Don't fuck around with Fiji Water. [more inside]
posted by chunking express on Aug 18, 2009 - 136 comments

Commodore Frank Bainimarama has engineered a coup on top of a coup in sacking the judiciary, suspending the constitution, controlling the press, quashing dissent and taking over the central bank pdf press release. With no reportage of the takeover or criticism of the junta allowed, and with local journalists arrested and foreign correspondents expelled, how is the Fiji’s story being told? Bloggers have taken to the task, but are undertaking huge risks.
posted by mattoxic on Apr 16, 2009 - 27 comments

Road Closed for Tribal Council: Vunivutu Villagers Latest Beneficiaries of the Survivor Boomtown Effect
The hit "reality" TV show, Survivor, premieres tonight on CBS in the United States. Over the past year, a sleepy village on Vanua Levu, the second largest island of Fiji has been hosting the production crew—and reaping the benefits. 150 villagers have been employed by the crew to work about 10 hours a day, seven days a week, for USD 5.00 per hour (and double time on Sundays and holidays). For some it was their first experience in any form of paid employment. This article from the Fiji Post, reposted by a Vanua Levu blogger, gives some behind the scene details. Meanwhile the island's new eco-resort village is putting finishing touches on their community hall. Globe-trotting gap year students and reality TV junkies, look north. Vanua Levu is for lovers. [Survivor Maps, Vorovoro, the eco-resort with a difference, Vorovoro's new bure (community hall), Google's hires satellite image of the area]
posted by rschram on Feb 8, 2007 - 3 comments

The coup d'état of Fiji continues today, having picked up again yesterday after letting the Friday deadline for the step down of PM Qarase pass and taking a couple days to enjoy the rugby and a weekend off. Unlike the violence generated largely by Native Fijian/Indo-Fijian tensions in the three previous coups, this latest act by Commodore Bainimarama appears bloodless thus far. It has again crippled tourism however, and, possibly more damaging, halted their trade in soldiers-for-hire.
posted by arruns on Dec 4, 2006 - 24 comments

Welcome to the Fiji Museum.
posted by hama7 on Jan 17, 2004 - 3 comments

Never Too Late? Descendants of the only European ever eaten in Fiji will get an apology next month from natives. (Another account, and a nice commentary.) We did cannibalism last April, but this is more about saying you're sorry. Is it worth apologizing, after 136 years?
posted by LeLiLo on Oct 15, 2003 - 14 comments

Guess the Poll, Win $5000.00 FJ
Fijilive.com (with the Fiji Post) is hosting a contest to guess who will be the next prime minister. Voting for parlimentary elections began on Saturday in Fiji, with few observed problems. Charges of intimidation, illegality, et cetera fly back and forth. Someone circulated some pamphlets that said paraphrasedly "a vote for Chaudry is a vote for bloodshed." Mahendra Chaudry was the Labor prime minister deposed while being held hostage in May last year. Several of those involved in that abortive, yet destructive coup are also running under their own banners. They seem to have split the ethnic Fijian vote (approx 51% of the population) more than anything.
posted by rschram on Aug 27, 2001 - 2 comments

"Lesbianism" on the rise in Fiji
    Women are said to find this a more attractive option over domestic violence. Be prepared for a rise in the divorce rate, as many "businesswomen" are also becoming lesbians.
    (On the way back, I discovered a new portal for Fiji, hellofiji.com, which offers paid subscriptions to Fijilive.com articles, especially news coverage of the May 19 coup. Also this picture gallery of eligible singles! A full-blown Fijian web renaissance.)
posted by rschram on Jul 26, 2001 - 10 comments

Echelon rumored to be used in NZ spying on Fiji
Echelon, as seen on TV, is suggested to monitor gobzillions of electronic communications. People are starting to wonder if New Zealand used Echelon to monitor the progress of the May 2000 coup and hostage taking in Fiji, in addition to the tradition undercover operations. Memorable quotation: "It is not a question of if others are spying on Fiji but of who, how and, to a much lesser extent, why."
posted by rschram on Jun 11, 2001 - 8 comments

Deal Announced To End Hostage Standoff in Fiji
President's spokesman Joe Brown announced yesterday that a deal has been reached for the release of hostage MPs, and the former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry. The release is set for 11 a.m. (Fiji Time) today. Additionally, amnesty has been granted to the seven men who led the coup in Fiji on May 19.
The hostages have been held for the past five weeks, leading to the declaration of martial law, the suspension of the country's constitution, and plans for an interim government. Military officials conceded that George Speight, leader of the hostage-taking, has won most of his demands from the government, including enshrining native Fijian political hegemony in any new constitution.

posted by rschram on Jun 23, 2000 - 0 comments