Fiji’s Indians angry, resigned

Press, 9 October 1987, Page 40

Fiji’s Indians angry, resigned

NZPA-AAP Suva While Fiji-Indian leaders remained silent on the declaration of a republic by the coup leader, Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, this week, ordinary Indians in Suva reacted with a mixture of anger and resignation. “Well, it looks like we’ll be off now,” said one . businessman, reflecting the attitude of many of Fiji’s majority Indian population. Many were angry at what they saw as a lack of action by the world community to stop Colonel Rabuka before he took the step of formally declaring the Republic of Fiji. “How can the world just stand by and let this happen? We have rights too, you know,” said a Suva merchant as he stood in the doorway of his shop. “The money’s not worth anything, either,” he said, referring to the 15.25 per cent devaluation of the dollar yesterday — the second since the first coup on May 14. “The price of imports will go up again. How can anyone afford to shop here?” he asked, indicating the shelves of im-

ported merchandise behind bim. Then he shrugged. “If the Fijians really want it (Fiji) then let them have it.” Others were not so fatalistic. “My father and my grandfather helped build this country, and now look,” said a taxi-driver. “Now these people are trying to destroy it.” Did he plan to leave? “No. This is my country. Where would I go? I don’t have any other home. I’m going to stay here and fight this thing.” But for many of Fiji’s Indians, third and fourth generation descendants of indentured labourers, the revocation of the 1970 Constitution and the declaration of a republic was the last straw. “We should now be classified as refugees,” said one. “We are being driven from our homeland.” Some were angry at the lack of action from Indian political and community leaders. “Where are our leaders?” There were, however, a few Indians who seemed unconcerned by the latest developments.

“It doesn’t make much difference to me who runs the country,” said a Suva market vendor. “People still have to eat, and so I’ll still make a living.” A Suva company executive, who said he planned to stay “in the country of my father,” said Colonel Rabuka’s actions would hurt Fijians more than Indians. “This will hurt Fijians most," he said. “Look at who has lost the most jobs — Fijians, not Indians. No tourists will come here now, and most of the hotels employ Fijians more than Indians.” Many Indians declined to say anything about the latest development in Fiji’s political and constitutional crisis which has now dragged on for five months. “What can I say? Fiji is finished,” said one. One of the few prominent Indians to be heard from yesterday, the president of the Fiji Law Society, Shamshud-Din Sahu Khan, said: “I am greatly shocked the colonel made his announcement while the nation slept “The people woke up and thought it was a nightmare.”