Based on current reports, the coup in Fiji is a a disaster for Fijians. So too are the sanctions imposed on Fijians by the Clark Government.
I say "imposed on Fijians" instead of "imposed on Fiji" since it is not the perpetrators of the coup but Fijians themselves that will suffer most from the severing of sporting ties, the removal of aid and scholarships, and the ban on Fijian immigration to NZ and on seasonal work in NZ for Fijians. Just as U.S. sanctions on Cuba, for example, have caused no pain at all to Castro but immense pain to individual Cubans, so too Clark's sanctions will hurt Fijians, but not its new military leaders.
Sanctions on military associations aside, the sanctions will have no effect on Bainimarama -- they are more about us feeling better about being ineffectual than they are about effecting any improvement for Fijians.
LINKS: NZ imposes Fiji sanctions - TVNZ
RELATED: Politics-World, Politics-NZ
6 comments:
PC said...
[...so too Clark's sanctions will hurt Fijians.]
I think that Helen Clark should send Nicky Hager & Ian Wishart to Fiji to investigate Mr. Bainimarama. I am sure that the 2 investigators would find heaps of dirt on Bainimarama's background, which if reveal in a book, then he might backdown and re-install the elected government of Prime Minister Qarase.
Maria - Won't the sanctions help the change back to democracy, that is what they are there for.
"Won't the sanctions help the change back to democracy?"
How?
What? They are banning the immigration of Fijians? And banning them from working here? That is just crazy! The work one is harmful on us, too, not just Fijians!
There is a problem with your idea, FF. Bainimarama won't allow "propaganda" about him to spread. So he'll just arrest them before they finish.
Hey, come to think of it, let's send them there! :-)
Kane Bunce said...
[So he'll just arrest them before they finish.]
I think Bainimarama will put them in a UMU (hangi).
PC, The imposition of sanctions upon (the citizens of) another country is all the likes of Helen Clark knows.
It's good old 70's marxist practise.
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