Asia
New Zealand's rugby diplomacy
Pacific scrum
Apr 13th 2011, 4:52 by M.S. | SYDNEY
AS IF rugby weren’t rough enough, New Zealand is seeking to turn it into a sort of diplomatic playing pitch on which it might give Fiji, that regional troublemaker, a sound thrashing. Officials in Wellington think they may have got its military junta in a chicken-wing: they will bar some of Fiji’s best rugby players from attending the 2011 Rugby World Cup if it doesn’t accelerate the pace of the democratic reform it has promised.
Fiji, a former British colony consisting of about 330 islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, has been under military control since a 2006 coup led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama. Since then things have gone from bad to worse; human-rights groups have been documenting widespread abuses by the military government. Australia and New Zealand, Oceania’s heavyweights, had already responded to the coup with unilateral sanctions, sanctions which they duly escalated after Mr Bainimarama’s regime decided to abrogate the constitution in 2009. Meanwhile the Commonwealth has suspended Fiji’s membership—all to no avail.
Rugby however, being a national obsession in Fiji, seems to offer a new opportunity to relatively pacfic interventionists. New Zealand’s travel ban, which affects players from their Sevens squad and World Cup plans, is aimed at punishing people with direct links to Fiji’s army. Murray McCully, New Zealand’s foreign minister, has made it explicit that it might be lifted in exchange for a firm commitment from Fiji to hold elections in 2014. As distant as the analogy may seem, the hope in Wellington seems to be that Mr Bainimarama and his mates would rather give ground on elections than risk fuelling the kind of populist anger that is welling up against authoritarian regimes in the Arab world.
Current practice, as indicated by allegations of torture and detention of government critics, suggest that old habits die hard. Mr Bainimarama’s regime has recently stepped up its attacks against trade unionists, democracy advocates and other figures who are seen as being critical of the government, according to Donna Guest, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific programme.
“The regime seems to be going after anyone they find threatening,” she said. “It’s pretty wide-ranging and we’re looking here at torture; being taken for short periods to the military barracks and beaten…and this is all in aid of intimidating people, threatening people so they will not speak out against the regime.”
Ms Guest thinks that New Zealand’s travel ban on Fiji’s rugby players—which earned a measure of support last month with the International Rugby Board’s decision not to intervene on Fiji’s behalf—focuses too much on the demand for an election in 2014 and too little on the more pressing question of human rights.
Whatever it asks for, New Zealand may already have got its answer. This week Fiji’s foreign minister, Inoke Kubuabola, responded to the manoeuvres against its rugby players by explaining that the whole of the Australian-Kiwi sanctions programme is to blame for the glacial pace of promised return to democracy.
“If New Zealand is concerned and keen to help Fiji, then it should lift the sanctions which have prevented qualified people from taking up key government positions that will prepare Fiji for 2014 and beyond,” he said in an interview with local media.
In this blog, our Asia correspondents and our Banyan columnist provide comment and analysis on Asia's political and cultural landscape. The blog takes its name from the Banyan tree, under which Buddha attained enlightenment and Gujarati merchants used to conduct business.
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It sounds like Fiji is moving towards a military dictatorship if they are already lashing out against their citizens who champion democracy. Australia has the common sense to step in and change this before it happens. Using rugby, which seems like an unorthodox approach, may be the key. Since Fiji is such a Rugby-loving country, the citizens would be extremely fed up with the government if the were not allowed to participate in the Rugby World Cup (smart move by Australia). If Fiji does not accept Australia's requests the military government will probably be overthrown from the people who revolt because they were not allowed to play rugby. With that being said, if they do accept to move to elections in 2014, Mr Bainimarama may find a way to win the elections anyway. He may have crooked elections, or only allow himself as a candidate. Either way, Fiji is in quite the predicament right now as they have to either surrender some sovereignty, which they do not want to do above everything else, or not play in the Rugby World Cup and risk a revolution from its citizens.
It seems pretty strange that this is the way that Fiji will have a democratic reform, but hey, whatever works works, right? Something has to be done if there is abuses by the fiji military and maybe this is the answer. If rugby is really that important to them maybe they will change their ways. Actually I change my mind, nobody would give up power just to have their rugby team play. If by some chance they do then I have a feeling that it will just be fixed elections in which the current leader, Mr. Bainiarama, just continues to be victorius and controls the state however he wants. Mr. Bainiarama may say that he does not want to face all the angry revolt that will come if they do not play in the world cup, but he absolutely has something up his sleeve. NOBODY WANTS TO GIVE UP POWER! I believe at first, someone should take care of the apparent military abuses going on and torture, then worry about democracy.
