Church involvement in Fiji coups
Encyclopedia
Fiji
's four coups in the past two decades have church involvement. At the center of each coup lies the tensions between the ethnic Fijians and Indian Fijians
. Religion
plays a significant role, the majority of ethnic Fijians belong to the Methodist
church whereas the majority of the Indians are Hindu
.
In each of the four coups, one of the sides seeks to establish reduced rights for the Indian Fijians, the other side seeks to grant equality to the Indian Fijians. The coup by Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka
in 1987 led to a constitution that ensured that Indian Fijians can only have less than half of all seats in parliament and banned Indians from the post of prime minister. The coup of 2000
by George Speight
removed the elected Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudry, who is a Hindu of Indian origin.
.
The Church plays a major role in Fiji politics. Often some politicians appeal to Fijians addressing them as "Christians", even though Hindus are 38% of the
population in Fiji, compared with 52% Christians. It was alleged by Commodore Frank Bainimarama that the 2000 Fijian coup d'état that removed the elected PM Mahendra Chaudhry
, was supported by many people within Methodist church. The Methodist church leaders supported a subsequent proposal to pardon those involved.
There are some people within in the Methodist church that have raised the possibility of declaring Fiji a theocratic Christian state. This has brought Josaia Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama
, leader of the December 2006 coup, in conflict with the Methodist church in the past.
".
Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu of the Fiji Council of Churches and Assembly of Christian Churches has stated that the 2006 coup is "un-Christian" and is "manifestation of darkness and evil" and pointed out that "52% of Fijians are Christian and the country's Christian values are being undermined".
, and religion
. It has caused an exodus of the Indians, who until recently formed slight majority in Fiji.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
's four coups in the past two decades have church involvement. At the center of each coup lies the tensions between the ethnic Fijians and Indian Fijians
Indians in Fiji
Indo-Fijians are Fijians whose ancestors came from India and various parts of South Asia, South-East Asia and Asia itself. They number 313,798 out of a total of 827,900 people living in Fiji...
. Religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
plays a significant role, the majority of ethnic Fijians belong to the Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
church whereas the majority of the Indians are Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
.
In each of the four coups, one of the sides seeks to establish reduced rights for the Indian Fijians, the other side seeks to grant equality to the Indian Fijians. The coup by Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka
Sitiveni Rabuka
Major-General Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, MSD, OStJ, is best known as the instigator of two military coups that shook Fiji in 1987. He was later democratically elected the third Prime Minister, serving from 1992 to 1999...
in 1987 led to a constitution that ensured that Indian Fijians can only have less than half of all seats in parliament and banned Indians from the post of prime minister. The coup of 2000
Fiji coup of 2000
The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of a non-native Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, on 19 May 2000, the attempt by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority on 27 May, and...
by George Speight
George Speight
George Speight , occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini, was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000...
removed the elected Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudry, who is a Hindu of Indian origin.
The Methodist Church
The powerful Methodist Church backed the past three coups, but has opposed the 2006 coup2006 Fijian coup d'état
The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 occurred as a continuation of the pressure which had been building since the military unrest of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état and 2005-2006 Fijian political crisis....
.
The Church plays a major role in Fiji politics. Often some politicians appeal to Fijians addressing them as "Christians", even though Hindus are 38% of the
population in Fiji, compared with 52% Christians. It was alleged by Commodore Frank Bainimarama that the 2000 Fijian coup d'état that removed the elected PM Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
, was supported by many people within Methodist church. The Methodist church leaders supported a subsequent proposal to pardon those involved.
There are some people within in the Methodist church that have raised the possibility of declaring Fiji a theocratic Christian state. This has brought Josaia Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama
Frank Bainimarama
Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of April 2009, Prime Minister...
, leader of the December 2006 coup, in conflict with the Methodist church in the past.
Proposal to establish a Christian state in Fiji
Some Methodist Church authorities have continued to advocate the establishment of a Christian state. In a letter of support from the head of the Methodist Church, Reverend Tomasi Kanilagi, to George Speight, the leader of the May 19, 2000, armed takeover of Parliament, Reverend Kanilagi publicly expressed his intention to use the Methodist Church as a forum under which to unite all ethnic Fijian political parties. The Methodist church also supported forgiveness to those who plotted the coup in form of so called "Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity BillReconciliation and Unity Commission (Fiji)
The Reconciliation and Unity Commission is a proposed government body to be set up if the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, which was introduced into the Fijian Parliament on 4 May 2005 is passed...
".
Opposition to practice of Hinduism
The Methodist church general secretary Reverend Ame Tugaue has expressed concern about practice of Hinduism in Fiji. Fiji Times reported his views on March 27, 2005:- "Because if God does get angry with the heathens, Christians will be punished because they allowed the worship of idols and other lesser gods in Fiji. Sodom and Gomorrah were only destroyed after the Lord removed the faithful from there and not because of a few would we allow God's wrath to befall the whole of Fiji. It was clearly stated in the 10 Commandments that God gave to Moses that Christians were not allowed to worship any other gods and not to worship idols."
Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu of the Fiji Council of Churches and Assembly of Christian Churches has stated that the 2006 coup is "un-Christian" and is "manifestation of darkness and evil" and pointed out that "52% of Fijians are Christian and the country's Christian values are being undermined".
Exodus of Indians from Fiji
Fiji is one of the few countries in the world that officially imposes disabilities on a group that constitutes a large part of the population, on the basis of raceRacism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
. It has caused an exodus of the Indians, who until recently formed slight majority in Fiji.
See also
- George SpeightGeorge SpeightGeorge Speight , occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini, was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000...
- Reconciliation and Unity Commission (Fiji)Reconciliation and Unity Commission (Fiji)The Reconciliation and Unity Commission is a proposed government body to be set up if the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, which was introduced into the Fijian Parliament on 4 May 2005 is passed...
- Religious reaction to the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill (Fiji)Religious reaction to the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill (Fiji)Religion plays an important role in Fijian society. Indigenous Fijians are overwhelmingly Christian, predominantly Methodist but with significant Roman Catholic, Assemblies of God, Seventh-day Adventist, and other Christian minorities; Indo-Fijians are mostly Hindu, with a large Muslim as well as...