Re: The DSP, Fiji and indigenous land claims

[Green Left Parramatta <glparramatta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Louis Proyect wrote:
>
> For all of the fiery rhetoric about tribal Chiefs
> exploiting the masses, the Fiji labor party had no solution either. As Lou
> Paulsen pointed out, Mahendra Chaudry is not a "labour leader" as the
> Cliffites falsely report. He is the leader of a farmers association. They
> sought to maintain the status quo in the land, which enabled them to
> exploit the land under 30 year lease arrangements at low costs.
>

Check again.

>From Direct Action (GLW's predecessor) 1988

``[The newly-elected FTUC secretary is Mahendra Chaudhry, one of the ì
key union figures involved in the formation of the Labour Party in ì
1986. Chaudhry, leader of the country's largest union, the Fiji ì Public
Service Association, was finance minister in the deposed ì Labour
coalition government [led by Timoci Bavadra, a Melanesian Fijian]<
[Chaudhry won respect for his active opposition to the coup inside ì
Fiji. He was forced into hiding following the coup as the PSA ì sought
to continue union activities, especially in opposition to the 10 per
cent wage cut implemented by the military regime.<

Fiji labour movement under attack (GLW 22/2/92)

By Norm Dixon

Criminal charges were laid against Fiji Trade Union Congress (FTUC)
general secretary Mahendra Chaudhry on February 7 under the provisions
of repressive labour laws that came into force on October 31.

Chaudhry was charged with unlawfully holding two union positions  he is
general secretary of both the National Farmers Union and the Fiji Public
Service Association. If convicted, he faces a jail term of 12 months or
a $ 2000 fine.

The FTUC plans to organise a general strike against the government after
conducting protest meetings throughout Fiji. The International
Confederation of Free Trade Union's Asia and Pacific Regional
Organisation ( ICFTU-APRO) has demanded that Fiji's president, Ratu Sir
Penaia Ganilau, immediately intervene to direct the government to
withdraw the charges against Chaudhry.

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions and the ACTU have also pledged
support for any internationally coordinated action against Fiji's
repressive labour laws. NZCTU president Ken Douglas said in a statement
that attempts to remove Mr Chaudhry from office are in direct
contravention of the rights of workers in Fiji, in breach of human and
trade union rights and the principles of international labour
organisations

*******************************************************************

Louis,

It seems you have to invent a new ``principle'' in order not to support
elementary workers' solidarity. Nobody is pretending that Chaudhry is a
revolutionary -- but he is clearly a long-term leader of Fiji's labour
movement. Somebody that concerned the imperialist-supported Fijian elite
enough to launch not one, but two coups against. Chaudhry was also
leader of a peasants' union more accurately. And Yoshie's and the ISO NZ
posts show, they are exploited by a small minority of chiefs in league
with the West.

Do socialists only offer solidarity to workers' movements that are led
by revolutionaries? Sure would make our lives a lot quieter.

Norm.