| Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara | |
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| In office September 22, 1967 – April 13, 1987 December 5, 1987 – June 2, 1992 |
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| Preceded by | None (new office) |
| Succeeded by | Timoci Bavadra (1987) Sitiveni Rabuka(1992) |
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| In office December 16, 1993 – May 29, 2000 |
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| Preceded by | Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau |
| Succeeded by | Ratu Josefa Iloilo |
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| Born | May 6, 1920 Lomaloma, on Vanuabalavu Island, Fiji |
| Died | April 18, 2004 (aged 83) Suva, Fiji |
| Political party | Alliance Party (Fiji) |
| Spouse | Ro Lady Lala Mara Children: 1. As a former British colony, Fiji has largely adopted British political models and follows the Westminster, or Cabinet system of government in which the As a former British colony, Fiji has largely adopted British political models and follows the Westminster, or Cabinet system of government in which the Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Events 455 - The Vandals enter Rome, and plunder the city for two weeks Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Major-General Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, MSD, OStJ, (born September 13, 1948 is best known as the instigator of two military Fiji 's Head of State is the President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands. Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Education and early career Ganilau was educated at Northern Provincial School, Queen Victoria School and Wadham College, Oxford University Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, CF, MBE, MSD, KStJ, (born December 29, 1920) has been the President Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Lomaloma is a Village on the Fiji island of Vanua Balavu in the Lau Archipelago. Vanua Balavu (βanua mbalaβu is the second largest island in Fiji 's Lau Archipelago (not counting the islands of the Moala Group) and Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Suva is the Capital and largest city of Fiji. It is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Central The Alliance Party was the ruling political party in Fiji from 1966 to 1987 Ro Lala Lady Mara, maiden name Litia Cakobau Lalabalavu Katoafutoga Tuisawau ( January 4 1931 &ndash July 20 2004) was Adi Ateca Moce Mara Ganilau 2. Adi Ateca Moce Ganilau (born 1951 is a Fijian public figure best known as the eldest daughter of the former Prime Minister and President, the Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara GCMG KBE CF, (May 6, 1920 – April 18, 2004) is considered the founding father of the modern nation of Fiji. Ratu Tevita Kapaiwai Lutunauga Uluilakeba Mara is a Fijian career soldier with the rank of Lieutenant As a Christian Ecclesiastical term Catholic —from the Greek adjective, meaning "general" or "universal"—is described Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank An equivalent title Adi (andi is used by females of chiefly rank Sir is an Honorific used as a title (see Knight) and in several other modern contexts The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George Prince Regent (later George The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Fijian honours system dates from independence in 1970 when the Fijian Independence Medal was awarded to participants in the Fijian independence celebrations Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Pater Patriae (plural Patres Patriae) also seen as Parens Patriae, is a Latin Honorific meaning " Father Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य He was Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, Prime Minister from 1970 to 1992. Fiji 's British colonial rulers established the office of Chief Minister in October 1967 along with the Cabinet system of government Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) He subsequently served as President from 1993 to 2000. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar.
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Early life and education: 1920 to 1950
Kamisese Kapaiwai Tuimacilai Mara was born on 6 May 1920, in Vanuabalavu in the archipelago of Lau, the son of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba, head of the chiefly Vuanirewa clan, and his first wife Lusiana Qolikoro, who was related to Tongan royalty and was also descended from an English missionary. Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific The Vuanirewa is the ruling tribe (yavusa of the Lau Islands, a scattered group of more than a hundred islands (16 inhabited and reefs along the eastern edge of Fiji The Kingdom of Tonga is an Archipelago in the south Pacific Ocean comprising 169 islands 36 of them inhabited stretching over a distance of about 800 kilometres (500 miles England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Mara's title, Ratu, which means "Chief," was hereditary; as the hereditary Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands, he held the titles of Tui Lau, and Tui Nayau kei Sau ni Vanua ko Lau. Tui Lau is a Fijian chiefly title of recent history and of Tongan origin stemming from the time of Ma'afu and his conquests Tui Nayau is the title held by the Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands in Fiji and is synonymous with the title holders over lordship of these islands He succeeded to the Tui Nayau title in 1969, following the death of his father in 1966; he was later installed as Tui Lau, inheriting the title left vacant by his cousin¹ Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, who had died in 1958. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna ( 22 April 1888 - 30 May 1958) was a Fijian chief scholar soldier and statesman Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Mara was educated first at Sacred Heart College, Auckland then attended Knox College, Otago University in New Zealand, where he studied medicine (1942 to 1945). Sacred Heart College is a Secondary school in Auckland, New Zealand. Knox College is a privately run residential college affiliated to the University of Otago in New Zealand, providing accommodation for primarily first and second The University of Otago ( Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo) in Dunedin is New Zealand 's oldest university with over 20000 students enrolled during New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar He never finished his medical course, because his great-uncle and mentor, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna (who was then regarded as Fiji's paramount chief), seeking to groom him for future leadership of the nation, arranged for him to study history at Wadham College, Oxford University in the United Kingdom. Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the Mara was distressed to abandon his medical studies, but, dependent on Ratu Sukuna for financial support, followed his orders without question, and graduated with an M.A. in 1949. A Master of Arts ( Latin: Magister Artium) is a Postgraduate academic Master's degree awarded by universities in a large Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In 1961, he returned to the United Kingdom to pursue postgraduate study at the London School of Economics for a Diploma in Economics and Social Administration, which he was awarded in 1962. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The London School of Economics and Political Science, more commonly referred to as The London School of Economics or LSE, is a specialist college of the Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In 1973, his old alma mater, Otago University, awarded him an honorary doctorate of laws (LL.D). Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Doctor of Laws ( Latin: Legum Doctor, LLD) is a Doctorate -level Academic degree in Law.
Following his graduation from Oxford University, Mara returned to Fiji and married Ro Litia Cakobau Lalabalavu Katoafutoga Tuisawau, better known asRo Lady Lala Mara, on September 9, 1950. Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Her title, Ro, is also hereditary and is held by Rewan chiefs; like her husband, Lala Mara was a chief in her own right, as the Roko Tui Dreketi (Paramount Chief) of Burebasaga and Rewa. Ro is a title used by Fijian chiefs in the Province of Rewa, as well as parts of Naitasiri, Namosi, and Serua. Rewa is a Province of Fiji. With a land area of 272 square kilometers (the smallest of Fiji's Provinces it includes the Capital city of Suva The Roko Tui Dreketi is the Paramount Chief of Fiji 's Rewa Province and of the Burebasaga Confederacy, to which Rewa belongs Burebasaga is the largest of the three confederacies that make up Fiji 's House of Chiefs, to which all Fijian chiefs belong Rewa is a Province of Fiji. With a land area of 272 square kilometers (the smallest of Fiji's Provinces it includes the Capital city of Suva The marriage was initially opposed by Mara's family, as Adi Lala was from a rival dynasty with which the Mara clan had a history of strained relations. The marriage proved to be a happy one, however, and in stark contrast to the prevalence of divorce among many of Mara's relatives, it lasted for more than 53 years. They had three sons and five daughters, two of whom have pursued political careers of their own. Their eldest son, Ratu Finau Mara, was a Cabinet Minister and parliamentary leader of the Fijian Association Party from 1996 to 1998, when he resigned to take up a diplomatic posting. Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers presided The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. The Fijian Association Party (FAP is a former political party in Fiji. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Their second daughter, Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau, has also followed in her father's footsteps and has served her country as a career diplomat and politician. She was Minister for Transport and Tourism in 1999 and 2000, and served in the Fijian Senate from 2001 to 2006. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. It is the less powerful of the two chambers it may not initiate legislation but may amend or veto it Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
The making of a statesman: 1950 to 1970
After serving (from 1950) as an Administrative Officer in the Colonial Services, Mara was nominated to one of five seats on the Legislative Council reserved for ethnic Fijians in 1953. The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. (There were ten other seats, five reserved for Indians and five for Europeans and other minorities; a further sixteen members were appointed by the colonial Governor). A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government In 1959, Mara was appointed to the Executive Council, and in 1963 was given responsibility as Leader of Government Business and Member for Natural Resources (officially an advisor to the Governor, but in reality roughly equivalent to a modern cabinet minister). The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The colonial Governors of Fiji relied on the Executive Council for advice on proposals for legislation which after being discussed in the Executive Council meetings Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A minister or a secretary is a Politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional Government. In 1964, he was received into the Great Council of Chiefs, which at that time was empowered to appoint two members to the Legislative Council. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on In 1966, he founded the Alliance Party, which, supported overwhelmingly by the ethnic Fijian and European communities (but not by most Indo-Fijians), won a majority of the seats in the 1966 election. Indo-Fijians are Fijians who trace their ancestry to India. They number 311591 (37 The general election to the Legislative Council of Fiji in 1966 was the last to be held before independence from the United Kingdom was granted In preparation for independence, the United Kingdom introduced the Westminster (Cabinet) system of government to Fiji in October 1967. The Westminster system is a democratic Parliamentary system of Government modelled after the British government (the Parliament of the United The Executive Council was transformed into a modern Cabinet, and its members, who had hitherto been answerable only to the colonial Governor, were made fully responsible to the legislature. Fiji was a British Crown Colony from 1874 to 1970 and an independent Dominion in the British Commonwealth from 1970 to 1987 Fiji 's Parliament is Bicameral. The House of Representatives has 71 members Mara was named to the new position of Chief Minister.
