12th January, 2007

BRUCE C. WEARNE

Which person or institution is now arranging Fiji's agenda, making sure that Fijians can "go forward" with confidence? Who is "master of ceremonies" on the Fiji stage that is telling the world Fiji's story?

In the days leading up to 5th December, and immediately thereafter, one prominent Fijian, a vehement opponent of Laisenia Qarase's SDL party, allowed himself to be designated in "MC" terms. Ratu Epeli Ganilau, who is now a member of the interim cabinet, conceded that he has for some time been advising the military commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama. But he made the important qualification: the advice he was giving Commodore Bainimarama was never political, but always about ceremonial matters.

This fact is very instructive to us now, as we think about the character and structure of Fiji's current administration after the swearing in of the interim cabinet. It does not indicate a haphazard approach. It indicates the opposite - great depth in planning and forethought by those who have long since been supporting the demise of the Laisenia Qarase led Government by fair electoral means or otherwise.

"Ceremonial advice" is by no means incidental. Those who think this should think again. For, when a military commander plans a coup, he will be deeply conscious that he will face the accusation that he is trying to make himself into a dictator. This accusation will first arise among his troops and for him to move forward, he will need to demonstrate to them that this is not true. He will know that people will react to him, and his men, as if they are trying to take over their lives. And so the intention will form, that this coup has a limited goal - the better organisation of the political aspect of the nation's life. Politics, he will remind himself continually, is, after all, but one facet of any people's experience. A would-be coup leader will need therefore to think about the ceremonies he inaugurates to symbolise the limitations of his rule. And therefore a would-be coup leader will need a "ceremonial advisor"; a "master of ceremonies" who gives behind the scenes advice.

That's all very well if the self-designated MC stays out of sight and keeps his advice and comments to ceremonial matters. However, Ratu Epeli is also adept at giving advice to the nation, and this advice may have been less helpful to the military commander in his desire to be seen in limited and non-totalitarian terms. Why? It is not difficult to answer that question because we only have to listen to the advice that Ratu Epeli has been giving to the nation, speaking out and telling Fijians that they will simply have to get used to a "new reality". Note the term. It is not limited. It is total. And by so speaking Ratu Epeli has succeeded in undermining the military commander's intention to stage a strictly limited coup.

When Ratu Epeli tells Fijians to "face up to the new reality" he is advocating a distorted and misleading view of reality. We might want to ask him why he did not advise Fijians to seek justice? But this misleading advice has caught on and we note that other leading persons and institutions are also giving this advice. The latest example is the Methodist Church's public comments that this reality is God's will.

It is true that all justice-seeking Fijians will have to come to terms with the coup. But to suggest that the coup has made a new reality within which Fiji can now go forward is merely mythic nonsense parading under the name of "realism".

The Micah challenge (contained in the Bible, Micah 6:8) says something quite different about God's will. There is nothing in the Bible to say that Christians are called to "accept" unjust usurpers because reality demands it. On the contrary, the Bible clearly reveals that it is God's revealed will to obey God's authority in all one's doings, including one's respect to civil authority - however that civil administration may have come about. But to say that the new régime is "God's will" simply blurs the clearly revealed will of God for the followers of Jesus Christ and puts a stumbling block across the path of justice-seeking Christians who hear the words of their Master: "... if any man or woman would come after Me let him/her deny him/herself and take up his/her cross and follow me". This means that we Christians may well have to continue our witness by telling unjust usurpers that they are unjustly usurping the authority that God has given to government and face the consequences for such truth-telling.

What God's will is for the usurper, and for those who are now usurping part of this usurped authority, is, of course, for God to say and not for any human authority, not even Fiji's esteemed Methodist Church. Whether God will bring these usurpers to repentance and restore Fiji to just governance or not, is for God to say. It is not the task of any Christian church to say that the unlawful usurpation of power is God's will and thus this "reality" should be viewed as God's will. That is a serious departure from any shepherd's task to tend the flock by heeding the Word.

The Methodist Church should be guiding its flock to walk in the ways of the Lord despite all the injustices, structural and personal, that beset God's people in this life. What it might want to say is that the Methodist Church will continue to work and pray as a Christian church and ask God to give it the strength to do His will in Fiji in the current political confusion, to proclaim the Gospel and call all men and women to repentance, including those who have taken it upon themselves to stage manage ceremoniously the unjust usurpation of the God-given authority of civil government.

Which person or institution is now arranging Fiji's agenda, making sure that Fijians can "go forward" with confidence? Who is Master of Ceremonies on the Fiji stage that is telling the world Fiji's story? In truth, Fiji has but one master of ceremonies, the merciful and patient Lord of all Commanders and Master of all MCs, the merciful and patient Jesus Christ at God's Right hand. Those who lead public worship and who render advice for the conduct of important political occasions, will also find from Him the wisdom to keep to the path of justice and righteousness. That is His promise and He is not about to let His people down, not in Fiji, not anywhere.

Bruce C Wearne is the Australian and South West Pacific correspondent for Public Justice Report, Washington DC.

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