Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-09-07-Speech-4-233"
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"en.20000907.10.4-233"2
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"Mr President, the events that have unfolded in Fiji over the past few months seem to be taken straight from a soap opera. Unfortunately, they are for real. What is more, Fiji is an ACP country which enjoys considerable benefits thanks to the sugar protocol with the European Union. It is almost ironic that the new partnership deal, which considers democracy to be of paramount importance, was signed in Fiji at a time when that country was hit by a coup d’état. It illustrates, once again, how fragile democracy is, even in regions where it seemed to be an established value.
But the Fiji story is more complicated than that. There is a delicate balance of power between the indigenous population and the population of Indian origin, who make up 44% of the population. The army plays a dubious role. The attacks on Indian properties could apparently take place undisturbed and without any intervention by the body of officials responsible for order. In fact, certain elements within the army openly chose the side of the army taking part in the coup. There are the recent revelations about the role of Mr Speight in the lucrative timber industry, which put the whole matter in a completely new light. According to recent information, he was apparently discharged as chairman of the state enterprise which manages mahogany plantations, and earlier in the year, he was in danger of missing out on a major contract for the development of hardwood. All this seems to suggest that personal and economic, rather than political, interests were behind the coup. Be that as it may, Speight’s undemocratic behaviour has plunged a whole country into a deep political and economic crisis. Tourism, which represented one third of the gross domestic product, has dropped to less than one fifth. Ethnic tension is once again mounting. Thousands of inhabitants of Indian origin are still on the run, and the events in Fiji are also prejudicing the promising dynamic in the region which was to culminate in the Pacific Regional Trade Agreement. The European Parliament which, in its agreements with the ACP partners, makes strict demands regarding democracy and human rights, can and must condemn such a course of events. We need to continue to demand that the safety of all citizens be guaranteed and that any form of ethnic division and provocation be penalised. Speight should not be let off the hook. Above all, we must work towards the return of true democracy within the meaning of the 1997 Constitution, which guarantees equal rights to all inhabitants of Fiji, and it is true that elections must be called as soon as possible. A three-year transitional period is not acceptable. If the interim government fails to restore democratic order within a reasonable period of time, sanctions must be considered, preferably ‘smart’
sanctions, and structural aid must be suspended. Consultations on this matter will be starting in September. I do hope that the Commission will stick to its principles and will not succumb to political or economic pressure. As we are about to embark on a new major partnership agreement between Europe and its partners in the ACP, it is of paramount importance not to create a precedent."@en1
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