Analysis: Day Of Shame On A Sydney Street
No one begrudges their right to protest against Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama in Sydney.
But the foul-mouthed Fijian protesters lost the plot when they hurled verbal abuse using iTaukei swear words which we cannot publish in this newspaper because of its vulgarity.
It was a day of shame on this Sydney street as this small noisy group, stood with placards that had these swear words written on them prominently displayed.
The protest was held while Mr Bainimarama and his delegation attended a talanoa session.
It is disturbing to hear that among them were some Christian church pastors.
When one of them was caught swearing, he responded “it was a slip of the tongue”. The rest of the crowd burst out laughing as if this was all a joke.
This was neither a joke nor entertainment. This was serious stuff.
No matter how much they hate Mr Bainimarama, it did not give them the justification to use swear words in public for the whole world to hear and see. It is uniTaukei, unFijian and unChristian. They let their emotions take control and influence them to descend to gutter level politics.
Their disgraceful behaviour and language is a shame on the iTaukei, their culture and deep-seated religious faith and belief. Their extreme political views have clouded their better judgement.
They should hang their heads in shame. If they were trying to mimic what National Federation Party member of Parliament Lenora Qereqeretabua said in Parliament that was no excuse.
Ms Qereqeretabua uttered swear words that she claimed she heard Mr Bainimarama said to her colleague Pio Tikoduadua.
That incident was private and between two people. It only became public when it was raised in Parliament and the social media including the release of a video footage by those with a political agenda.
That incident cannot justify what happened in Sydney where some of the perpetrators themselves proudly live streamed the protest.
Whatever took place, two wrongs don’t make a right.
Freedom to protest comes with responsibility. The protesters were setting a bad example especially to young children.
Would that pastor there teach his congregration and his family to swear? Of course not. So why was he there on a public road swearing at the PM and his associates?
It is public knowledge that most if not all the protesters were iTaukei, SODELPA supporters and Christians. Political protests are fine if they focus on issues, not on abusive and swear words.
When protesters are prepared to sacrifice their values, standards and beliefs for a political ideology, they are on the dangerous road to extremism fanaticism and religious bigotry.
Talanoa session
Despite the protest, which was a distance away from the venue, the talanoa session went smoothly.
Mr Bainimarama was accorded the full Fijian traditional welcome ceremony by the Fijian community of Canterbury, in Sydney.
It included the vakasobu, qaloqalovi (tabua presentation), sevusevu (yaqona ceremony), magiti (presentation of pork), vakamamaca (presentation of mats).
The room was filled to capacity from Fijians representing different ethnic groups and walks of life.
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