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Fijian parties unite to keep Chaudhry out

Shailendra Singh in Suva

With deposed prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry's party tipped to form the majority in Parliament, indigenous Fijian political groups are going to extraordinary lengths to block his return to power.

The bitterly divided ethnic Fijian parties have one thing in common -- they don't want an ethnic Indian prime minister. And they are uniting against the man they see as a common enemy.

Chaudhry, the country's first ethnic Indian prime minister, was ousted in a coup in 2000.

It is alleged that Fiji's influential Methodist Church is also backing the anti-Chaudhry move. Over 80 per cent of ethnic Fijians are Methodists.

The Fiji Sun reported moves by two of the biggest ethnic Fijian parties to jointly sign a declaration aimed at blocking attempts by Chaudhry's Fiji Labour Party to form the next government.

The declaration is being prepared by a group of ethnic Fijian lawyers. They hope to draw in several smaller splinter groups formed just ahead of the elections.

The president of the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei party, Epeli Mataitini, said the aim was to revive the Fijian political parties forum that collapsed prior to the elections due to infighting and pave the way for a Fijian national coalition to lead the next government.

"We need Fijian leadership as this is the only way the country will have stability," he said.

The SVT was in power under prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka before losing in the 1999 elections to Labour, which paved the way for Chaudhry to become prime minister.

The Soqosoqo Ni Lewe ni Vanua party spokesman echoed the views of his SVT counterpart and supported the idea of a grand Fijian coalition.

The SDL, led by caretaker prime minister Laisenia Qarase, is expected to win the most Fijian seats.

The Fiji Sun, in an editorial, condemned the move as unconstitutional.

"Why should these people want to usurp the wishes of the people? If people want Chaudhry back as PM, why stop them? Why should the views of a minority override the views of the majority?" said the newspaper.

Fiji's staggered weeklong polling has largely progressed smoothly, with close to two-thirds of the 480,000 eligible voters having cast their vote.

But the real test will be when the results are known and the horse-trading between parties begins.

Indo-Asian News Service

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