The reasons put forward by Bainimarama for carrying out his 2006 coup provide a good parallel of Fiji’s post-coup state of instability. His justifications have been wandering all over Fiji’s political landscape and represent the height of insincerity.
These days we are plagued by acronyms. The Commonwealth is no exception. High in its vocabulary is CMAG the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group. To be CMAGGED is a form of disgrace member countries do not like.
Fiji is currently getting that treatment because it has abrogated its constitution, entrenched authoritarian rule under military ruler Commodore Bainimarama, violated human rights, freedom of speech and assembly, detained opponents, and undermined the judiciary.
The Commonwealth was the first international organisation to create such machinery of self-discipline. Heads of government produced it at their Auckland summit in 1995. A main aim was to prevent power being seized from legally elected governments.
Zimbabwe is emerging from a serious political conflict and an economic meltdown. In those circumstances, Zimbabwe has received wide-ranging humanitarian support in the past and we thank the international community for that. But we need to move to a stage where transitional support is targeted ensuring the transition moves on and is consolidated. My appeal is for transitional support in the key areas that will strengthen the capacity of the new state in the new political dispensation these include education, health, water and agriculture for food self-sufficiency. These are, I admit, insatiable needs, but we have to limit ourselves to the committed resources.
How can the Commonwealth help Zimbabwe? Should we be doing more? And is progress possible with Mugabe as President? Discuss below.
Considerable rumours circulated worldwide this week about the imminence of Fiji’s full suspension from the Commonwealth at the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) held today, Friday 31st July, in London. However at the meeting, CMAG’s 9 Foreign Ministers agreed to give the Fijian regime 1 more month to reactivate the President’s Political Dialogue Forum process, facilitated by the Commonwealth and the United Nations.
Rwanda was welcomed with virtual open arms at the 2007 Kampala Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni giving energetic support to his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame.
Have you read the Commonwealth’s 1991 Harare Declaration, which defines the association’s fundamental political values. Does your country live up to them? Continue reading…
Dr. Mohan Kaul, Director-General of the Commonwealth Business Council, says the Commonwealth is a vastly underexploited network that can be a force for good in supporting global stability. Continue reading…
Amitav Banerji, Director of Political Affairs at the Commonwealth Secretariat, says ‘promoting democracy is a powerful raison d’etre for the Commonwealth in the 21st century’.
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On the day Fiji is fully suspended from the Commonwealth, Dr. Mere Tuisalalo Samisoni, legal elected member of Lami Open Consituency in 2006, gives her thoughts:
These days we are plagued by acronyms. The Commonwealth is no exception. High in its vocabulary is CMAG the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group. To be CMAGGED is a form of disgrace member countries do not like.