Spreading the word

By Bill Morton

NOW that the Pro-Democracy Conven tion has been and gone its impact is being examined. Was it simply a talkathon with no productive follow-up? The Honourable Fusitu’a, Speaker of the Tongan parliament, had suggested many of the people who attended were just “academics enjoying a bit of a holiday” and the “ripple” would “quickly fade”.

But would the government itself provide a constructive response to the conven tion? And while it is clear the convention has sparked keen discussion around kava bowls on the main island of Tongatapu, what of the rest of Tonga? To what extent was the convention relevant to the other islands in the kingdom?

To date tangible outcomes of the convention have been hard to find. The convention did not pass resolutions and made no specific plans for future action.

There was some support for Sione Na’a Fiefia, Director of USP in Tonga, who called for a referendum to test commun ity support for change. This idea has not been pursued further.

However the absence of a definite next step appears to fit with Viliami Fukofuka’s view of the pro-democracy movement’s present role. He sees this as consisting of “public education”.

“People kept asking us during the convention “what’s next.” We deliberately said to people “We are not here to tell you. Our job is to help you understand what democracy is all about the implications, what kinds of changes may be necessary in terms of the constitution, the structure. It’s up to you to decide.”

Fukofuka believes at least 70 per cent of the electorate are “for change”. But he says this does not mean they are demanding specifically democratic changes. “They know there are problems with the present structure.” But they cannot decide how far to go with change.

“That is why it’s very important to continue with public education so that when more changes for democracy come, they really are democratic changes.”

Still remaining is the question of whether the influence of the Pro- Democracy Movement has been con fined to the main island of Tongatapu.

Tonga’s 170 islands are strewn over an ocean area of 363,000 square kilometres.

The furthest island group from the capital Nuku’alofa is the Niuas, lying 600 km to the north.

The reception the pro-democracy

movement will encounter in far-flung islands such as the Niuas is as yet untested. Siaki Kata is the Peoples’

Representative for the Niuas and does not support the Pro-Democracy Move ment. He believes the people of the Niuas are happy with the present political system. He also says they do not believe the constitution needs to be changed and they see no need for the king’s power to be curbed. “The people of the Niuas believe the King should have the power because he is a Christian and he knows what to do. In addition he was the first one to have the best education in Tonga.” Kata sees his own role in the

‘Our job is to help you understand what democracy is all about

the implications,

what kinds of changes may be necessary in terms of the consti tution, the structure.

It’s up to you to de cide.’

House is not to push for change but to argue for better schools, transport and industry for the people of the Niuas.

And while Kata sees no need for change, Fukofuka believes as a result of the activities of the Pro-Democracy Movement and the convention, change is inevitable. “It is not so much whether there will be change, but when. The mood is for change. I firmly believe it will come in the next three years.”

Interestingly Fukofuka thinks the im petus for change will come from the two people who have the firmest grip on Tonga’s destiny, the King and his son the Crown Prince. “That’s where our hope lies. The government is considering change. But the ministers won’t go very far. They have to protect their interests.

They have reputations to keep. The King and the Crown Prince have a much wider perspective of what’s needed in this country. They don’t need wealth and power and they don’t need their repu tation to be protected. They have these already. That’s why we hope that

through the normal constitutional chan nels change can be brought about.”

Meanwhile, the government continues its policy of remaining tight-lipped about the Pro-Democracy Movement and their call for change.

To date it has chosen not to provide an official response to the Convention.

Eseta Fusitu’a, deputy chief secretary and deputy secretary to Cabinet, who is also the wife of the Speaker, the Honourable Fusitu’a, said the govern ment considered it was “not fair or responsible to respond” until it had received a submission based on conven tion outcomes from the Pro-Democracy Movement.

She added that if the government does receive such a submission, it will be looked at “as coming from the 200-300 people who may have supported the submissions. The government, however, cannot exclude the rest of the population whose views are not included.”

In the absence of an official govern ment response Mrs Fusitu’a did offer several observations regarding the con vention. In particular she referred to the number of people who attended. She said the Pro-Democracy Movement had ac tively promoted the convention through out the nation and “had invited the whole country to attend. But of the 100,000 or so people invited, 500 at tended on the opening day. This dropped to 200-300 on the following days.” She also pointed out both the government and the Council of Churches had declined the invitation to attend the convention.

Mrs Fusitu’a also referred to the way organisers publicised daily proceedings of the convention and said reporting by the media “was not entirely accurate.” She said papers presented and discussions from the floor showed very clearly there was not a uniformity of views among convention speakers or the audience. But none of the media releases from the convention reflected this.

Viliami Fukofuka dismisses Mrs.

Fusitua’s comments. He believes there is a definite split within the government, reflected most strongly in the reversals it has made, such as changing its mind about whether to participate in the convention. He sees the government is now abdicating its responsibility to respond to the convention by relying for comment on Mrs. Fusitua who is a civil servant and not a member of govern ment.