National Language Debate in Fiji - Why Fijian?

Why Fijian?

Kamlesh Arya, President of the Arya Pratindhi Sabha organization, said on 29 June 2005 that language was the window by which people could appreciate and absorb tradition, and that making both Fijian and Hindustani compulsory school subjects would promote social and cultural understanding between the two races. His organization taught Fijian to Indo-Fijian students in primary schools at its own expense, he said. Given the geographical and numerical limitations of the Fijian language, it needed to be given special attention on its own merit.

Parliamentarian Gaffar Ahmed of the FLP spoke out on 4 August 2005 in favour of establishing Fijian as the national language. "To achieve national unity, multi-cultural and multi-racial harmony, we should have one common language which must be taught at all schools," he told the House of Representatives. He said that his own inability to speak Fijian was his greatest handicap as a Fijian citizen.