NZ leads Rudd in treatment of pariah regime

Now, Rudd as foreign minister has gone on the attack again. While visiting Christchurch he told Guyon Espiner in a heated interview that Fiji must adhere to the standards and norms of the pif, the Commonwealth and the United Nations.

When asked why the Australian and New Zealand approach thus far has not worked with Fiji, Rudd dodged the question, saying it bought “into an assumption that the problem lies with the rest of us rather than with the Bainimarama regime.”

Rudd is clearly not interested in dialogue, unless there are more important gains to be made, such as Australia’s relationship with China.

Rudd did point out some home truths for Bainimarama:

“It is not right to sack your entire judiciary, that it is not right therefore to incarcerate ministers of religion, that it is not right to interfere with religious convention on denominations of the Christian religion, that it is not right to close down the media, that it is not right to suspend elections. Bainimarama is the one who must change here.”

But that is a tantrum we had five years ago.

The Pacific Institute of Public Policy has just issued a report on democracy in the Pacific. It says:

“The horse has already bolted, so better now to take Bainimarama at his word, to ensure that the promised 2014 elections are indeed free and fair.

“The continued bleating about the need for a ‘return to democracy’ in Fiji fails to grasp an important point: democracy never meaningfully existed in Fiji.”

Rudd’s problem is that he is not helping Fiji change. In his place, others are making gains.

US involvement
Adjunct Professor at Fiji's National University, Dr Richard Herr told Radio Australia that the US investing in Fiji was a sign that other democratic countries in the region were failing, and the US is concerned that other powers are gaining influence in the region.

Even Fiji’s Chief Justice of the High Court, Anthony Gates, an Australian citizen, said that Australia and New Zealand have hindered Fiji’s efforts.

"Australia and New Zealand have hampered our progress in restoring the judiciary at all levels,” he said.