Ethnic eruptions in Fiji<\/p>\n
The civilized world will unanimously condemn the crude attempt
\nto topple the democratically elected government in Fiji, in
\nparticular to oust its prime minister. That the principal victim
\nis of Indian origin is only an additional reason why India and
\nIndians will be outraged by the manner in which a gang of
\ndisgruntled but apparently powerful men have held Mr. Mahendra
\nChaudhary and his cabinet at gunpoint inside the country's
\nParliament. Whatever the final outcome of the effort to end the
\ncrisis, the way the so-called coup leader, Mr. George Speight,
\nhas held out threats and subjected the country's Prime Minister
\nand others to unbearable psychological and physical pressure is
\nreprehensible.<\/p>\n
The Indian diaspora, unlike the Chinese and others, in some
\nrespects was a colonial legacy as the British recruited
\nindentured labor to serve in their distant colonies and helped in
\nthe transplantation of large populations. Decolonization threw up
\nproblems. Where people of Indian origin assimilated themselves in
\nthe local society, as in the West Indies and South Africa,
\neverything was easy and smooth.<\/p>\n
Problems began elsewhere when native politicians started to
\ntarget these ethnic groups in their attempt to capture and retain
\npower. Eastern Africa in the seventies saw much turmoil and
\nuprooting of people of Indian origin. In pockets like Fiji
\nattempts to construct a multiethnic society in the post-colonial
\nera have been repeatedly thwarted by interested groups. These
\nmust be defeated and the country helped to evolve acceptable
\nconstitutional arrangements that safeguard the rights of the
\nminorities while providing for the majority's unhindered
\nprogress.<\/p>\n
People of Indian origin must be allowed to live with dignity
\nand self-respect and not be reduced to the status of second class
\ncitizens. The international community must make it clear that it
\nwill not countenance the creation of a system which does not
\nrespect and protect the rights of all Fijians regardless of the
\naccident of their ethnicity.<\/p>\n
-- The Hindu, New Delhi<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ethnic-eruptions-in-fiji-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }