TROUBLING INDICATIONS THAT FIJI'S INTERIM GOVERNMENT MAY

UNCLAS SUVA 000316


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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL FJ
SUBJECT: TROUBLING INDICATIONS THAT FIJI'S INTERIM GOVERNMENT MAY
HAVE NO ELECTION PLANS


1. (SBU) Summary: There are troubling indications that Fiji's
Interim Government (IG) has no plans for elections in the near term.
A key member of the NCBBF today told the media that some of the
reforms envisioned in the draft Peoples Charter may take up to
twelve years to implement. PM Bainimarama will personally direct
the reform process from a new "Constitutionally created" Peoples
Charter Council to be based in his office. Meanwhile, most of
Fiji's political parties and the Methodist church have reiterated
their stance against the NCBBF process and the proposed reforms.
End Summary.


2. (U) Head of the National Council for Building a Better
Fiji (NCBBF) Technical and Support Secretariat, John Samy, today
said during a radio interview that some of the reforms envisaged in
the recently unveiled draft Peoples Charter will take up to 12 years
to implement. He explained that while some of the proposed reforms
are short-term and can be accomplished within two years, others
might better be classified as medium-term and longer-term, with the
latter taking up to 12 years. Asked about elections, Samy cited his
experience as an ADB official in Vietnam for the proposition that
"democracy doesn't just mean elections."


3. (U) According to both the Charter and the now released State of
the Nation and Economy (SNE) Report, a first step in the reform
process is the establishment of a "Constitutionally created,
independent entity" called the National Peoples Charter Council,"
the secretariat of which will be located in the Prime Ministers
office and over which, the PM will "play a strong leadership role."
Alarmingly, in addition to implementing reforms set forth in the
Charter, the Council is also charged with "proposing new initiatives
for implementation that are consistent with Peoples Charter
objectives." In addition to indicating that PM Bainimarama will
personally direct an open-ended reform program directly from his
office, the language also suggests that the IG intends to tackle the
thorny constitutional issue first. The Fiji Times reported that
during a press conference on Tuesday, when somebody commented that
only parliament can change the electoral system, Samy replied "Go do
your homework, there are other ways."


4. (U) Meanwhile, opposition to the draft Peoples Charter has been
prompt and widespread. The SDL, NFP and UPP as well as the
Methodist Church have reiterated their opposition to the NCBBF
process and the draft Charter it has produced. Various high chiefs
have come out against the proposal to confer the title of "Fijian"
to all citizens and the autocratic imposition of a new name, "i
Taukei," for indigenous Fijians. A number of NGOs and political
figures have voiced concern about the Charter's proposals to expand
the role of the military in Fiji society. On the other side, and
not surprisingly, Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry's Fiji Labour
Party has signed on to the Charter process. NCBBF touts continue to
discuss obtaining the peoples' approval and achieving a political
consensus on reform at a "President's Forum" they hope to convene
next month with UN and Commonwealth support. However, given the
obdurate opposition from the SDL, which won the most parliamentary
seats in the 2006 elections, it is unclear how the NCBBF leadership
could get any consensus on proposed reforms. Indeed, the
"President's Forum" may very well go the way of the promised
referendum.


5. (SBU) Comment: There are clear contradictions between words and
deeds. The IG and now the NCBBF continue to reiterate support for
the 1997 constitution and a desire to have elections. However, the
Peoples Charter process has set forth proposals that can only be
implemented by amending or abrogating the constitution.
Furthermore, the mechanism being promoted for imposing these reforms
- the Peoples Charter Council - appears to contemplate an open-ended
many-year reform process. End comment.


ROBERTSON