• Fiji Islands *Fiji’s military regime was suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth on 8th December 2006:
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Fiji Islands *Fiji’s military regime was suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth on 8th December 2006 - Politics

When elections were held in May 1992, the National Federation Party (NFP) and the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) reconsidered their prior announcement of a boycott and took part, winning 14 and 13 of the Indo-Fijian seats respectively, while the Fijian Political Party (or SVT, formed by the Great Council of Chiefs in June 1990) won 30 of the 37 ethnic Fijian seats. SVT leader Sitiveni Rabuka became prime minister with the support of the FLP in exchange for a promise that there would be a review of the constitution and of labour and land laws. This support was withdrawn when the review was not forthcoming: the 1994 budget was not approved by parliament and Rabuka resigned.

As a result, further elections were held in February 1994. The SVT won 31 of the 37 ethnic Fijian seats and the NFP, now led by Jai Ram Reddy, 20 of the 27 Indo-Fijian seats. In June, Rabuka set up a Constitutional Review Commission, headed by a former governor-general of New Zealand, Sir Paul Reeves. This commission finally reported in September 1996. Despite strong opposition in some nationalist quarters, more than half the commission’s 700 recommendations were incorporated in the constitution.

Since these changes had been implemented following consultation with the representatives of all communities including the Great Council of Chiefs, had been accepted by the representatives of all the communities and had received unanimous support in parliament, Fiji resumed its membership of the Commonwealth in October 1997 and the new 1997 constitution came into force in July 1998.

The first general election under the 1997 constitution, held in May 1999, resulted in a surprise defeat for the ruling SVT (with only eight of the 71 seats) and its new allies the NFP (no seats) by a coalition led by the FLP (37 seats) and including the Fijian Association Party (FAP, ten seats), the Party of National Unity (PANU, four seats) and the recently formed Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA, three seats). The turnout was high at these elections where voting was compulsory.

Following his victory, FLP leader Mahendra Chaudhry became the first Indo-Fijian prime minister and, despite his party’s overall majority in the House of Representatives, he formed a cabinet representing all four of the coalition partners. His priorities were to defuse ethnic tensions and restore economic growth after the sharp contractions of 1997–99.

Soon after the elections, Rabuka resigned and was replaced as SVT leader by Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, who had been a minister in the Rabuka administration.

In May 2000, armed ethnic Fijians, led by George Speight, overthrew the government, occupying the parliament building and taking about 40 hostages – including the prime minister. There then ensued continuous negotiations between the army and the rebels until the deadlock was finally broken in July, when the hostages were released, a new civilian president and ‘emergency’ government were appointed and backed by the military. In June the country was suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth pending the restoration of democracy. In July Speight and some of his supporters were arrested and charged with treason.

In October 2000, President Ratu Josefa Iloilo appointed a constitutional review commission to recommend a new constitutional arrangement for Fiji Islands. In December 2000, Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon appointed Justice Pius N Langa, Deputy President of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, as his special envoy to help accelerate the restoration of democracy and promote national unity.

A general election was held under the new constitution from 25 August to 5 September 2001 when 26 political parties participated (ten more than in 1999). In a poll that was judged by international including Commonwealth observers to reflect the will of the people, Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) took 32 seats, pushing FLP (27 seats) into second place, followed by Matanitu Vanua (six). SDL leader and head of the interim government Laisenia Qarase was sworn in as prime minister. Following the country’s return to democratic government, the suspension from Commonwealth councils was lifted in December 2001.

A row soon erupted, however, when Qarase failed to appoint any FLP members to his cabinet or the Senate. An impasse continued, with Qarase only prepared to appoint ministers he felt he could work with, and Chaudhry insisting on his constitutional rights. In February 2002 the High Court ruled Qarase had failed to comply with the constitution when he appointed his cabinet and in July 2003 the Supreme Court upheld this judgment. But the impasse endured, with the two parties unable to agree on a list of cabinet appointments, the key issues being the number of FLP members (14 or 17) and whether Chaudhry himself should be included.

The May 2006 general election was won by SDL with 36 seats, while FLP took 31 seats and the United People’s Party (UPP) two. Commonwealth observers present reported that the result reflected the wishes of the people. Qarase continued as prime minister and, in accordance with the constitution, appointed a cabinet in which nine posts were filled by FLP. FLP leader Chaudhry declined a position for himself.

In December 2006 the army took control of government dismissing the prime minister and president; and head of the army Frank Bainimarama assumed the presidency. This coup was immediately condemned by the international community and at a meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on 8 December Fiji Islands’ military regime was suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth pending restoration of democracy and the rule of law in the country. In January 2007 Bainimarama reinstated the president and became interim prime minister.