The US Speaks with Its Own Voice

FIJI

The United States speaks with its own voice.

I guess that while the present government remains in power Fiji will continue to be the subject of controversy. 

So far the media presentation presents a very mixed bag.  It is beyond my resources to provide  comprehensive coverage but clearly there are interesting developments. Most of these are either not reported or underreported in the New Zealand media.

The first and the most significant is the statement made by

Kurt M. Campbell
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in his Testimony Before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment

on September 29, 2010

He commented as follows

Fiji

Inextricably linked with regional economic development is the vital issue of good governance. In this arena, the current state of affairs in Fiji is a matter of on-going concern. Traditionally, Fiji has been a close and valued friend and partner in the region, as well as a leading voice for Pacific Island democracy. Fiji also has a long history of contributing troops to multilateral peacekeeping missions, was quick to condemn the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, and has been a staunch supporter of our efforts to build an international coalition against global terrorism.

However, since the 2006 coup in Fiji, and the ascendance of the military regime led by Prime Minister Bainimarama, there has been an unfortunate reversal of Fiji’s leadership role. Fiji’s exclusion from the Pacific Island Forum since 2009 has detracted from progress on important regional issues.

Fiji’s coup leaders have not taken any credible steps to restore democratic institutions. After breaking a promise to hold elections in 2009, they now promise to begin work in 2012 to craft a new constitution and hold elections in 2014. They also promised to lift public emergency regulations, but the regulations remain in place, the press remains heavily censored, and the right to assembly is severely restricted. Fiji has failed to restore democracy or institute structural reforms. The entrenchment of authoritarian rule indifferent to criticism has become a dangerous model for the region and the global community.

The United States maintains sanctions pursuant to Section 7008 of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act and other policy restrictions, including limitations on military and other assistance to the Government of Fiji. This includes visa bans against coup leaders, suspension of certain military sales, and restrictions on certain bilateral engagement. The United States calls for an open, inclusive, and transparent process for free and fair elections, the re-establishment of an independent judiciary, and an end to media crackdowns and other limits on civil liberties.

To date, we have focused our efforts on areas where our engagement is yielding positive results and serves to illustrate the advantages of a more positive bilateral partnership. We continue to provide assistance in ways that support the Fijian people and promote our interests, for example, for disaster preparedness and combating transnational crime. Despite the difficult political environment, the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, through the Human Rights and Democracy Fund, is now supporting multi-year programs in Fiji on media training and on ethnic dialogue and tolerance.

We now hope, in close coordination with regional players, to seek more direct engagement with Prime Minister Bainimarama to encourage his government to take steps to restore democracy and freedom that would allow movement toward normalization of Fiji’s relations with other countries in the region. This engagement would spotlight the potential benefits of positive political steps, while reinforcing the message that any easing of U.S. sanctions is tied to the restoral of democratic processes.

Our objective is to put Fiji back on track for reintegration into international institutions and for holding free and fair elections no later than 2014. By taking credible steps towards an increased civilian role in government and other democratic reforms, the regime could build confidence, in accordance with agreed upon benchmarks and timelines, that would lead towards the restoration of Fiji’s former international role and stature.

There are other contributions

Radio New Zealand commented on 29 October 2010

U.S.DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO OPEN OFFICE IN FIJI

Clinton announces $12 million climate mitigation

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Oct. 29, 2010) – The United States Agency for International Development will return to the Pacific next year by setting up a new office in Fiji. This was announced by the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in Honolulu at the start of a two-week tour. Mrs Clinton says the US will be working through the Pacific Island Forum to support the Pacific island nations as they strive to really confront and solve the challenges they face. Those challenges, she says, range from climate change to freedom of navigation. She says 21 million US dollars will be spent to support climate change mitigation. Last month, the assistant secretary of state for East Asia, Kurt Campbell, said the US objective was to put Fiji on track for reintegration into international institutions and for the holding free and fair elections no later than 2014.   (scource: Pacific Islands Report).

There is more. The ABC which also offers an excellent daily coverage of Pacific affairs (though I am concerned that the transcript service is rather less available than earlier) provided the following -

Former Australian official speaks with his voice

AUSTRALIA CONSIDERS RE-ENGAGEMENT WITH FIJI
Economic and trade talks possible

MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, Nov. 8, 2010) - Australia's former Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Duncan Kerr, says Australia should move towards a strategic re-engagement with Fiji.Mr. Kerr says the re-engagement of other countries with Fiji, including the US, suggests it is time for Australia to follow suit. The United States has stepped up contact with Fiji in recent times in a bid to counter China's rising influence in the region, and will open a new embassy in Suva soon. He says such re-engagement could include poverty alleviation, and allowing Fiji back into the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations - PACER-plus regional trade talks.

"What I want to do is distinguish between Australia maintaining its opposition to the form of governance in Fiji, that is expressing diplomatically that we must continue to press for a democratically-elected regime, but on the other hand, getting involved in the practical things that will prevent whoever gains governance in Fiji inheriting a wasteland," he said. (Scource: Radio Australia).

It has been pointed out to me by an experienced Fiji analyst that there was an article on page A11 of the NZ Herald 9 November 2010  titled 'US ready to take bigger Pacific role' written by Greg Ansley from Canberra. He finishes off with:

Most analysts see Washington's renewed focus on Asia-Pacific, in large part at least, as a response to the growing economic and military might of China.

COMMENT

The above comments could almost be left to speak themselves.  But my question is what is really being done in a positive way to open up communication with the Fiji government with a view to long-term relations.

Pacific Forum statements refer to a return to democracy in Fiji.  Many analysts question whether there ever has been "democracy" in Fiji.  My own question stated in a number of articles is quite simply that democracy is a good deal more than the simple holding of elections.

Elections are part of democracy - obviously an important part -- but to isolate a complex issue to one factor is quite simplistic.  After almost 4 years of the Bainimarama government  I would look to New Zealand showing

• a genuine understanding of the complex issues involved in Fiji
• a genuine sense of engagement with those issues
• a desire to inject a New Zealand sense of fair play into that engagement.

Without in any way condoning the 2006 coup New Zealand must seek to build a climate of confidence on the part of Fiji where they can look to New Zealand as an objective friend and one who seeks good relations with them.

While our relations with Canberra are important, it is in the Pacific that we must speak with our own distinctive voice.  New Zealand has a long history of involvement in the Pacific.  By now we should be able to draw on a deep understanding of the various cultures involved and build relations based on their and our understanding of each other.

The "market" has a language of its own and can only provide answers to market based situations.  Countries are quite different.  They are based on a sense of community and their own culture.

  The comments by United States representatives seem to me that Washington will now look at the Fiji through its own eyes.  Perhaps that's what has prompted the Australian comments noted above.

I have given a fuller outline of my views in the first blog.

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