Traditionally Easter has been a time for the Christian community in Fiji to indulge in prayers and in solemn religious activities.
Indo-Fijians of Hindu, Sikh and Islamic faiths have used this period for sports and social activities, with the Diaspora showing family, religious and ethnic unity.
Gujaratis, the Andhra Sangam, the Sikhs, TISI Sangam, Sanatan and Muslims gather in different towns and cities of Fiji during Easter.
During this period, the whole country would be teeming with Non-Resident Indo-Fijians (NRIFs).
There would be scarcity of hotel accommodation and rental cars, restaurants would do brisk business, and tourism in general would receive a boost. The country would see thousands of NRIFs now settled in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK and US visiting their families and friends in Fiji.
Unlike the religious nature of Hindu, Sikh and Muslim gatherings, the TISI is more about ethnicity and South Indian ancestry. While most people are Sanatanis or Hindus, some are also of Christian and other faiths.
But all are free to participate as long as they have South Indian heritage on the male side. There is nothing wrong with such ethnic-inclusive events, as long as there is no discrimination of any kind, including that of gender as in this case.
No women please!
My friend and classmate Sada Sivan Naicker, who now heads TISI, is married to his high school sweet heart, Sarita, who happens to be a North Indian.
Sada’s son Nitesh can play in Sangam tournaments and is eligible for Sangam membership. He is classified as a ‘Madrasi’ or South Indian because his father is a South Indian.
But Sada’s daughter Aarti is married into a North Indian family and her children therefore cannot be members of Sangam or participate in its sporting activities.
Such gender discrimination goes against the spirit of human rights laws of most progressive democracies where our Diaspora has settled.
This could be soon challenged, if Sangam does not come to terms with the globalisation of Indo-Fijians in general, and ‘mixed’ South Indians in particular. This rule needs to be reviewed in the changing circumstances.
Adapt and adopt
Modern education, westernisation and thinking that is more liberal have led to many intermarriages and this will cause problems for Sangam worldwide.
Hence, the Sangam should reconsider this restriction before those at the helm are accused of hypocrisy, adopting the opportunities and wealth of the First World, while embracing gender and ethnic discrimination of the Third World.
TISI should therefore embrace international laws, with greater exposure to the developed world, may find such restrictions and discriminations objectionable.
Perhaps it is time TISI heeded the message that retired International Judge and Fiji’s statesman Justice Jai Ram Reddy gave at the Sangam Convention in 2003.
“Lest we forget, let us remind ourselves once again that the Sangam was conceived in benevolence. The name itself stands for coming together of people and the participatory process that it entails. It was born out of adversity that in times that were equally dark. I salute all those who have persevered to keep the human values of love, compassion and service alive through Sangam. I urge you to work for the good of all the people of this country. Take it from strength to strength so that we can all be proud of belonging to the Sangam family,” he said.
Therefore, the message for Sangam and all other participants during the ensuing Easter convention is to unite through human values of love and compassion.
A tragic irony
Commodore Bainimarama’s envisions Fiji as a country devoid of racism, with everyone treated equally as Fijians.
Yet, Indo-Fijians continue to discriminate their own people based on gender and ethnicity!
Thakur Ranjit Singh is a media commentator, a community worker, a Trustee of Sanatan NZ and Sanatan Media Watch and chief executive of Media Relations Limited, an event management, public relations, media promotions and a communications company. Email: thakurji@xtra.co.nz