One problem that threatened to delay independence was the failure of ethnic Fijians and Indo-Fijians to agree on a post-independence Constitution. Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Constitution of Fiji is the supreme law of Fiji. Background The Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands dates from 1997 Ethnic Fijians, including Mara, wanted a communal franchise, with parliamentary seats reserved for the different ethnic groups, who would vote on separate electoral rolls. It was believed that this would protect indigenous Fijian rights. Mara also considered that it was in Fiji's interests to avoid direct competition between political candidates from different ethnic groups, fearing that it would lead to social and political upheaval. Most Indo-Fijians rejected this proposal, believing that it would prevent them from obtaining a legislative majority, even though they numbered more than half of the population, and demanded that all Parliamentary seats should be elected by universal suffrage from a common voters' roll. In April, 1970, Mara and Sidiq Koya, leader of the mainly Indo-Fijian National Federation Party, met in London and negotiated a compromise. Siddiq Moidin Koya (1923 - 1993 was a Fijian Indian politician and Opposition leader. The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Fijians and Indo-Fijians would be represented equally in the House of Representatives, with 22 seats each; a further 8 seats would be set aside for Europeans and other minorities. About half of the representatives from each ethnic group would be elected only by members of their particular race, while the other half would be elected by universal suffrage. Following this agreement, Fiji became independent on 10 October, 1970. Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated
Prime Minister of Fiji: 1970 to 1992
With independence, the office of Chief Minister was renamed Prime Minister, but its functions were substantially unchanged. Mara retained power in the first post-independence election of 1972. The general election to the Fijian House of Representatives in 1972 was the first since independence from the United Kingdom had been achieved Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Internal divisions within the ethnic Fijian electorate led to the narrow defeat of his Alliance Party by the Indo-Fijian dominated National Federation Party (NFP) in the election of March 1977. Fiji's election for the House of Representatives held in March 1977 was the second since independence from the United Kingdom in 1970 He tendered his resignation as Prime Minister, but the NFP splintered three days later in a leadership dispute, and a constitutional crisis developed. Fiji 's parliamentary election of March 1977 precipitated a constitutional crisis which was the first major challenge to the country's democratic institutions The official representative of Queen Elizabeth, Governor-General Ratu Sir George Cakobau, ended up calling on Mara to form a new government. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II Fiji became a British Crown Colony in 1874 and an independent Dominion in the Commonwealth in 1970 Education and early career Ratu Cakobau was educated first at Fiji's Queen Victoria School, then at Newington College in Australia (1927-1932 Although unquestionably constitutional, the Governor-General's actions were controversial. Many Indo-Fijians were outraged at what they saw as a deliberate cynical move on his part to keep the government of Ratu Mara, his fellow-chief (and distant cousin) in power at all costs. A subsequent election to resolve the impasse in September that year, however, appeared to vindicate Cakobau, when the Alliance Party won a record 36 seats out of 52. A general election to Fiji's House of Representatives was held in September 1977, to resolve the impasse of an earlier election that had been
The Alliance Party's majority was reduced in the 1982 election, but with 28 of the 52 seats, Mara retained power. Fiji's fourth general election to the House of Representatives was held in 1982. Despite the loss of eight seats, the popular vote for the Alliance Party rose to 51. 8% - an all-time record. Part of the reason for this paradox lay in the distribution of the vote: the gains in the popular vote occurred mostly because of a swing of almost 10% in the 11 "communal" seats reserved for, and elected exclusively by, Indo-Fijians, but 24% of the Indo-Fijian vote was insufficient to translate into parliamentary seats, and therefore did not effectively offset small but very significant losses in ethnic Fijian "communal" seats. It was therefore a bittersweet election for Mara.
