Saula Telawa
Encyclopedia
Saula Telawa is a Fiji
an nationalist
politician
who serves as President of the New Nationalist Party
, which advocates indigenous Fijian
paramountcy. He has also championed the establishment of Christianity
, the faith of most indigenous Fijians, as Fiji's official religion. He claims to be the heir to the legacy of the late nationalist leader Sakeasi Butadroka
.
Telawa made media headlines on 12 January 2006, in the midst of a virtual breakdown in relations
between the government and Military
, which fuelled public fears of a possible coup d'état
. The Qarase
government's failure to amend the Agriculture, Land, and Tenants Act, which he described as "the heart and soul of the Fijian people," had forfeited its legitimacy with indigenous Fijians, Telawa said, and it should resign. He also called on Police Commissioner
Andrew Hughes
to stay out of the dispute between the government and the Military, saying that the Australia
n Hughes, as a non-Fijian, had no right to interfere and in so doing risk the lives of Fijian people.
Telawa made a surprising statement to the Fiji Sun
on 19 January 2006, reversing its previous demand for the repatriation of Indo-Fijians, some 38 percent
of the population, to India
. Provided that they were Christians, Telawa said, persons of Indian descent would be welcome to join the party and contest the upcoming election
under its banner. References from a Fijian chief
and a church pastor
would be required, to certify that a prospective candidate had been a born again Christian for at least three years.
Telawa has expressed scepticism about the workability of national reconciliation if the citizens do not all share the same faith. Non-indigenous citizens, whom Telawa called "foreigners" in the Fiji Sun interview, needed to respect the Fijians' God, he insisted. "The problem we are having is because the landowners allowed idol worship in the land and they have many temples being built around the country," he said.
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 nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who serves as President of the New Nationalist Party
New Nationalist Party (Fiji)
The New Nationalist Party is a Fijian political party with a strongly nationalist platform, arguing for the paramountcy of indigenous Fijian interests and of the Christian faith, professed by the great majority of indigenous Fijians but relatively few Indo-Fijians, who comprise some 38 percent of...
, which advocates indigenous 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...
paramountcy. He has also championed the establishment of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, the faith of most indigenous Fijians, as Fiji's official religion. He claims to be the heir to the legacy of the late nationalist leader Sakeasi Butadroka
Sakeasi Butadroka
Sakeasi Butadroka was a Fijian 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...
.
Telawa made media headlines on 12 January 2006, in the midst of a virtual breakdown in relations
Fiji crisis of 2005-2006
The tension between Fiji's government and Military forces, which had been simmering for more than two years, appeared to escalate in late December 2005...
between the government and Military
Military of Fiji
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...
, which fuelled public fears of a possible coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
. The Qarase
Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase is a Fijian political figure. He served as the sixth Prime Minister of Fiji from 2000 to 2006. After the military quashed the coup that led to the removal of Mahendra Chaudhry, Qarase joined the Interim Military Government as a financial adviser on 9 June 2000, until his appointment...
government's failure to amend the Agriculture, Land, and Tenants Act, which he described as "the heart and soul of the Fijian people," had forfeited its legitimacy with indigenous Fijians, Telawa said, and it should resign. He also called on Police Commissioner
Commissioner of Police (Fiji)
Fiji has a unified national police force, the Fiji Police, whose motto is Salus Populi.The Fijian Commissioner of Police title had been held by Australian police officer Andrew Hughes since 2003 but after the 2006 takeover of the Government the post has been reserved for a local.The Commissioner is...
Andrew Hughes
Andrew Hughes (police)
Andrew 'Andy' Hughes is a senior officer of the Australian Federal Police who, until recently, served as the Chief Police Officer for the Australian Capital Territory . The CPO position is similar to the role of Australian Commissioners of Police, that is, the chief executive of the ACT Policing...
to stay out of the dispute between the government and the Military, saying that the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Hughes, as a non-Fijian, had no right to interfere and in so doing risk the lives of Fijian people.
Telawa made a surprising statement to the Fiji Sun
Fiji Sun
The Fiji Sun is a daily newspaper published in Fiji. Owned by Sun News Limited, it was first published in September 1999. An internet edition is also published....
on 19 January 2006, reversing its previous demand for the repatriation of Indo-Fijians, some 38 percent
Demographics of Fiji
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Fiji, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
of the population, to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Provided that they were Christians, Telawa said, persons of Indian descent would be welcome to join the party and contest the upcoming election
Fiji election of 2006
The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years. The latest election was held on 6-13 May 2006. Acting President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi issued a proclamation on 2 March, effective from 27 March, dissolving Parliament...
under its banner. References from a Fijian chief
Ratu
Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...
and a church pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
would be required, to certify that a prospective candidate had been a born again Christian for at least three years.
Telawa has expressed scepticism about the workability of national reconciliation if the citizens do not all share the same faith. Non-indigenous citizens, whom Telawa called "foreigners" in the Fiji Sun interview, needed to respect the Fijians' God, he insisted. "The problem we are having is because the landowners allowed idol worship in the land and they have many temples being built around the country," he said.