E-Paper
Country profile: Fiji Archipelago
The history of the still 340,000 strong Indian community in Fiji has been quite tragic. From the days of indentured labour, to the post independence phase when jealousy of their economic status and political activism prompted several anti-Indian coups, the Indian community has been at the receiving end.
The history of the still 340,000 strong Indian community in Fiji has been quite tragic. From the days of indentured labour, to the post independence phase when jealousy of their economic status and political activism prompted several anti-Indian coups, the Indian community has been at the receiving end.
Indians came in two phases, first as indentured labour, and then as 'free immigrants' representing a wide spectrum of professions. As their economic status improved relative to that of the indigenous population, resentment of this 'alien' community increased and was opportunistically stoked by the British colonial authorities.
The Fijians openly voiced their alarm at the growing number of the PIOs, provoking demands for their forced repatriation. These reached a feverish pitch after it was learnt that the PIO population had overtaken that of the native Fijians.
When independence was granted in 1970, the departing British introduced the principle of weighted representation in the Constitution gifted to Fiji, thus ensuring that elected Indian members would not be able to form a government on their own strength.
Though the PIOs successfully overcame this legacy by forming a multi-racial government under the leadership of Bavadra, a non-racist Fijian, two military coups in May and November of 1987 heralded a period of instability that continues to date, with the present government dishonouring commitments made to include the constitutionally elected Mahendra Pal Chaudhury in the Cabinet.
The future of the Indian Diaspora in Fiji is rather bleak. Many Indo-Fijians are planning to migrate again to any developed country that accepts them.