Convinced of the need to include Indo-Fijians in the government, he proposed a "government of national unity" - a grand coalition with the National Federation Party. The NFP, however, rejected the offer and remained in opposition. In the election of 1987, Mara was finally defeated by a multiracial coalition led by Dr Timoci Bavadra. The general election of April 1987 was Fiji's fifth since the country had gained its independence from the United Kingdom seventeen years earlier His retirement was to be short-lived, however. Two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka seriously undermined the social and economic stability, and the international prestige, of Fiji. The Fiji coups of 1987 resulted in the overthrow of the elected government of Fijian Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, the deposition of Elizabeth II Mara was recalled to head an interim administration, with a view to restoring Fiji's international reputation and rebuilding the country's shattered economy. In 1992, he handed over power to an elected government.
President of the Republic: 1993 to 2000
Following the military coups of 1987, Fiji had severed its links with the Monarchy and become a republic, with a President and two Vice-Presidents chosen by the Great Council of Chiefs. On May 21, 2003, the Police Investigations Department confirmed that they had opened an investigation into the resignation of the Fiji's former President The title of Queen of Fiji was held by Queen Elizabeth II between 1972 and 1987. The Fijian vice-presidency is a mostly ceremonial office The position was created in 1990, to provide a constitutional successor to the President, Following his retirement as Prime Minister, Mara was elected to the Vice-Presidency in June 1992, and became Acting President soon after, when the ailing President Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau was incapacitated. He assumed the office of President officially when Ganilau died on 16 December of the following year. Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Modelled on the Monarchy, the presidency filled a largely honorary role, but was nevertheless vested with important reserve powers, to be used only in the event of a national crisis. The title of Queen of Fiji was held by Queen Elizabeth II between 1972 and 1987. In a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of Government, a reserve power is a power that may be exercised by the Head of state without the
That crisis came on May 19, 2000, with the Fiji coup of 2000. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian Putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of Prime Armed gunmen led by George Speight forced their way into Parliament and kidnapped the Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, several Cabinet ministers, and a number of parliamentarians. George Speight, occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini (born 16 May 1957) was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. Mahendra Pal Chaudhry (born 9 February 1942) is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party. Speight declared himself Prime Minister, and ordered Mara to step aside as president. Mara refused to negotiate with the plotters, and decided instead to dismiss the kidnapped government and assume emergency powers himself. His move backfired, however. In what politicians called "a coup within a coup," Ratu Mara was whisked away on the naval ship Kiro on May 28, where he was allegedly approached by a group of present and former military and police officers and ordered to suspend the Constitution. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling When he refused, ("If the Constitution goes, I go," he defiantly declared) the group, including the army commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, former Prime Minister and 1987 Coup Leader Sitiveni Rabuka, former military commander Ratu Epeli Ganilau (a son-in-law of Mara's), and a former Police Commissioner Isikia Savua, are alleged to have asked for, and possibly forced, Mara's resignation. Commodore is a Military rank used in many navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a navy captain, but is less than Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Brigadier-General Ratu Epeli Ganilau, MC, MSD, (born 10 October 1951) is a Fijian soldier and statesman who Isikia Rabici Savua is a senior Fijian diplomat who has previously had a distinguished career in the Military and Police He was subsequently taken to his home island of Lakeba in the Lau Islands. Lakeba (lakemba is an island in Fiji 's Southern Lau Archipelago. For the 80 year-old President, who was seen as the father of the country and had led it, in one capacity or another, for more than 40 years, it was an anticlimactic end.
The military regime that took over appointed Ratu Josefa Iloilo, who had been Mara's Vice-President, to succeed him on 13 July 2000. Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to After the coup had been quashed, the Supreme Court ruled on 15 November that year that Mara's replacement was unconstitutional and ordered his reinstatement, but Mara, wishing to spare the country further constitutional trauma, officially resigned, with his resignation retroactive to May 29, 2000. The Supreme Court of Fiji is one of three courts established by Chapter 9 of the Constitution, the others being the High Court and the Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
On April 29, 2001, Mara publicly accused the police chief, Colonel Isikia Savua and former Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, of instigating the coup. Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. In what was to be his last public interview, Mara claimed that George Speight - who was then in custody and has since been convicted of treason - was only a front, Mara told Close-Up on Fiji Television that he confronted Savua and Rabuka two days after the coup about their possible involvement. Fiji Television Limited is Fiji 's television network It was founded on 15 June 1994 as the first permanent television broadcasting network in the country "I could see it in their faces," said Mara, emphatically rejecting their denials.
Mara told the programme that within half an hour of Speight's forcible occupation of the Parliament, Rabuka had telephoned Government House (the official residence of the President) to offer to form a government.
Mara said that he was shocked to learn that the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit of the Army had been involved in the coup. The Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit or CRWU was the common name for the First Meridian Squadron the unit's formal name which had been disbanded in 2000 He alleged that they took George Speight to Parliament, and that their senior officers supplied them with weapons, blankets, and food. Mara also declared that the Counter Revolutionary Warfare officers who joined Speight's coup had trained on a farm owned by Rabuka. Excerpts of this interview were broadcast on 29 April 2001; the full interview was not broadcast until 29 April 2004 - while his body was lying in state in preparation for his funeral. Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans. Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans.
Whether Mara's resignation was in fact forced has been the subject of a police investigation since May 21, 2003, when the Police Investigations Department confirmed that they had opened an investigation into the events surrounding his departure from. Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Mahendra Chaudhry, the deposed Prime Minister, has publicly supported Mara's version of events, and has further alleged that Mara was blackmailed with a threat to kill his daughter, Tourism Minister Adi Koila Nailatikau, who was one of the hostages. Commodore Bainimarama has defended his role in the incident saying it was "necessary" at the time, and that Mara's resignation was, in fact, voluntary and that he had refused offers of reinstatement. Mara's daughter, Adi Ateca Ganilau (wife of Ratu Epeli Ganilau) appeared to support Bainimarama's claims in a statement on 10 January 2005, saying that her father had resigned and had refused to return because he was upset by the abrogation of the Constitution. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. "He did not agree with the abrogation of the Constitution. That was probably why he refused to return to office. It was not that the military pressured him to move out," Ganilau said. She called for a thorough investigation into the abrogation of the Constitution, and for those who were legal advisers at the time to be answerable for their actions.
Police have said they have faced "many challenges" in their investigation, finding many officers uncooperative. On 30 April 2004, the Fijian police said they were closely examining the recording of Mara's last interview, in an attempt to uncover new leads. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Police spokesman Mesake Koroi declared that there was a lot of hearsay and rumours in circulation that would not stand up in a court of law. "Unfortunately we are hitting a brick wall in our investigations at the moment," Koroi said. On 2 May 2005, however, Commodore Bainimarama agreed to make a statement to the police about his own role in Mara's resignation. Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes said that no charges could be brought against Commodore Bainimarama unless it could be proved that he had actually forced the President to resign. Fiji has a unified National police force the Fiji Police, whose motto is Salus Populi. Andrew 'Andy' Hughes is a senior officer of the Australian Federal Police (AFP who until recently served as the Chief Police Officer (CPO for the Australian Capital On 5 January 2006, Hughes said that Mara's departure from the Presidency was one of seven major cases the police were still working on. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
Evaluation
Ratu Mara is regarded as modern Fiji's founding father. He not only led the islands to independence from British rule, and served the country for many years thereafter, but accumulated impressive achievements in office. During his tenure as Prime Minister, Fiji's economic growth was extraordinary.
Sugarcane industry
Under Mara's leadership, Fiji became a giant in sugarcane production. Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae Between 1970 and 1987, the sugarcane crop more than doubled, from under 250,000 metric tons to 502,000. The sugar industry continues to be the mainstay of Fiji's economy, and more than 90 % of Fiji's sugar is exported. Mara's government led the way in negotiating special preferential marketing agreements with nations importing Fijian sugar, through the Lome Convention. The Lomé Convention is a trade and aid agreement between the European Union (EU and 71 African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP countries, first signed in February
Pine industry
Mara also founded Fiji's pine industry. This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation. Today, pine plantations, virtually nonexistent 40 years ago, cover close to 480 square kilometres throughout the Fiji Islands, and there is an ongoing programme to further expand area in all parts of the country. Fiji now derives more than $40 to 50 million a year in foreign exchange earnings from its forestry sector. Of this total, more than half is from pinewood chips exports. This industry now provides a substantial and increasing source of income to those in rural areas, including especially the indigenous Fijian landowners.
