Kelvin
Anthony RNZ Pacific digital/social
lead
Controversial, profanity-laden remarks made by
the head of the Fijian Teachers Association (FTA) while
defending Indigenous chiefs and threatening to “roast”
critics in earth ovens have sparked a major political
storm.
On Monday, FTA general-secretary Paula
Manumanunitoga made a Facebook post weighing in on the constitutional
reform debate currently dominating the country.
It
comes as Fijians prepare to mark their 56th Independence
Anniversary on Saturday.
Manumanunitoga specifically
challenged those who he believed questioned the place and
role of iTaukei chiefs in the governance of
Fiji.
“Saying they do not have a place in the
administration of this country, didn’t anyone tell you how
and why you’re here in this country instead of your original
country?,” he wrote in all capital letters in the
post.
“How quickly you have forgotten how you have
come to exist here in Fiji? You and your kind are here
because of the decision our chiefs made to cede Fiji to
Queen Victoria of Great Britain in October 1874.
“So
shut the [expletive] up and mind your own business before we
catch you and roast you in earth ovens !!!! You’re free to
go anywhere, do whatever business you like but do not be
disrespectful to belittle our chiefs or become thick-headed
by whatever you’ve achieved in this country.”
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His
post, which is public, remains online and has attracted
widespread criticism from political figures and the
public.
Major political leaders have condemned
Manumanunitoga’s remarks, calling them “disgraceful”,
“disturbing” and “racially divisive”.
The Fijian
government has remained silent on Manumanunitoga’s comments
with no statements made by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka or
his Information Minister Lynda Tabuya, who is usually vocal
against harmful and divisive digital
communications.
However, Fiji’s Women and Children’s
Minister Shashi Kiran has called for his resignation, to
which Manumanunitoga has also hit back, saying Kiran had not
released any statements when “they were swearing at our
chiefs”.
Fiji’s parliamentary opposition leader Inia
Seruiratu and the National Federation Party leader Biman
Prasad have both called for Fiji Police to investigate his
statements.
Seruiratu wants police to determine
whether Manumanunitoga has committed any offences under
Fiji’s laws relating to threats, incitement to violence and
communal antagonism.
“No individual, regardless of
their position, ethnicity or standing in society, should be
above the law,” he said.
Social Democratic Liberal
Party (Sodelpa) leader Aseri Radrodro said while
Manumanunitoga is entitled to his views “freedom of
expression must be exercised with responsibility, maturity,
and respect”.
“There comes a time when we must draw a
clear line between standing up for our traditional leaders
and resorting to hostility, vulgarity, and explicit threats
against our fellow citizens,” Radrodro said.
He warned
that such rhetoric risks creating deep ethnic divisions
among Fijians.
“Our chiefs are integral to our
history, identity, and the fabric of our nation, and they
should not be subjected to personal attacks or contempt.
However, defending our chiefs does not require threatening
others or telling our fellow citizens to ‘shut up’ and
leave.”
Manumanunitoga issues public
apology
Manumanunitoga has now issued a public
apology for his remarks and is claiming that he is being
wrongly labelled a racist.
Soon after RNZ Pacific
published this story around midday on Friday, he issued an
apology to the Indo-Fijian community and anyone else who he
said may have been offended by his comments.
“This
post was purely done in retaliation to racist remarks that
was addressed to Fiji’s chiefs posted on various Facebook
posts and comments by some Indo-Fijians who I particularly
addressed my comments to,” he wrote.
He said the
alleged negative comments was a “direct insult” to the
iTaukei community.
“And no one dared to address it,
not even the very people who are now calling me ra racist
nor government officials or
parliamentarians.”
However, he said he had many
friends and colleagues who are Fijians of Indian descent
“who we share many good times together and help each other
in times of need”.
“I normally get along with people
of different races but for me personally I cannot take
negative racism and remarks lying down.
“Please accept
my sincere apology. Please forgive me If I may have offended
you in any way,” he wrote on Facebook in all capital
letters.
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