Democracy on the boil

A military band heralds the arrival of the hearse in Nuku'alofa. Picture / Alan Gibson

A photographer from National Geographic became frustrated at the passiveness of the Tongan people when he visited the country. Their stillness did not lend itself to the expressive photography he preferred.

When the magazine's reporter arrived he patiently sought an interview with Crown Prince Tupouto'a. Finally, he was given a rare opportunity to meet the elusive heir to the Tongan throne, but was cut short when his questions drifted towards the comparative lifestyles of the royals and their subjects.

"Goodbye," came the clipped response.

These experiences in part reflect a country at the crossroads, as one king dies and another takes his place.

Dr Tavita Tui Uata, president of the Tonga National Business Association, describes Tongans as very "low" passive people. But they do have their snapping point, he says. "If they stay too low too long it is very dangerous, and when they break out they will be out of control. That's the nature of Tongans."

Or, as his vice-president, Sangster Saulala, puts it: "We fear the silent guy."

Uata is concerned that there might be an "explosive reaction" if the demands of many Tongans for a fully democratic country are not met soon and their patience runs out.

He is avidly pro-democracy, although he says he and other like-minded businessmen in Tonga "don't need it" because they are already doing very nicely - or could just leave the country.

The business association belongs to the National Council for Political Change, a group formed during last year when civil servants went on strike and gained hefty pay rises.

Uata says business people donated food, goods and cash to the 1000 strikers and could have supported them for months.

The group says it wants to help the "critical masses", including those living in poverty, those "who can't speak for themselves, are marginalised".

Uata says the strike - where Government cars were torched, classrooms vandalised and a royal home burned to the ground - showed that the democracy issue ran deep.

"What's going to happen if they say 'no' is the scale of the strike tenfold."

By "they" Uata is referring to the new ruler, King Siaosi Tupou V.

His father, King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, died aged 88 in Auckland on Sunday night.

His body was taken back to Tonga's capital of Nuku'alofa, where he will be buried on Tuesday in the royal tombs of Mala'e Kula.

Uata credits Tonga's relative stability to the loyalty given to Tupou IV, who intended the best for his people.

"He never built a business for himself. The problems were not with him but his Government and ministers, who were not accountable to the people, and let him down so his projects failed."

Uata says the track record of King Tupou V, with his vast and varied business interests, did not bode as well. "People do not trust the new king."

Yesterday's announcement that the new king would dispose of all his commercial interests should help to ease that distrust.

Saia Tulua, who owns a hardware and technology company in Nuku'alofa, says people respected Tupou IV.

"If the new king is going to get out of his businesses in the interest of the people, he'll be okay."

Uata is unmoved by Tupou V's intimations of a more democratic future for a kingdom where, until recently, the king has handpicked all cabinet ministers and Prime Minister from the elite ranks of the country's nobles.

As Crown Prince Tupouto'a, the king is said to have played a central role in changes which saw the first publicly elected people's representatives appointed to cabinet, and then the selection this year of the first commoner as Prime Minister of Tonga.

Utata says such moves are little more than window-dressing and stalling tactics for major change. When the people's representatives went into Cabinet they were vulnerable because if they were sacked or resigned they no longer had a place in Parliament.

If Tongans want to be free they must elect all members of parliament, Uata says. "That's what we want - nothing more, nothing less."

That will require major changes to the country's 131-year-old constitution, says Uata, and to distinguish between social and political structures - so the king and nobles are figureheads and do not interfere.

He says the council for political change has visited many villages where 99.9 per cent of the people favour full democracy - and want it "today".

The council has drafted documents necessary to enable such change, and will submit them to Parliament when it reopens next week.

Uata is confident that public awareness has risen to a level where the people "now own the solution".

Matangi Tonga website editor Pesi Fonua is not convinced, although he believes Tonga will eventually become fully democratic. He thinks the democracy movement has a very long way to go and people have not made up their minds what they want. "The reason it has not happened is people don't fully understand what democracy means. There is no need to speed forward as there is still a lot of work to be done."

As to talk of Tongans losing patience, he says such comments are just "hot air" and an attempt to get the attention of foreign media.

