Letters
Letters to the Editor
Goff's imposing NZ views
In your May issue, New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff said that New Zealand is not in the business of imposing their views on any government in the region. But on the 8th May Radio New Zealand news, Goff imposed his New Zealand Government view on how Tonga should be governed. Is this hypocrisy at its best?
When will the New Zealand Government (or any Western World Community for that matter) learn a lesson from all the unfortunate events happening in the region such as in Fiji (three coups) Samoa (assassinated minister), Honiara (tribal war), Port Vila (Jimmy Stevens etc), Bougainville and Port Moresby.
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These events demonstrated the facts that Pacific Islanders have little respect for democratic principles, rule of law and human rights. Why?
Because Pacific Islanders should have been educated first to respect the rule of law and democracy before they try to replace the monarchial and chiefly system that has been in place for thousands of years. As evident in Fiji during the political upheavals, it was the traditional Great Council of Chiefs that restored law and order when democracy was thrown out.
In New Zealand and Australia, the Governor General is appointed by the Prime Minister alone not elected. Well, in Tonga, the Prime Minister is appointed constitutionally by the King for the last 200 years of self-stable government. Tonga may not be a fully democratic government but the most stable government in the region. The main reason is because Tonga did not have to gain independence from any colonial power and has been a matured stable self-government for the last 200 years.
Most trouble governments in the region were like arrogant teenagers (Fiji 17 year old 1970-1987) and once they gained independence from their colonial wolf they cannot govern themselves because they cannot understand and respect the word democracy, rule of law and human rights.
New Zealand Government supportive of the pro-democratic movement in Tonga should be cautious because it risks pushing Tonga to join the chaos of their beloved neighbours.
- Tupou Finau Moala,
Fiji
