A Coup for the People: The Glorious Betrayal of 1987

Ah, 1987—a year of grand political theatre in Fiji, starring none other than Sitiveni Rabuka, a man who entered the stage with a mission to protect the iTaukei people from the imaginary horrors of democracy. With a flourish, he executed Fiji’s first military coup, proving once and for all that elections were merely a suggestion and that real power came from the barrel of a gun (or at least from a military uniform and a well-timed press conference).

The Promise of Victory

Rabuka, ever the eloquent statesman, assured the iTaukei that they had won—hence the rallying cry Sa noda na qaqa! (We have won!). Victory, however, turned out to be a rather peculiar concept, as it seemed to involve economic decline, social unrest, and international condemnation. The supposed triumph for indigenous Fijians translated into a government that mostly enriched a few elites while the rest were left scratching their heads, wondering what exactly they had won. But hey, semantics!

The Masterstroke: Divide and Conquer

The genius of Rabuka’s rule was his ability to convince the iTaukei that political dominance equated to economic prosperity—despite all evidence to the contrary. Under his watchful leadership, Fiji’s economy took a delightful nosedive, investors fled in droves, and racial tensions were expertly sharpened to ensure that unity among Fijians—of all backgrounds—remained a distant dream. 

Meanwhile, the Indo-Fijian community, many of whom had lived in Fiji for generations, were encouraged to leave through casual intimidation and a steady erosion of their rights. Who needed a diverse and skilled workforce anyway? Certainly not a developing island nation in need of stability and progress!

Here now in 2025, nothing much has changed under Rabuka and his minions.

The Great Rebrand: ‘Fijians’ for All (July 1987 Edition)

Then came the grandest irony of all. By July 1987, Rabuka, the self-appointed defender of the iTaukei, suddenly had a brilliant revelation—why not unite the people under one common identity? Thus, the proposal to call all citizens ‘Fijians’ was born. A man who had spent months—and let’s be honest, years—stoking divisions and orchestrating a military coup now decided that national unity was the way forward. The comedy writes itself!

One must admire the audacity of a man who, after pulling the rug from under an entire nation, now insists that everyone stand together on the bare floorboards. If nothing else, Rabuka proved that political reversals are a hallmark of true leadership—especially when they come with no accountability.

Rabuka’s coup of 1987 remains a masterclass in political opportunism, wrapped in patriotic slogans and served with a generous helping of economic mismanagement. His promise of victory for the iTaukei ultimately proved hollow, much like his later efforts at national unity. And yet, in true political fashion, he remains a fixture in Fijian politics, proving that in the grand theatre of power, past actions are merely inconvenient details best left forgotten. After all, history has a funny way of repeating itself, especially when its key players never truly leave the stage.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1996110783986913