International achievements and honours
In the 1960s, Mara led a revolt by Pacific Islands delegates that brought about a restructuring of the South Pacific Commission. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community, or SPC (sometimes Pacific Community) is a regional intergovernmental organisation whose membership includes both nations He also helped to launch the Pacific Islands Producers' Association. This evolved into the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Cooperation, which grew into the South Pacific Forum, an association of Pacific nations, of which Mara was a founder member. The Pacific Islands Forum is an inter-governmental Organization which aims to enhance cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific
Yet another significant Mara achievement was his contribution to the negotiations that led to the signing of a new United Nations International Law of the Sea Convention in 1982. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar)
On the global stage, Mara was known for his strongly pro-American views. He supported visits to Fijian ports by nuclear-armed United States warships and submarines. He was a close ally of U.S. President Ronald Reagan. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Mara was also known for his support for Taiwan. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Although he did not officially recognize the Republic of China, he never hid the fact that his true sympathies lay there, and the Taipei regime, in gratitude, helped to finance the publication of his memoirs. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of
Over the years, Mara received many honours from around the world. In addition to his knighthood (a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE), awarded in 1969), his honours from Queen Elizabeth II included the Meritorious Service Decoration, the Officer of the British Empire (1961), Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (1983), Chancellor of the Order of Fiji, Companion of the Order of Fiji, and Knight Grand Cross of the Pian Order with Star (1995). The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Meritorious Service Cross and the Meritorious Service Medal are awarded by the reigning monarch of Canada (presently Queen Elizabeth II) Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) The Order of Pius IX (referred to also as the Pian Order or the Ordine Piano) is a Papal Order of knighthood founded on 17 June 1847 Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 He was also a member of the Privy Council in London beginning in 1973. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. Recognitions from other governments included being made a Grand Master of the Order of the National Lion in Dakar, Senegal in 1975, and the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit of South Korea in 1978. For the Dakar Rally see Dakar Rally. For the Israeli submarine see INS Dakar. Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) He was also a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jesuralem, and became Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific at Suva, which was founded with the support of his government. The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem or Order of St John is a British -based royal order of Chivalry, and is The University of the South Pacific ( USP) is a Public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. In 2000, Island Business Magazine named him Pacific Man of the Century, in recognition of his pivotal role in the founding of the South Pacific Forum.
Criticisms
There were criticisms of his leadership, too, some of which he eventually acknowledged. Many Indo-Fijians criticized him for not doing more to thwart the 1987 coups which removed an Indo-Fijian dominated administration from office, and for giving his consent to a new constitution, drafted in 1990, which guaranteed indigenous Fijian supremacy and was widely regarded as racist, even drawing comparisons from some quarters with South Africa's apartheid system. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Mara defended his role in the post-coup era of 1987 to 1992, arguing that he was doing the best he could in circumstances that he could not fully control, and that it had seemed better at the time to connive in the writing of a discriminatory constitution than to risk civil war at the hands of ethnic Fijian extremists. In 1996, he publicly apologized to the Indo-Fijian community for his role in the drafting of the 1990 Constitution. Mahendra Chaudhry, the leader of the Indo-Fijian community who in 1999 became Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister, said that he did not agree with, but understood, Mara's reasons for acting as he did, and accepted his apology for having done so. Other opponents, both Indo-Fijian and ethnic Fijian, were less forgiving, however.
Sitiveni Rabuka, who led the 1987 coup, surprised many in 1999 when he claimed in an autobiography that he had carried out the coups at Mara's behest. Mara retaliated by suing him for defamation. Mahendra Chaudhry said that he did not believe that Mara had been involved.
Not all of Mara's critics were Indo-Fijian. George Speight, a commoner (i. e. , one of non-chiefly ancestry) who led the 2000 putsch accused Mara of selling the country out to Indo-Fijians, and of working to keep power in the hands of a coalition of Fijian chiefs and Indo-Fijian businessmen, at the expense of Fijian commoners.
Twilight years
Following his resignation, Mara retired to his native island of Lakeba. He continued to influence politics in Fiji, where democracy was subsequently restored, through his membership of the Great Council of Chiefs, which not only advises the government but also functions as an electoral college to choose the President of the Republic, as well as 14 of the 32 members of the Senate; at the time of his death, he was the longest-serving member of the Council. An electoral college is a set of many electors who are empowered to elect a candidate to a particular Office. He remained Chairman of the Lau Provincial Council, a position he had held concurrently with his national offices for many years.
