FIJI: Cautious welcome for election commitment
Updated
The announcement that Fiji will hold elections in early 2009 has received a cautious welcome from several interest groups in Fiji. But some are warning Australia and New Zealand not to lift their sanctions on the interim government until concrete steps have been taken towards restoring democracy.
Presenter: Bruce Hill
Speakers: Laisenia Qarase, SDL party leader; Doctor Brij Lal, Fiji academic; Angie Heffernan, Executive Director Pacific Centre for Public Integrity
HILL: Commodore Bainimarama's commitment to holding an election by March 2009 has been welcomed by the Pacific leaders, and within Fiji.
Prominent academic and co-author of the country's constitution, Dr Brij Lal, says it's unlikely the interim prime minister will go back on his word.
LAL: Well I think it'd be very difficult for him to renege on the commitments he has given to his colleagues at the Pacific Island Forum. We'll watch very carefully his public statements in Fiji after he has consulted his colleagues. Perhaps he consulted them before he came to Tonga realising the huge negative impact of travel bans on people in the interim administration. So maybe, maybe all the pressure from outside has in a sense resulted in the statement that the Commodore made in Tonga.
HILL: The deposed prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, leader of the mainly Fijian SDL Party, has welcomed the announcement, and says his team stands ready to contest the election in 2009.
QARASE: And as far as my party's concerned we look forward to contributing to a credible roadmap to the elections. I have offered previously to discuss important issues with the interim prime minister in a positive spirit, and I repeat that offer today. My party of course, the SDL party will now start giving up for the elections to be held during the first quarter of 2009.
HILL: What if your party actually wins those elections? What would your reaction be to the people who staged this coup?
QARASE: I don't know, it remains to be seen. We stand a very good chance of winning the election, there is huge, tremendous support for our party. In fact it is much stronger than the previous election, and we're looking forward to the elections.
HILL: But Mr Qarase may not get the chance.
Commodore Bainimarama says a race-based party like the SDL will be automatically be denied the right to contest an election, by the People's Charter he's just established in Fiji.
Dr Brij Lal says such a restriction would be unacceptable.
LAL: Certainly the Commodore has said that he will not allow people from the SDL to contest elections, but of course that is breaching their fundamental rights. I mean if they're not convicted or have committed any crime that prevents them from standing for elections, then they have every constitutional right to do so.
HILL: And holding elections while banning one party would not be seen by the international community as free and fair?
LAL: Definitely so, but also I mean I don't think that will be acceptable to the people of Fiji. Remember that the SDL had about 80 per cent of indigenous Fijian votes in the last elections in 2006, so to disadvantage or disenfranchise so to speak a political party representing a very, very large section of the community would be unconstitutional and unacceptable.
HILL: Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Suva-based Pacific Centre for Public Integrity, Angie Heffernan, warns that Australia and New Zealand should not lift their sanctions on the Fiji regime until it's clear the promised elections will be free and fair.
HEFFERNAN: He made that commitment to the leaders, he's made a lot of promises in the past, a lot of rhetoric. This time he's basically said to the regional leaders he will do it. Now it's up to the interim government to demonstrate that by tangible and measurable milestones and keeping to that commitment they've already made publicly. One of that we think that's important is for them to invite independent observers in to monitor the work of the Electoral Commission, and also the elections office for the preparations to elections. That's a concrete way to monitor whether he's actually serious in keeping to his promise of having elections in the first quarter of 2009.
HILL: Commodore Bainimarama wants Australia and New Zealand to reduce their sanctions against his regime straight away. Do you think that's a good idea?
HEFFERNAN: Of course not, it's not a good idea. Words are cheap, promises are cheap, his government has still a long way to go in demonstrating tangible, measurable milestones in moving the country forward. So far there's been lacklustre approach by the interim government to even keep to the recommendations of the EPR, Eminent Persons Report, so it's critical that the Australian government and the New Zealand government do not budge on their promises, demonstrated action, visible measures, only if they can see that then they can start considering lifting the smart sanctions.
