In this post, we can learn important information about the history of Fiji.
History of Fiji
Fiji is an island country located in the southern Pacific Ocean in Melanesia. Its official name is the Republic of Fiji.
It is located 1,100 nautical miles northeast of the North Island of New Zealand. Most of the islands here were formed by volcanic eruptions that occurred 150 million years ago.
There are geothermal eruptions on the islands of Leh and Taveuni. There are a total of 332 islands in this archipelago. Of these, only 110 islands are inhabited.
The first settlers of Fiji arrived from the islands of Melanesia at least 3,500 years ago. They brought with them a wide range of food plants, pigs, and a pottery style called Lapidary ware.
From Fiji, the Lapita culture was carried to Tonga and Samoa, where the first distinct Polynesian cultures developed.
Archaeological evidence suggests that two other pottery styles were introduced to Fiji. However, it is unclear whether they represent major migrations or cultural innovations brought by small groups of migrants.
In most parts of Fiji, settlers lived in small communities near mountain ridges, practicing slash-and-burn agriculture. However, in the fertile delta areas of southeastern Viti Levu, the population was much larger.
These settlements, based on intensive rice cultivation using complex irrigation systems, were protected by massive ring-ditch fortifications.
European settlement
The first European to sight the Fiji Islands was the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman. He crossed the northeastern border of the group in 1643. Later, Captain James Cook and Captain William Bligh sailed around the southeastern islands in 1774.
Europeans began to settle here permanently in the early 19th century.
British rule
The country was a British colony for about a century until 1970. Before that, Ebenezer Chacopawu united the tribes and declared himself king.
After this, the British, who declared Fiji a colony in 1874, employed Indians to work on the sugar plantations there.
At that time, the British governor, Arthur Charles Hamilton-Gordon, prohibited the employment of local people.
In 1942, Fiji had a population of 210,000. Of these, 94,000 were Indians, 102,000 were Fijians, 2,000 were Chinese, and 5,000 were Europeans.
Fiji's independence
Following this, Fiji gained independence from Britain in 1970. At that time, due to the large Indian population, the democratic system was blocked by a military coup.
A second military coup followed, removing the king and governor from their positions. This caused a large exodus of Fijian Indians. This led to an economic crisis.
New constitution
Following this, Fiji was expelled from the Commonwealth. Rabuka appointed a new civilian government. A new constitution, designed to concentrate power in the hands of Fijians, was promulgated on July 25, 1990.
Under the 1990 constitution, Rabuka was elected to parliament and became Prime Minister in 1992. Two years later, the Constitutional Review Commission was established. It was charged with recommending changes to reduce the racial discrimination built into the constitution.
Throughout the mid-1990s, the work of constitutional reform was a political focus. Several Fijian nationalist groups organized to oppose the work of Rabuka and the commission, which published its recommendations in September 1996.
Fiji was readmitted to the Commonwealth in 1997. In May 1999, Mahendra Chowdhury became Fiji's first Prime Minister of Indian origin. Fijian nationalists strongly opposed Chowdhury's appointment as Prime Minister.
In addition, in the first months of his presidency, there were arson and bomb attacks in Suva linked to militants.
Military government
In August 1999, Chowdhury narrowly escaped a no-confidence motion by nationalist legislators.
On May 19, 2000, Chowdhury and his government were taken hostage and ousted by a group led by businessman George Spade, who claimed to be acting on behalf of indigenous Fijians.
Spade was supported in the coup by rebels from the military's counter-revolutionary war unit. The coup was accompanied by widespread looting and destruction of Indian-owned businesses in Suva.
The President, Ratu Sir Kamises Mara, immediately declared a state of emergency and seized power.
However, after a series of deadlocks in negotiations with the coup leaders, the military declared martial law and seized power.
In July 2000, Fiji's interim civilian administration, dominated by the military, was installed by the military commander. A week later, the Bose Levu Wakaturaka (Great Council of Chiefs) appointed Ratu Josepha Iloilo (formerly the Vice President) as interim president.
Interim Prime Minister
In November, Fiji's High Court declared the military-installed government illegal. It subsequently ruled that the dissolved parliament would remain the country's governing authority. Legal appeals of the ruling dragged on until 2001.
At that time, Bose Levu Wakaturaka reconfirmed Iloilo as president. He called for general elections in August and September.
Chowdhury failed to retain his post. In September 2001, the interim Prime Minister of the nationalist Fiji United Party, Laisenia Karasze, was confirmed as Prime Minister.
Interim Cabinet
Tensions between the military and the elected government continued. In 2002, plans were introduced to privatize the sugar industry.
It was on the verge of collapse after subsidies from the European Union were withdrawn. Karas' party narrowly won the May 2006 elections, and he began his second term.
However, in December, military leader Voreke Bainimarama seized power. He dismissed Karas and established himself as the country's sole leader. In January 2007, he restored executive powers to President Iloilo.
Bainimarama was subsequently appointed as interim Prime Minister. Bainimarama subsequently appointed an interim cabinet. He promised to schedule elections within the next several years. In April, Bose suspended the activities of the Wakaturaga.
President Iloilo announced that he had abrogated the 1997 constitution and dismissed the country's judges.
Iloilo postponed national elections until 2014 and appointed a new interim government with Bainimarama as prime minister. In July 2009, Iloilo announced his retirement from the presidency.
Parliamentary elections
In early March 2012, ahead of the 2014 elections, Bainimarama announced plans to draft a new constitution by the following year. He said the provisions of the constitution would include an independent judiciary and a transparent administration.
A government-appointed independent advisory committee drafted a new constitution. It was due to be published for government review and approval in late 2012. The Bainimarama regime rejected it before debates could begin.
However, it cited objections to some of its provisions. The constitution received heavy criticism from international human rights groups because it granted legal immunity to coup participants and curtailed other rights.
Parliamentary elections were formally held on September 17, 2014, and were won by Bainimarama's Fiji First Party. Bainimarama, who resigned as military leader in March, took office as prime minister following the election.
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