Mara suffered a stroke late in 2001 while visiting Port Vila, Vanuatu, with two of his longtime friends, businessmen Hari Punja and Joe Ruggiero. Port Vila (ˌpɔrt ˈviːlə is the capital city of Vanuatu. It is also Vanuatu's largest city Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu ( French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu) is an Island Hari "Dirty Harry" Punja (born 1937 is a Fiji Indian business tycoon He died in Suva on 18 April 2004, from complications arising from the stroke. Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. His state funeral, led by Roman Catholic Archbishop Petero Mataca, which was spread out over three days (28 to 30 April) saw an estimated 200,000 people - almost a quarter of Fiji's total population - line the streets to pay their last respects to the man they regarded as the father of the nation, in an outpouring of public grief not seen since the death of Mara's presidential predecessor, Penaia Ganilau, over a decade earlier. In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated Bishop. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and others this means that they lead Petero Mataca (born at Cawaci, on Ovalau Island, 28 April 1933) is the Roman Catholic Archbishop Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule
Legacy
Even in death, Ratu Mara stirred controversy. His state funeral was by no means universally popular, even among his close supporters. Claiming to speak for many of those who had been close to the late President, Joseph Browne, who had been his official secretary, claimed that it was the "height of hyprocisy" to have the armed forces, still commanded by the same officers who had unceremoniously deposed Mara from the presidency four years earlier, honouring him at his funeral now. Joseph Browne is a Fijian Civil servant, who was Official Secretary to the late President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, prior
A one-year period of mourning for the late Chief ended on 13 May 2005, with the close of a series of ceremonies that started on the 9th. Events 1497 - Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola. Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of Those who had been observing mourning rituals symbolically changed from black clothes into their normal attire. (Members of the Mara family, however, said that they would continue to wear black for a further three months, until the period of mourning for his wife, Adi Lala, is over). Many thousands of people arrived in Tubou Village on the island of Lakeba to take part in the vakataraisulu ritual, which lifted taboos in place for the Mara family and the people of the Lau Islands. Tubou is a Village on the Fijian Island of Lakeba. One of eight villages on Lakeba it is considered the Capital of the Lau Islands Mara's son, Ratu Finau Mara, who is widely expected to be named his successor as Tui Nayau, or Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands, was expected to participate in the vakataraisulu at the request of elders from Tubou and Levuka, but for undisclosed reasons, remained in Suva. Levuka is a town on the south-east coast of the Fijian island of Ovalau, in Lomaiviti Province, in the Eastern Division of Fiji of In 2004, he had attended his father's state funeral in Suva but not his private funeral in Lakeba. His younger brother, Roko Tevita Uluilakeba, was believed to be out of the country.
Addressing the Lau Provincial Council in Ratu Mara's honour, Fiji's current Vice-President, Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi praised him as a man of vision and compassion, who hated lies and lived by the truth. Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi (born 1957 was the Vice-President of Fiji from 2004 to 2006 He praised him as a committed Christian who practiced what he preached, and who did not differentiate between people but treated all men alike whatever their race or religion. Madraiwiwi called on Lauans today to follow Mara's example.
Another controversy was reported by the Fiji Times on 8 January 2006. The Fiji Times is a daily Newspaper published in Fiji. Established in Levuka on 4 September 1869, it is Fiji's oldest Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army His family was displeased, his daughter |Adi Ateca Ganilau told the Times, that the same government that was working to release from prison persons convicted of offences related to the coup which deposed him, was also promoting an independent biography to be written by Australian academic Derrick Scarr, formerly of the Australian National University. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Australian National University, commonly abbreviated to ANU, is a public Research university situated in Canberra, Australia. This was contradictory, she said. "On one hand they want to praise him but on the other they are working to free those people who ousted him through the Reconciliation Bill," she said, referring to controversial legislation introduced by the Fijian government in 2005, aimed at establishing a Commission empowered to propose amnesty for coup-convicts. The Reconciliation and Unity Commission is a proposed government body to be set up if the Reconciliation Tolerance and Unity Bill which was introduced into the Fijian She reiterated her previously stated opposition to the release of coup-perpetrators, saying that he father would not have stood for it if he were alive.
