Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
World War II
During World War II, Fiji's strategic position saw it being used as a base by Allied forces.
With the British occupied in Singapore and Burma, Fiji's defence was initially placed under
the control of
New Zealand
. Three airfields were built at Nadi and a series of gun batteries
were erected overlooking Nadi Bay and Suva Harbour. After the Japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor in December 1941, the
US Navy
was given control of Nadi Bay.
With the Japanese encroaching into Papua New Guinea and the Solomons, Fijian soldiers
volunteered for combat duty. The Americans immediately recognized their aptitude for
jungle warfare
and sent Fijians to assist in the Solomons, notably at Guadalcanal and Bou-
gainville, where they served with distinction. Fiji-Indians were not encouraged to enlist un-
der the orders of the British who were fearful of giving them military training in light of the
independence movement in India.
Independence
As the war ended, politics in Fiji split along ethnic lines. The majority of
indigenous Fijians
remained content with the colonial administration, ruled in essence by their village chiefs and
with both their land and chiefly system protected.
Fiji-Indians
had always wielded econom-
ic clout, as demonstrated through sporadic trade union strikes against the CSR, but as their
population increased, so too did their political power. Disenchanted with low sugar pay-outs,
their inability to buy freehold land, and growing antagonism fuelled by India's independence
from Britain in 1947, they became more vocal and determined to oust the colonial govern-
ment. The British, too, wanted to move on from their control of the islands, but were reluctant
to let the Fiji-Indians take their place.
An initial move towards
self-government
occurred in 1953, with the expansion of powers
of the Legislative Council. Half its members were elected, a third of whom were Fijian, a
third European and a third Fiji-Indian. By 1963, the Legislative Council became an entirely
elected council, except for two members appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs to ensure
Fijian political dominance. But this was not enough for dissident Fiji-Indians. At the fore-
front of this group was A.D. Patel, founder of the National Federation Party. He demanded
independence for Fiji with a government elected by universal suffrage.
The Fijians became increasingly wary of the Fiji-Indian influence, and fearing loss of land
they lobbied Britain for support. As a compromise, the British introduced a form of self-gov-
ernment in 1967, with
Ratu Kamisese Mara
appointed the first Chief Minister and seats al-
located ethnically. In April 1970, the Legislative Council was replaced by a parliament with
a 52-member House of Representatives. Indigenous Fijians and Fiji-Indians would each be
allocated 22 seats, with the rest elected by “general voters”, European, Rotumans and other