The way that New Zealand is trying to manipulate Fiji seems petty and childish to me. Fiji cant go out and play until they attempt to adopt a democratic system of government. I agree with Donna Guest's opinion that New Zealand's travel ban focuses too much on the election and too little on human rights. IF Fiji were to hold an election in 2014, how does anybody know that it would be uncorrupted? Basic civil/human rights seems to be the cause for New Zealand's "intervention". While the military government is doing all these bad things, the military government could be good one (in some far off, no-chance, utopian world, but it is possible). Getting out of the military government would be great, but hopefully Fiji doesn't end up with a one-party system.
Sports are a national pastime of many countries. But banning a country from the Rugby world Cup? There are a plethora of ways that New Zealand can help Fiji besides banning them from playing rugby. The fact that New Zealand is attempting to take control of the role of government in Fiji is both good and bad. Fiji should move to democracy instead of being headed by a coup, but there are more efficient ways to do so. Protesting the involvement of Fiji in the Rugby World Cup, as effective as it may be, is not the way to go about gaining democracy for another country.
A unique technique, but certainly one of note. It seems the Fiji is more of a spoiled child than a nation. Perhaps it is time for Fiji's heroes, the rugby players, to take a public stand for progress and democracy. With great power comes great responsibility, didn't Uncle Ben say that once? Fiji needs to find something to nationalize themselves, and if rugby is that something, so be it. Actually, that's a great thing to nationalize with, as long as democratic progress is made.
Actually had a smile on my face when I saw rugby diplomacy as the header for this article. I know from a few of my Australian friends that rugby is a huge aspect of the Oceania area, but to think that New Zealand would be able to try and get democracy underway in Fiji with this diplomacy is fairly surprising. National pride is put on the line for every sporting game, and to use that as leverage on Fiji must have taken some ingenuity from NZ's part. To think that a sport carries this much weight in this part of the world is amazing, but if New Zealand somehow pulls this off I will applaud them.
Sports. Any country big on sports always has a sense of spirit for its country. Fiji being one of them. Sports around the world are always in high demand. In this case, however, it's really something. This is really going to put some leverage on Fiji, especially with New Zealand trying to turn it into a diplomatic playing pitch. Lets hope Fiji's best dont get held up from playing in the Rugby World Cup.
sports always seem to carry a lot of weight all around the world, but ive never heard of anything this advantageous possibly coming out of a sports tournament. With the New Zealand all Blacks carrying such importance in the country and with surrounding countries feeling the same way about their teams, this sanction is a great way to try and put leverage onto fiji.
I cannot access my comments any more. What is happening economist? What is happening?
@ 2.4.6.8.goshort!:
You wrote to "happyfish18": "Can you please retract your factually incorrect statement"
Look, this fish is as happier as more incorrect his statements are. So, don't hold your breath expecting retraction.
More importantly, the Economist's item contents equally incorrect statements, too:
"Since then things have gone from bad to worse; human-rights groups have been documenting widespread abuses by the military government."
Human rights groups' biased reporting isn't a source of reliable information in general and is full of crap in the case of Fiji. In fact, Commodore Bainimarama's government is the best thing that has happened to Fiji in her recent history.
As to the New Zealand elites using rugby as a diplomatic lever, there is not much else which they can use. Rugby is the single and universally applied public narcotic in NZ. It's first and main purpose is to fool down their own population, artificially keeping its IQ on level with the stupid game.
@happyfish18
So basically, what you're saying is that what you wrote is not intended to be a factual statement?...
How come Banyan didn't mention the dinosaur in the dining room?..
My stats could have gotten out of date. In any case, the Indian Fijians have suffered discrimination at home and are fleeing in large numbers to NZ or Ozzies if possible.
Indo-Fijians use to represent a majority of the population, but since the first military coup in the late 1980's they have been leaving (often to NZ) whenever possible.
@happyfish18:
Can you please retract your factually incorrect statement: Native Fijians are 57% of the population and thus a majority in Fiji. Indo-Fijians are 38%, with others making up the 5% balance.