A Fijian Political Party for Everyone

The text below has been excerpted from an address by Mr. Qarase given on May 26 at the civic center in Suva, Fiji, to celebrate the founding of a new political party, the SDL, of which he is the leader. The Fiji Islands are located in the South Pacific, east of Australia and north of New Zealand. --Ed.

Ladies and gentlemen, supporters and friends of the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL). We are making history today. In the years to come we will remember May 26 as the date when SDL became a reality, when the dove and the olive branch first appeared publicly as a symbol of great hope and inspiration to our party.

The dove and the olive branch illustrate the Christian ideals, which form our founding values. They speak to us especially of peace, conciliation, new hope, a new order and national renewal. They remind us of our children and their welfare and our duty to the future generations. They should inspire us as a party to care for our country and all its citizens, to uphold law and order and to practice honesty and integrity in public life.

I have been asked on a number of occasions whether the SDL is just for the Fijians or whether it is open to people of other races. I've made it very clear that there are no racial restrictions on membership. We intend to make the SDL a rallying point for all citizens of Fiji. Our goal is to work for the betterment of everyone. All of us need to see things as they really are, not as we would like them to be. Unity among the people of Fiji cannot be produced just by speeches or statements in the media. Unity will never come while multi-racialism is used by some as a cover for racism. The existing political parties have not been successful in breaking down the walls which separate the communities. The constitution has so far been unable to improve inter- communal relations and the last government did nothing to bridge the divisions.

Ladies and gentlemen, we must face honestly and frankly the very real differences between the two main communities. These have been a defining feature of Fiji from the time the first Indian migrants came to our shores. The Indians and the Fijians were not encouraged to come together. In fact, it was colonial policy to try to keep the races apart. After independence, attempts at political integration had only limited success. Race continues to dictate political affiliations and voting patterns. Ours is an ethnically polarized society which is a recipe for instability. If the Fijians scatter their votes between half a dozen parties, while the support of our Indian citizens is concentrated in only two, there are obvious implications for the ultimate distribution of power. The SDL offers Fijians an alternative to the fragmentation and factionalism which saps their political strength and carries with it the seeds of chaos. I remain convinced that the best way of proceeding at present is to have one party representing the majority of Fijians. This is the concept behind the SDL.

My friends, there is a lot of debate about our Affirmative Action Blueprint for the advancement of the Fijians and Rotumans that is to become part of our manifesto. The blueprint affirms our vision of a country where different ethnic communities live in peace, harmony, and prosperity. It affirms our commitment to securing basic economic rights and a fairer division of wealth. At the moment, Fijians find themselves falling behind Fiji's other major race in education, the professions, business and income. The poorest and the most disadvantaged people in Fiji are the Fijians. We have no intention of threatening or depriving others. An SDL government would enact programs of assistance for the poor and needy of other communities. No one will be left out.

We want to see the constitution changed and will place this at the center of our party's agenda. We praise His Excellency the President for issuing a Warrant of Appointment for the continuation of the work of the Constitutional Review Commission.

Regarding land and land leasing arrangements, an SDL government will secure the land rights of the Fijians at all time. There will be no Land Use Commission that undermines the authority of the Native Land Trust Board. We will administer land policies in a spirit of partnership.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for attending this inaugural meeting. We have much to do before the elections. There is a party structure to put in place, members to recruit, funds to raise, candidates to endorse, and a campaign to manage. We commit ourselves to Fiji and its future.