Jioji Kotobalavu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Prime Minister's Department, rejected the criticism, saying that the government was not financing the book and that its involvement was limited to ensuring that Scarr had access to information sources. Joji Kotobalavu is a Fijian Civil servant. He was the Chief Executive in the Prime Minister's office but was dismissed on 7 December 2006 He considered that cooperation in the writing of the biography would be a fitting tribute to Ratu Mara, whom he called a great man. The Mara family should discuss any reservations with Scarr himself, Kotobalavu said.
Personal life
Mara's interests included cricket, which he played in his younger years, rugby, golf, athletics, and fishing. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries First-class cricket refers to the class of Cricket matches of three or more days scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players and officially adjudged first-class by Rugby football (usually just " rugby " may refer to a number of sports through history descended from a common form of Football developed at Rugby School He was a member of the Achilles Club in London, the Defence Club in Suva, and the United Oxford and Cambridge Universities Club in the United Kingdom. The Achilles Club, which traces its roots back to the first Varsity Sports of 1864, was formed in 1920 by and for past and present representatives of Oxford and Cambridge Universities Mara's character was described as a combination of the forthright and the diplomatic, the inflexible and the dexterous, the imperious and the tolerant . He was known as a strong, imposing personality, but with an ability to forgive his opponents. A convert to Catholicism, Mara wrote of his faith: "Certainly it has been the rock on which I have been able to rely in good times and in bad, and it is the lodestone of my life. " He wrote an autobiography, The Pacific Way: A Memoir. Mara was survived by his wife, Adi Lala (who herself died on July 20 the same year), and by two sons and five daughters; one son predeceased him. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold
| Preceded by Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau |
President of Fiji 1993 to 2000 |
Succeeded by Ratu Josefa Iloilo |
| Preceded by Ratu Inoke Takiveikata Vacant |
Vice-President of Fiji‡ 1992 - 1993 |
Succeeded by Ratu Inoke Takiveikata |
| Preceded by none Vacant |
Prime Minister of Fiji 1967 - 1987† 1987 - 1992 |
Succeeded by Timoci Bavadra Sitiveni Rabuka |
| Preceded by ? |
Chairman of the Lau Provincial Council ? - 2004 |
Succeeded by Ratu Josefa Basulu |
| Preceded by Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba |
Tui Nayau 1969 - 2004 |
Succeeded by Awaiting Installation |
| Preceded by Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna |
Tui Lau 1973–2004 |
Succeeded by Awaiting Installation |
- †From 1967 - 1970, the Prime Minister's title was Chief Minister. Ratu Inoke Takiveikata served two non-consecutive terms in the 1990s as one of two Vice-Presidents of Fiji.
- ‡In Mara's time, the office of Vice-President was held simultaneously by two individuals; Mara's tenure coincided with that of Ratu Sir Josaia Tavaiqia (1992 to 1997)
References
- The World of Talk on a Fijian Island: An Ethnography of Law and Communicative Causation – Chapter 1 Pages 8,9 / Chapter 4, Page 56 By Andrew Arno Copyright 1993 by Alex Publishing, printed in the USA
- The Years of Hope: Cambridge, Colonial Administration in the South Seas and Cricket Chapter 5 Page 103 –104 By Phillip A. Ratu Sir Josaia Tavaiqia ( 1931 - 17 November 1997) was a Fijian chief who served as one of two Vice-President of Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Snow Published in 1997 by Radcliffe Press London
- Pacific Art: persistence, Change and meaning Memorial Images of Eastern Fiji By Anita Herle Copyright 2002, University of Hawai’i Press
- Mara, Ratu Sir Kamisese: "The Pacific Way: A Memoir", University of Hawaii Press, 1997
- 20th Century Fiji, edited by Stewart Firth & Daryl Tarte - 2001 - ISBN 982-010421-1
External links
- Island Business magazine names Mara Pacific Islands Man of the Century
- Official death notice, tributes, and announcement of a state funeral (Heraldsun)
- A brief sketch of Ratu Mara's life (Daily Telegraph) (UK)
- Transcript of ABC Radio report of Mara's death
- [http://www.fijihosting.com/pcgov/docs_o/mara_interview_29april.htm Partial transcript of Ratu Mara's last interview, with Fiji Television, 29 April 2001
- The end of an era (Islands Business), May 2004
- Details Ratu Mara and his Life. Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans.
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