  We suggested to Singh at the time of the coup that the Indian Government, the world’s biggest democracy, should condemn the RFMF action.  Singh argued that many Indo-Fijians were supportive of Bainimarama’s efforts.  We suggested that any obvious Indo-Fijian enthusiasm for the RFMF would be playing with fire.  Since then there have been many instances of Indo-Fijians complaining to the RFMF about ethnic-Fijians and of RFMF troops then enforcing street justice with no due process.  To date, nothing has exploded into flame, but there is certainly a danger of “pay back” reversing course with tragic consequences.” - The former US Ambassador Larry Dinger re Wikileaks cables.
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17 Comments
Girmitiya Ghost
30/9/2013 04:25:52 am

VOTE BUYING, of course. I wish I had not perished in that tragedy nor had the Syria hit the reef. And, now, India seems to be making sure that Frank Bainimarama wins the general election with such brazen vote buying koys

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Kai Nakelo
30/9/2013 05:52:13 am

A very well received gesture from the Indian Government.

Well done guys for building this monument in memory of the people who persihed at Naselai Reef.

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Girmitiya boy
30/9/2013 10:55:20 am

Its bloody time the present Indian government gave millions in compensation to descendants of coolie Indians, including Indo-Fijians who were uprooted in the 1800s!

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Scenario
30/9/2013 01:34:02 pm

wonder what fiji would be like if Indians had not come ???? like in Samoa & Tonga

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strength in diversity
30/9/2013 02:56:33 pm

That is a valid point.

Fiji has developed socio economic depth far deeper and stronger, relative to other countries in Melanesia and Polynesia, precisely because of her diversity.

One of our strengths is our diversity. The collective potential of different communities and their different communal structures and cultural contributions mixing into that melting pot of creativity and energy which when harnessed in a nation which is ONE and UNITED in a COMMON PURPOSE achieves synergies that our neighbouring countries are not able to replicate with their mono-ethnic and mono cultural societies.

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abc
30/9/2013 10:39:39 pm

so Fiji should be better than USA cos we are more diverse....rubbish
Fiji is better (?) but certainly not more peaceful than Samoa or Tonga because it has more land more people more resources but definitely not more brains. If you look at all the stats relative to size and population, those countries are far ahead of Fiji.

scenario
30/9/2013 10:40:28 pm

Yes - suppose so but lets try to sort out the group imbalances while we move forward,,,,,,,,,,,,

bk
2/10/2013 02:19:54 pm

with no rule of law Fiji will eventually go back to the dark ages...frank and kaiyum has started the journey....

butako
3/10/2013 09:02:52 pm

Fijians would not be worried about their land being butakoed

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Burntheconstitution
1/10/2013 10:57:39 pm

The Indians did a great job in the development of Fiji and that was the result of missionary work in 1835 that rid the land off cannibalism first and welcome civilization into Fiji so God is instrumental in getting the Indians, the Solomons to Fiji after the dark days and their arrival came as a blessing.
Meda kakua ni mai lari ena veivakatorocaketaki e caka tiko e Viti edaidai. Any Government can do that and do it by mandate and it is the responsibility of any government to do that.
Kena i karua...sega tiko mada ga ni bau dua na auditor Generals report from 2007 me yacova mai nikua me vaka e dau caka tu eliu ena matanitu (transparency), Ia qo sa sega tu ni caka baleta ni na kilai kina na vakayagataki ilavo vakatawadodonu e caka tiko.
Kenai katolu - Na kedratoui sau na Minister kei na PM e sa laki qaravi vei Aliz Pacific na kabani nei Nur Bhano na nana lailai nei Khaiyum baleta me kakua ni kilai. It comes at a cost. E dau qarava tu ga na Ministry of Finance na kedrai sau kece na cakacaka vaka matanitu, Ia na matanitu vou qo sa sega ni vinakata me da kila na ka dina.

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british
4/10/2013 11:51:45 am

No mate the British did a great job in developing Fiji. Not God either. After the Brits left then the Fijians, including Indians stuffed the place up.

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Jay link
7/1/2014 07:31:56 am

British ... blimey guv. You are a right righteous tosser, you sorry sod. I love it when the Aussies kick your pale behinds from pillar to post.

mack
2/10/2013 01:23:11 pm

I am ashamed to ask anything on their pay as I think they are doing a very good job

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Burntheconstitution
2/10/2013 05:57:27 pm

Mack

No Auditor Generals Report from 2007

Salary of Ministers not known because it is no longer done by Ministry of Finance but by Aiyaz's aunt which is not transparent and an extra cost to taxpayers and this is nepotism and is corruption what say??

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ostrich
3/10/2013 05:12:25 am

u are a dumb ostrich

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S.Reddy.
8/3/2014 01:04:08 am

People of works of life should work hard for prosperity of the country instead of blaming each other and lazing around a a tanoa of grog most of the time.

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Makutu
20/12/2014 01:04:04 pm

Fiji the leader of south pacific islands, when heads of state need to discuss issues relating the south pacific they go to Fiji not Tonga or Samoa.

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