Sakeasi Butadroka
Encyclopedia
Sakeasi Butadroka was a Fiji
an politician noted for his strident ethnic nationalism
. Originally elected to the House of Representatives
as a member of the ruling Fijian Alliance
in the parliamentary election
of 1972, he was expelled from the Alliance for his public attacks against the presence of Persons of Indian origin (Indo-Fijians) in Fiji. He had introduced a parliamentary motion calling for a resolution stating: "That this House agrees that the time has arrived when Indians or people of Indian origin in this country be repatriated back to India and that their travelling expenses back home and compensation for their properties in this country be met by the British Government."
Butadroka founded the Fijian Nationalist Party
, which took 24.4 percent of the vote in the general election
held in March 1977. Although the party won only one parliamentary seat, its votes were mostly at the expense of the Alliance. This allowed the opposition National Federation Party
to win a plurality, precipitating a constitutional crisis
.
Butadroka became one of the leaders of the Taukei Movement in 1987, whose agitation formed the backdrop to the two military coups
that deposed the elected government and severed Fiji's ties to the British Monarchy
that year. Otherwise, however, he operated largely on the political fringes for many years. He strongly opposed the adoption of the present constitution
, which reversed most of the provisions institutionalizing ethnic Fijian
supremacy in the earlier 1990 constitution. When Parliament passed the new constitution, Butadroka publicly burnt it.
In 1999, he merged his party, now called the Nationalist United Front Party (FNUPF), with Iliesa Duvuloco
's Vanua Tako Lavo Party
to form the Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party
. The party won one seat, though Butadroka himself was not elected. The election brought the Fiji Labour Party
-led People's Coalition
to power, with an Indo-Fijian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry
. Butadroka became involved with a campaign to destabilize the Chaudhry government, and his party has been implicated by Maciu Navakasuasua
, who was convicted of coup-related offences, in the planning of the coup d'état
which deposed it in May 2000.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
an politician noted for his strident ethnic nationalism
Ethnic nationalism
Ethnic nationalism is a form of nationalism wherein the "nation" is defined in terms of ethnicity. Whatever specific ethnicity is involved, ethnic nationalism always includes some element of descent from previous generations and the implied claim of ethnic essentialism, i.e...
. Originally elected to the House of Representatives
House of Representatives (Fiji)
The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. It is the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone has the power to initiate legislation...
as a member of the ruling Fijian Alliance
Fijian Alliance
The Alliance Party, was the ruling political party in Fiji from 1966 to 1987. Founded in the early 1960s, its leader was Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, the founding father of the modern Fijian nation...
in the parliamentary election
Fiji election of 1972
General elections were held in Fiji between 15 and 29 April 1972, the first since independence from the United Kingdom in 1970. They were characterised by the lack of rancour between racial groups, typical of the 1966 general election and the 1968 by-elections.The result was a landslide for the...
of 1972, he was expelled from the Alliance for his public attacks against the presence of Persons of Indian origin (Indo-Fijians) in Fiji. He had introduced a parliamentary motion calling for a resolution stating: "That this House agrees that the time has arrived when Indians or people of Indian origin in this country be repatriated back to India and that their travelling expenses back home and compensation for their properties in this country be met by the British Government."
Butadroka founded the Fijian Nationalist Party
Fijian Nationalist Party
The Fijian Nationalist Party was a political party in Fiji, founded in 1975 by Sakeasi Butadroka, a parliamentarian who defected from the then-ruling Fijian Alliance, on a "Fiji for the Fijians!" platform. Its support peaked in the parliamentary election of March 1977, when it took 24.4 percent...
, which took 24.4 percent of the vote in the general election
Fiji election of 1977 (March)
General elections were held in Fiji between 19 March and 2 April 1977. A split in the ethnic Fijian vote, which saw 25 percent defecting to Fijian Nationalist Party of Sakeasi Butadroka, an extremist organization which advocated the "repatriation" of Indo-Fijians to India, led to the narrow defeat...
held in March 1977. Although the party won only one parliamentary seat, its votes were mostly at the expense of the Alliance. This allowed the opposition National Federation Party
National Federation Party (Fiji)
The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...
to win a plurality, precipitating a constitutional crisis
Fiji constitutional crisis of 1977
Fiji's parliamentary election of March 1977 precipitated a constitutional crisis, which was the first major challenge to the country's democratic institutions since independence in 1970....
.
Butadroka became one of the leaders of the Taukei Movement in 1987, whose agitation formed the backdrop to the two military coups
Fiji coups of 1987
The Fiji coups of 1987 resulted in the overthrow of the elected government of Fijian Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, the deposition of Elizabeth II as Queen of Fiji, and in the declaration of a republic...
that deposed the elected government and severed Fiji's ties to the British Monarchy
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
that year. Otherwise, however, he operated largely on the political fringes for many years. He strongly opposed the adoption of the present constitution
Constitution of Fiji
The 1997 Constitution of Fiji was the supreme law of Fiji from its adoption in 1997 until 2009 when President Josefa Iloilo purported to abrogate it. It was also suspended for a period following the 2000 coup d'état led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama....
, which reversed most of the provisions institutionalizing ethnic Fijian
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
supremacy in the earlier 1990 constitution. When Parliament passed the new constitution, Butadroka publicly burnt it.
In 1999, he merged his party, now called the Nationalist United Front Party (FNUPF), with Iliesa Duvuloco
Iliesa Duvuloco
Iliesa Duvuloco is a Fijian politician who leads the Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party, which formed in 1999 through a merger of his own Vanua Tako Lavo Party and Sakeasi Butadroka's Fijian Nationalist Party, both of which championed ethnic nationalism and indigenous Fijian political...
's Vanua Tako Lavo Party
Vanua Tako Lavo Party (Fiji)
The Vanua Tako Lavo Party was a strongly nationalistic political party in Fiji, which was led by Iliesa Duvuloco. It advocated institutionalized political supremacy for indigenous Fijians. In the late 1990s, it merged with Sakeasi Butadroka's Fijian Nationalist Party to form the Nationalist Vanua...
to form the Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party
Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party (Fiji)
The Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party is a Fijian political party which champions Fijian ethnic nationalism. It is currently led by Iliesa Duvuloco, while Viliame Savu serves as the party's President.- Founding and ideology :...
. The party won one seat, though Butadroka himself was not elected. The election brought the Fiji Labour Party
Fiji Labour Party
The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. Most of its support at present comes from the Indo-Fijian community, although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian, Dr. Timoci Bavadra. It is...
-led People's Coalition
People's Coalition (Fiji)
The People's Coalition was an alliance of three political parties in Fiji, formed in March 1999 to contest the parliamentary election to be held in May that year...
to power, with an Indo-Fijian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
. Butadroka became involved with a campaign to destabilize the Chaudhry government, and his party has been implicated by Maciu Navakasuasua
Maciu Navakasuasua
Maciu Navakasuasua is a Fijian public figure and former political organizer. An explosives expert, Navakasuasua said that on behalf of the Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party, an extremist party which advocated the "repatriation" to India of Indo-Fijians, two prominent businessmen had tried to hire...
, who was convicted of coup-related offences, in the planning of the coup d'état
Fiji coup of 2000
The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of a non-native Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, on 19 May 2000, the attempt by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority on 27 May, and...
which deposed it in May 2000.