Uata says that if it is argued that no one knows what the people want, the council will seek a referendum. "We are going to put what we want on the table and it will be very interesting to see what happens."

The council is not alone in seeking the views of Tongans on democracy.

The Kingdom of Tonga National Committee for Political Reform, endorsed by the Government, has canvassed Tongans at home and throughout the world on possible changes.

About a fortnight ago the committee's official report was shown to King Tupou IV, who was then in Mercy Hospital. Uata understands that the report recommends Tongans elect all the MPs and that the king would select from among them a prime minister and Cabinet.

Prime Minister Dr Feleti (Fred) Sevele says he wants the report available to the public as soon as possible.

Sevele, who agreed to become Prime Minister in March this year, says it was always planned to first show the report to King Tupou IV as a courtesy. It is scheduled to be made public in a month's time but he would like to see it presented to Parliament before that.

Earlier he asked the Weekend Herald to sign a statement promising not to use his comments out of context. Sevele says he has had problems with the media, and two aides take handwritten notes and tape the interview.

Although Sevele wants to get the report out, he says: "I personally believe that to have too quick or radical change is not in the best interest of Tonga." The royal family has read the desires of the people and is prepared to make changes, he says.

For instance, the sovereign, in "quite a momentous change", had voluntarily set a precedent to act on the advice of the Prime Minister in the future appointment of new members of cabinet.

Sevele foresees a more open and transparent government and would personally prefer a system where the majority of those in Cabinet are chosen from elected MPs. He says that in the present Cabinet of 13 ministers, three members were elected into Parliament by the people and two were elected by the nobles.

Overall, 12 representatives in the House were elected by the people and 11 by the nobles, a total of 23 elected representatives out of 32. "So the majority are already elected ... within the existing constitution."

Sevele accepts that the constitution will require some change - perhaps, for instance, to allow those who resign from Cabinet to retain a voice in Parliament.

But he is opposed to sweeping changes to the constitution which "would result in sweeping out an important part of the culture".

There are three pillars of Tongan society - the royal family, the nobles, and the people - and any change to the constitution must take that into account, Sevele says. "That's what makes us Tongan."

He says the constitution has stood the test of time for 131 years so suggests caution rather than "throwing everything out of the window" too quickly.

"It's something you should be extremely careful about."

In forming the constitution the nobility had given up much of its land to ordinary Tongans in return for political power.

Sevele says a lot of affection and attachment to the monarchy will be witnessed in the next week.

And he says reservations about what King Tupou V will be like are natural and to be expected.

The same concerns were expressed by people after the death of King Tupou IV's mother, Queen Salote, in 1965.

Asked if he is confident that King Tupou V has the interests of Tongans at heart and wants the country to prosper Sevele smiles and nods. "He has pushed through change so I am very hopeful indeed."

Sevele recalls how King Tupou V, as Crown Prince Tupouto'a, had opposed a constitutional amendment proposed a few years ago to restrict freedom of speech and of the press. He also praises the king's interest in the economic development of Tonga and his business savvy.

King Tupou V owns telecommunications company Tonfon which, in competing with the Government's Tonga Communications Corporation slashed the cost of mobile phone and international toll calls.

Sevele also defends the king's purchase of Tonga's power company, saying the Government had not been able to afford an upgrade.

It was put out to public tender and the king's Shoreline company made the best offer.

When the people demanded he give it up he agreed but wanted to be compensated for what he had invested and that matter was being independently undertaken by Price Waterhouse in Auckland.

The sale of the rest of his business interests will follow as soon as suitable shareholding arrangements are made.

Sevele admits that King Tupou V is an old friend but says he is also on friendly terms with key figures in the pro-democracy camp.

"I am a pro-democracy person.

"I have talked about democracy with the present king for the past 30 years. I've not changed my stance."

Sevele is prepared to stand by his record and rates integrity in terms of public duty as his most important value.

He says he entered politics in 1999 because more transparency was needed in government.

"I'm doing it because we are going through a difficult time in Tonga.

"I'd like to see Tonga a better place."