India - stay the f**k away from our politics

The attempt by the Indian goverment to assist the current thug regime is not only pathetic but very disturbing. This is a clear attempt by the snake - Chaudry to consolidate and strengthen the Indian governement's influence in our country which will serve none other than his own long term political aspirations.

The impending financial crisis in the country is playing right into chaudry's hands and can only be a better reason for asking the Indians to come rescue us from the crisis.

Here is how i think all of this is going to play into chaudry's hands. The Indian assistance will of course come with certain conditions that has to be met inorder for the assistance to come through and continue. And since no other right thinking democracy will want to offer any financial assistance to this thug regime - they will have no choice but to comply. Im sure Chaudry has already offered a few suggestions to the Indian government in his recent visit.

Now, these conditions will of course be demands for reforms in our social and political systems - and can be anything from reforms in the Fijian land administration (which chaudry clearly wants abrogated), to the "i qoliqqoli", and the private sector.

Any demand for reforms will of course start at the private sector level- we will be asked to relax our capital accounts to allow for more Indian investment in our country. This is a good thing for us but it will also be the ideal foundation for chaudry's plot - as it will greatlty strengthen Indian dominance in the economy and will be the framework for him to interfere with our political power bases - this primarily lies in our ownership of more than 80% of land in this country (administered in trust by the NLTB).

Yes, whoever owns the land holds power in Fiji and the only way to take power from us is to dissolve the NLTB under the cover of some land reform, which will mean that indigenous owned lands can then be freely traded in the market - which we all know will be the end of our political control in our own country.

Now, this doesnt only endanger our political interests but at the same time a recipe for more unrest and instability in the future. Some of his own people have now realised chaudry's poltical ambitions and have condemned India's reckless decision on fijitimes today. Salim Singh of the Fiji India Association in New Zealand said,

"My personal reaction is that what the Indian government is doing is repugnant to every moral fibre and instinct of my body, in that the current government of Fiji is illegal...It has been formed after the overthrow of a democratically elected government and the Indian government should have resiled from giving any assistance to Fiji at this stage until that country returns to democracy.''

I fully support you Singh, it is unfortunate that the Indian government can be so reckless to listen to the likes of chaudry for advice on the current political situation in Fiji, especially given his part in the thug regime currently in power.

This is my message to the Indian government,

"stay the f**k away from our politics, the best help you can offer us right now is to condemn the thug regime that hold us prisoners in our own country and pressure them to give the government back to the people."

Vinaka.