FIJI: Racist Views

23 June 2000
A letter to the Editor, Sunday Times

Racist views

(Sunday Times—June 18, 2000)

It is very sad to read sheer criticism and racist views by various writers to your column.

It has gone so far that some writers have even suggested that what was taken from the aborigines by the Australians, from the Red Indians by the Americans and from the Maori by the papalagi was all wrong.

These same people should, with completely objective and unbiased minds, ask themselves whether all these countries would have advanced to the stage they are at if land had not been taken away from them.

They should ask why many of them, just like George Speight, actually go and live in these countries, speak their foreign, imported language more fluently and expect better, more advanced services and financial rewards these countries have to offer.

Many indigenous people in the above mentioned countries live on generous government support and are able to educate their children in the form of scholarships and various other funds, similar to policies that we had in our still developing country, Fiji.

The people who blindly object to Fiji moving in pace with the rest of the advancing world, should reflect just how far and modernized the great nations such as Australia and America would have been with the slow indigenous pace and limited vision – if George Speight's vision of going back to the hunting and gathering age is any vision to go by.

How would they have fed their uncontrollably advancing population, provided the latest in medicine, technology and science? We in the poor countries rely on them and their medicine, their technology and their science to function and organize our own lives.

They should compare the problems, troubles, famine and a hundred other problems countries in Africa and other places are suffering with absolutely no solution in sight.

These are places where the indigenous people still retain their land and are in complete control.

Bloodshed, thuggery, looting and so forth are a common occurrence with many civilians showing the least respect for the rule of law.

Is this how our indigenous brothers and sisters envision Fiji?

Is this what George Speight wants when he tells his people to live in seclusion and not be bothered with the rest of the world?

It is the rest of the world that enables a state to function and be able to employ, and feed its people.

I pray that God give our people who have a misguided vision, to be able to see reality from the illusions in our pursuit forward for the betterment of human existence.

TASNEEM ALI

Nadi.

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