National Alliance Party of Fiji - Background

Background

Previous attempts to forge a multi-racial political movement, including the electoral pact between the ethnic Fijian Fijian Political Party (better known in Fiji by its Fijian name, Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei) and the predominantly Indo-Fijian National Federation Party, which contested the 1999 election unsuccessfully, had been well-meant but ill-timed, Ganilau said. He declared that the racially based politics which followed the 1987 and 2000 coups, which sought to establish ethnic Fijian supremacy, were now widely understood to have been detrimental to the country, and that the time was now right for a multiracial political party. "The old Alliance Party represented the multi-racial communities of the country, which is what we have in common, Ganilau said. "We found a multi-racial party is the most successful and the most stable in the leadership of the country."

Ganilau expressed optimism that the new party would allow him to convey his vision of a multiracial Fiji more effectively than he had been able in his previous role as Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs. "I was quite outspoken about the need to respect the rights all citizens in Fiji during my role as chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs," he said, "but that did not go down well with some. That is why I decided it was best to continue the fight on a political platform."

The NAPF absorbed the Fiji Democratic Party, which officially dissolved itself. The former Democrat leader, Filipe Bole, assumed a prominent role as a spokesman for the new party. Other former politicians from the Mara era endorsed the party, including Bill Aull, Fereti Dewa, Joji Uluinakauvadra, and Irene Jai Narayan.

Contemporary politicians, however, have not all been so positive. In a strongly worded reaction on 12 April 2005, Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase attacked the new party, claiming that it would split the ethnic Fijian vote, which he said would not be good for the country. He also accused it of promoting policies that he said were the main cause of instability in the past - namely support for the 1997 constitution and the Agricultural Landlords and Tenants Act, both of which Qarase has attempted, without success, to substantially amend.

On 4 May 2005, spokesman Bole said that party membership, and participation in party meetings, were increasing. Party president Ratu Ganilau said that finance was a major challenge for the party, but donors had come forward and the party was exploring creative ways to raise extra revenue. He was also encouraged by the considerable numbers of people who were volunteering to stand as candidates in the election expected to be held in 2006.

Ganilau said on 1 February 2006 that the party would reorient the Affirmative Action policy away from race, to focus rather on need. "Whilst we don’t disagree with the Affirmative Action Policy, we rather place emphasis on the need rather than a particular group," he said. The policy would be aimed at guaranteeing access to education, employment, land, housing, and community participation to all citizens, regardless of race.