Posted on 08/03/2002 7:08:27 PM PDT by Red Jones
Indians are like weeds, says Fiji minister
Suva, Aug 3
A Fiji cabinet minister who likened ethnic Indians to "weeds taking up space" this week came under fierce attack from politicians, Fiji's ethnic Indian community and women's groups.
Minister for Women Asenaca Caucau made the remark in Parliament and Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase's silence over the issue has not helped his government's image.
He says any action was up to Speaker Epeli Nailatikau. "He decides whatever goes in the house and I have left the matter with him," Qarase said.
Race relations are tense among Fiji's 830,000 people, 51 percent of whom are indigenous Polynesian or Melanesian, while 44 percent are ethnic Indian.
An Indian-dominated government was overthrown in a coup in 1987 and the first Indian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, was overthrown in a 2000 coup.
Caucau told Parliament Monday that Indians were like weeds taking up space just as they were doing globally. She was speaking in Fijian.
She blamed Chaudhry for the 2000 coup attributing it to his "arrogant leadership style". Later she told television her comments were "not racist".
"I am not racist ... I have been receiving calls all day long from people thanking me for saying that," Caucau said.
Caucau told the Daily Post she did not mean "to make any problems in making her statement", maintaining that she was voicing her constituency's concerns and that her statement was aimed at "national reconciliation and not against this spirit."
But local media has been dominated with outrage over the remarks. Fiji Women's Crisis center's Edwina Kotoisuva said Caucau's statement was an embarrassment to all Christians because her comments about Indians and her Christian God "were made in the same breath."
Caucau has made headlines for holding prayer meetings with her senior officers before any meeting, formal or otherwise.
She tried to visit convicted coup leader George Speight on Nukulau Island here without permission, later saying she wanted to pray with him and the prisoners.
Caucau's statement has deepened existing divisions based on ethnicity. Most pressure groups here are still either indigenous Fijian-dominated like the Soqosoqo Vakamarama or Indian-dominated like the Shri Sanatan Dharma Pratinidhi Sabha.
Even Gujratis, a section of the Indian community, who have largely remained in the commercial sector and not the political arena, have been moved to say their bit.
Businessman Champak Patel in a letter to the Fiji Times that "this definitely does not augur well for the government nor for what she has been proclaiming to do for and about Fiji in the world scene."
"She must apologise and take her words back. Failing that, her SDL party will lose independent supporters such as myself," Patel said.
Referring to her wild grass comment, Patel said "Well that's now growing on all the agricultural land taken back after non-renewal of leases," a reference to the former sugar cane growing land that used to be used by Indians but has now reverted to Fijian control.
National Federation Party secretary Pramod Rae said Indian women who would have certainly been insulted by her comments would now be reluctant to deal with her.
Rae added Indian Parliamentarians should not stoop to "the same gutter-level as Caucau."
Fiji Labour Party administrator John Ali, said Caucau's comments reflected her "true colors and mental state."
Ali said it was not the first time for Caucau adding her statement "is not only a sign of psychosomatic disorder but a sign of manic depression psychosis. In this light, I suggest she consider whether Parliament is the right place for her."
Women Action for Change co-ordinator, Penny Moore, questioned the impact Caucau's statement would have on the women pressure groups, which have been at the forefront of the movement of reconciliatory efforts that has been largely ignored by the state.
"She should stop preaching the gospel to others because she is a hypocrite and has embarrassed all true Christians in the process. Her life and words should be the gospel that non-Christians read," letter writer Christine Goundar wrote.
Unlike previous reactions to such widespread outcry against this government, there has been no letter in support of Caucau or the State and no government official has come to her defence.
With those symptoms I'd say she's a fit for any Parliament or Congress....
Why must we sacrifice our culture, history, heritage and language just because we are afraid of offending someone? Why are we afraid to demand that those that wish to call the US their home assimilate?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.