THE 300 islands in the south Pacific which make up Fiji would once attract paradise' aimed at British and US tourists. The second coup there brought the islands to the attention of the world's media. But the 'constitutional crisis' provoked by Col Sitiveni's self-designation as head of state which has gripped media attention, or the so-called racial conflict' to which they refer, have as little relevance to the country's 715,000 inhabitants as the previous description of 'paradise'. has rather everything to do with the British empire, class relations and the struggle for non-racialism, democracy and independence. JON SILBERMAN explains.
Fiji became Brirule in tne Fiji® was ceded Fiji colonial ad• Lall Their warriors to police indentured Brisuch as stitutions. Great the is the real the coully.
supporters, maintain aristocracy their The was Wak ple.
the British for inFijians privileged press reports about within five months has again The present crisis in Fiji social layer are simply workers Lena! farmers in modern 1985. Poor The bulk of indigenous Fijians are also extremely poor. They hereditary rights to farm allottribal return for providing the tribal chiefs with money, food Those who live and farm in the tribal often the sway of the chiefs. But they can get out of such tribal duties by renting land outside them tribal area alongside IndoFijians. Through this process, despite formally owning 83 per cent of all lana in ril, malgenous rI jians are in fact forced to the SUOSSI lands.
It was these indigenous Fijians, who farm outside their tribal areas who, alongside Indo-Fijian workers tenant farmers, up social base of the Bavadra election victory in April of his year te hereditary thiefst t0 hereditary chiefs. struck their entire 'divide and rule' policy, which had been maintained since 1970 by the parliamentary majority Wher Mara was defend aristocratic privileges. the named anti-Bavadra Taukei ried the wno are to day the subject of Prime Benaia the Queen's Kamisese Mara Meli the leader third. chief.
first coup, about the CTISIS 8100 inter-racial simply to hide their chiefly privileges. Rabuka and the army who size has been doubled since the first coup in May.
military The Service cut on the vants.
were attacked even was" incoup armed was equally.
: that Bavadra seek turn the more with as had concerned the regional of the Fiji. the ignore going on