Pacific freeze

It’s beginning to look as if New Zealand and Australia may be on their own in their attempts to isolate Fiji while it remains under military dictatorship. The two countries wanted to keep Fiji isolated, at the least, at the upcoming Pacific Forum Leaders’ Meeting, but according to the New Zealand Herald, Pacific Island nations don’t seem keen on that idea.

Make no mistake: Fiji is ruled by a military dictator. If the Commonwealth, and New Zealand and Australia in particular, want to be seen as defenders of democracy, there really is no alternative than to keep the pressure on Fiji to return to democracy immediately. You can’t do that by playing footsie with dictators.