Editorial: Forum's stand against Suva fully justified

Fiji's suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum last Friday has done little so far, except to rekindle a debate in this country about whether any purpose continues to be served by this sort of pressure on an intractable regime, whether a travel boycott should be encouraged, and whether the Maori Party's mission is wise.

The forum's resolve to uphold its May deadline for progress towards elections deserves the utmost applause. The organisation would not have found it easy to expel any member state, let alone the one that lies so centrally in its region and provides a hub for its institutions and activities. Doubtless the calculated snubs the forum has taken from Fiji's Commodore Frank Bainimarama made its resolution easier, but it was nevertheless welcome. The Pacific way has been tolerant to a fault.

The debate in this country since then must be of some comfort to the commodore. New Zealanders who know Fiji reinforce report that the governments of this country and Australia are much more anguished about his coup than citizens of Fiji appear to be. This coup, they point out, was perpetrated by a Fijian in the interests primarily of the Indian population who, he believed, was poorly served by racial distinctions in the electoral system set up by the last constitution.

Since that constitution was abolished last month, with the Court of Appeal that had ruled the coup unconstitutional, the commodore has tightened his clamp on free speech in Fiji and virtually taken control of its economy by devaluing its dollar.

His control of Fiji's media now makes it harder to read the public mood there but it is likely that most people remain passive and perhaps fatalistic about the removal of democratic rights. There is no evidence of antagonism to military rule and nothing might change unless the economy becomes very much worse.

Quite probably it will under Commodore Bainimarama's maladroit control. His devaluation was the shortsighted act of a soldier unaware of its effect on real incomes in the country over time. A lower dollar ought to help the country's languishing tourist trade, though reports of near-empty resorts suggest it might not be working. In any event, Fijians will find they can afford fewer of the world's goods.

New Zealanders who may be tempted to take advantage of the controlled exchange rate should think better of it. There are many other pleasant places to holiday in the Pacific where they would not be compromising their own country's diplomatic efforts.

The instinct of most travellers is not to punish Fijian business and jobs for the sins of their military commander, and the Maori Party's mission has the same attitude. The party president says its delegation would go with the purpose of supporting the people, "our Pacific cousins".

It says it would not be representing the New Zealand Government in any way, though with ministers in the Government, its independent status might be lost on the commodore and his cohorts. They will use the visit to undermine New Zealand's position as best they can.

It is hard to see what benefit the mission might serve to offset the diplomatic cost. If the Maori Party is making common cause with indigenous Fijians it should be trying to restore the constitution, drawn up by a panel led by Sir Paul Reeves. The delegation's eventual report might be interesting.

Meanwhile, the coup remains unmoved by exclusion from the forum and, surely in due course, the Commonwealth. Elections are an even more distant prospect than before the constitution was abolished. But the South Pacific has taken a stand that will serve it well in the long run. Respect will not be accorded power that comes from the point of a gun.