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FJIH: Fiji Homepage
Fiji (Fijian: Matanitu ko Viti; Fijian Hindustani: फ़िजी فِجی), officially
the Republic of the Fiji Islands, is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean
east of Vanuatu, west of Tonga and south of Tuvalu. The country occupies an
archipelago of about 322 islands, of which 106 are permanently inhabited, and
522 islets. The two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for 87% of
the population. The name Fiji is the old Tongan word for the islands, which in
turn is derived from the Fijian name Viti.
History
History of Fiji
The first inhabitants of Fiji arrived from South East Asia long before contact
with European explorers in the seventeenth century. Pottery excavated from
Fijian towns showed that Fiji was settled before or around 1000 BC. This
question of Pacific migration still lingers. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman
visited Fiji in 1643 while looking for the Great Southern Continent. It was not
until the nineteenth century, however, that Europeans settled the islands
permanently. The islands came under British control as a colony in 1874, and the
British brought over Indian contract labourers. It was granted independence in
1970. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987 because the
government was perceived as dominated by the Indo-Fijian (Indian) community. The
second 1987 coup saw the British monarchy and the Governor General replaced by a
non-executive President, and the country changed the long form of its name from
Dominion of Fiji to Republic of Fiji (and to Republic of the Fiji Islands in
1997). The coups contributed to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss
resulted in economic difficulties but ensured that Melanesians became the
majority.
In 1990, the new Constitution institutionalised the ethnic Fijian domination of
the political system. The Group Against Racial Discrimination (GARD) was formed
to oppose the unilaterally imposed constitution and restore the 1970
constitution. Sitiveni Rabuka, the Lieutenant Colonel who carried out the 1987
coup became Prime Minister in 1992, following elections held under the new
constitution. Three years later, Rabuka established the Constitutional Review
Commission, which in 1997 led to a new Constitution, which was supported by most
leaders of the indigenous Fijian and Indo-Fijian communities. Fiji is
re-admitted to the Commonwealth of Nations.
The new millennium brought along another coup, instigated by George Speight,
that effectively toppled the government of Mahendra Chaudhry, who became Prime
Minister following the 1997 constitution. Commodore Frank Bainimarama assumed
executive power after the resignation, possibly forced, of President Mara. Fiji
was rocked by two mutinies at Suva's Queen Elizabeth Barracks, later in 2000
when rebel soldiers went on the rampage. The High Court ordered the
reinstatement of the constitution, and in September 2001, a General election was
held to restore democracy, which was won by interim Prime Minister Laisenia
Qarase's Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua party.
In 2005, amid much controversy, the Qarase government proposed a Reconciliation
and Unity Commission, with power to recommend compensation for victims of the
2000 coup, and amnesty for its perpetrators. However, the military strongly
opposed this bill, especially the army's commander, Frank Bainimarama. He agreed
with detractors who said that it was a sham to grant amnesty to supporters of
the present government who played roles in the coup. His attack on the
legislation, which continued unremittingly throughout May and into June and
July, further strained his already tense relationship with the government. In
late November 2006 and early December 2006, Bainimarama was instrumental in the
2006 Fijian coup d'état. Bainimarama handed down a list of demands to Qarase
after a bill was put forward to parliament, part of which would have offered
pardons to participants in the 2000 coup attempt. He gave Qarase an ultimatum
date of 4 December to accede to these demands or to resign from his post. Qarase
adamantly refused to either concede or resign and on 5 December President, Ratu
Josefa Iloilo, was said to have signed a legal order dissolving Parliament after
meeting with Bainimarama.
For a country of its size, Fiji has large armed forces, and has been a major
contributor to UN peacekeeping missions in various parts of the world.
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