Yearbook 2010
Fiji. In 2010, Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama further
tightened control over Fiji's citizens, including through
tougher media laws and revoked rights of people who
criticize him. Since Bainimarama took power in a military
coup in December 2006, the regime has become increasingly
dictatorial.
In January, Bainimarama introduced a decree which meant
that all retired civil servants who criticized the
government would have their pensions withdrawn. According to
COUNTRYAAH, the former
coup maker and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka was the first
to retire. He also had his service car seized by military
personnel. Rabuka said he was surprised because he did not
know that he had opposed the government. In early February,
a Fijian newspaper reported that about 20 former ministers
had their pensions and other benefits withdrawn in
accordance with the decree.
On February 2, the trial began against eight Fijians
charged with plotting to overthrow the government and murder
Bainimarama, former Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and
state prosecutor Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. On March 6, the men
were sentenced to between three and seven years in prison
for the murder conspiracies.
In mid-March, the cyclone caused Thomas two deaths and
major material damage in the northern and eastern parts of
the island. The islands of Lau and Lomaiviti were hit hard,
as was the north coast of the country's second largest
island Vanua Levu, where the government declared a state of
emergency. About 17,000 people were evacuated from their
homes. The cyclone caused $ 19 million in damage to
buildings, infrastructure and agriculture. Fiji received
disaster assistance from Australia, New Zealand and China.
In April, the government introduced, through decrees, new
comprehensive media laws to increase control over the
country's media. A media authority and a media court would
be created. Under the new law, at least 90 percent of all
media would be owned by local companies. In addition, the
new laws regulate content, advertisements, ethics and more
in the media. Media owners or journalists who do not comply
with the new laws risk high fines or imprisonment for up to
five years. Many considered the laws to be inhumane. The
Minister of Justice, as well as the Chancellor of Justice,
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, announced at the end of June that the
media that was not owned by at least 90 percent of Fijians
would have three months to "arrange" their ownership. The
minister acknowledged that the decree was mainly aimed at
the Australian-owned daily Fiji Times.
In September, it was reported that the media group that
owned the Fiji Times had agreed to sell the magazine to a
Fijian company.
In April, Radio New Zealand International (RNZI) revealed
that a decree signed on March 22 gave immunity to all those
involved in the 2006 Bainimarama coup. Amnesty also got
those involved in the coup led by George Speight in 2000
that Bainimarama actively participated.
In July, the Fijian authorities expelled Australian top
diplomat Sarah Roberts, who had criticized Bainimarama and
demanded that he quit military rule and reinstate democracy.
She was given 24 hours to leave the country with her family.
In November 2009, Robert's representatives had met the same
fate. Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith expressed
dissatisfaction with Fiji's actions. However, Australia
chose not to take revenge by expelling Fiji's diplomats from
Australia, since Smith said it was important to continue
having diplomatic contacts with Fiji.
Fiji's relations with Australia, New Zealand, the US and
the EU have deteriorated since Bainimarama took power. At
the same time, Fiji has expanded its contacts with China,
which, according to Bainimarama, "understands" his reforms.
During a visit to China in July - August, Bainimarama said
Fiji would develop its relations with China. He also said
that Fiji should abandon its traditional contacts with
Australia, New Zealand and the United States, in addition to
pure trade relations. Bainimarama's China visit aimed to
seek financial assistance and investment for the kingdom.
And the visit gave results. On December 31, the two
countries signed an agreement promising the US $ 4.5 million
in aid to Fiji.
The former prime minister and the country's main
opposition leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, was indicted in July
for money laundering, tax fraud and for not declaring his
assets in foreign currency during the period 2000-10. Then
he was released on bail. Chaudhry, who is the leader of the
Labor Party (Fiji Labor Party) and who has severely
criticized Bainimarama's rule, was arrested again in early
October. He was then accused of holding a public meeting,
which is prohibited by the state of emergency. In November,
a lawsuit was initiated against Chaudhry, which was later
postponed until January 2011.
Three teenage boys, who had been driving around in a
small boat in the Pacific for 50 days, were rescued by a
fishing boat and taken dehydrated and taken to Fiji in late
November. The boys, who come from the island of Atafu in the
New Zealand island group Tokelau, had embarked on an
aluminum boat on October 5. They would make a short boat
trip, but the fuel ran out and they drifted out on the high
seas. The teens survived on rainwater, some coconuts they
had with them, small fish that jumped into the boat and a
bird they managed to catch and eat raw. On November 25, they
were found by a fishing boat near Fiji, about 130 land miles
from Atafu. On the home island, relatives and friends had
gathered for a funeral act as it was feared that the boys,
two 15-year-olds and a 14-year-old, had drowned. The joy was
very great when they were rescued after almost two months at
sea.
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