Et tu Brutus: Bainimarama knifed by his own

By Michael Field
July 12, 2010

While Voreqe Bainimarama and his baggage peon were off in South Korea last week on yet another begging mission, the Melanesian Brotherhood knifed him, in the very best Julius Caesar fashion. In diplomatic and political terms, Bainimarama has taken a king hit.

No doubt, the Australian Spy and the assorted Camp Followers will quickly develop this devastating failure of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) as some Canberra plot. (Since this article was written. the Australian High Commissioner to Suva, Sarah Roberts has been expelled).

Perhaps it was all John Key’s doing, while in China (the same place Fiji is trying disturbingly selling its soul too), pulled the plug on the MSG Summit.

Not only has Bainimarama suffered heavily, the MSG itself is now a farce. The only argument will be over who killed it. Right now, it has Fiji’s fingerprints all over the corpse; the way it tried to use the Melanesian Brotherhood to fight a pointless war against Australia and New Zealand.

Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Edward Natapei says the MSG is off, a result of a “collective decision of the leaders of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Le Front de liberation nationale kanak et socialiste (FLNKS) of New Caledonia and Vanuatu in light of the current impasse within the grouping over the chairmanship of the MSG.”

Before noting the chairmanship issue, take note of who met to decide; not Fiji. The plotters met without the Fiji plotters and given the boasting that had gone on, Bainimarama, Bag Peon and Spy did not have a clue it was coming.

The best they can do now is attend a “special meeting” in Vanuatu with Natapei to resolve the matter.

Well, that will not happen, last time anybody took a shot at the commodore he ran in the other direction.

The MSG-Minus-Fiji took exception to Bainimarama chairing the MSG. The problem was raised by no lesser a leader than PNG’s Michael Somare. Bainimarama thought Somare has his closest regional friend. Et tu Michael?

As if the people of Fiji cannot read the obvious signs, Natapei spelt it out for them: “There are basic fundamental principles and values of democracy and good governance that our organisation is built on and we must continue to uphold them.”

Fiji had to restore parliamentary democracy.

“And as chairman, he said, "I wish to reiterate offers of support from the membership, to assist the Government of Fiji towards building commitment and capacity for genuine dialogue and reconciliation amongst Leaders at all levels of Fiji society, consistent with Melanesian values and traditional practices.”

Fiji issued a lame statement in reply.

Some junior fluky put his name to it – Bainimarama and Peon will not want to have anything to do with this and a probably tilting at Windmills some where else. Fiji says that “to our knowledge only Vanuatu has an issue with Fiji hosting the MSG Summit”. Fiji says PNG and the Solomons were happy with Fiji’s chairmanship.

If this is so, then it is the MSG that is stuffed.

The idiocy of Fiji’s position though is illustrated by this line: “And that understanding was based on the Melanesian custom of deferring to your host when entering his/her village or bure.”

What is so particularly “Melanesian” about that?

Nothing, but by offering the line they show again just how paranoid and lost Fiji has become.

No doubt the attacks will now turn on Melanesians who “do not understand Fiji”.

And anyway, why would somebody wanting enter a bure where the strutting host is just using you anyway?

Yesterday the MSG was best friend, today they are the new enemy.

In a queue of enemies.

The tragedy here is that the Bainimarama Ego has claimed yet another victim, while the people of Fiji continue to suffer.

Bainimarama simply wants endorsement and unwavering support; he does not want dialogue.

Footnote: The Fiji Government issued a statement last week saying that the Sailor and his Peon in Daejeon City held a “fruitful meeting with Mr Anoop Singh, IMF Director Asia
and Pacific Department”.
This is part of this continuing Military Government bid to beg for F$1 billion while asserting sovereignty, independence and pride in state.

Mr Singh, according to the Fiji Government “was very supportive of the Fiji Government’s continued efforts to improve on the economic front”.

Plainly, he did not write out a cheque.

In fact, he did nothing.

We have only Fiji’s view on Mr Singh’s postivity.

Check the IMF website, there is nothing on Fiji or happiness with Baimarama’s economic plan.

We can all but wonder.