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Persecution of Hindus: removed erroneous space

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'''[[Fiji]]'s''' four '''[[coups]]''' in the past two decades have had '''church involvement'''. At the center of each coup lies the tension between the ethnic Fijians and [[Indo-Fijians|Indian Fijians]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6209486.stm | work=BBC News | title=Background to Fiji's four coups | date=December 8, 2006}}</ref> [[Religion]] plays a significant role, as the majority of ethnic Fijians belong to the [[Methodism|Methodist]] church while the majority of Indian Fijians are [[Hinduism|Hindu]].

In each of the four coups, one of the sides sought to [[Persecution_of_Hindus#Fiji_Islands|reduce rights for Indian Fijians]], whereas the other side sought to grant equality to Indian Fijians.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/830926.stm | work=BBC News | title=Future bleak for Fiji's Indians | date=July 12, 2000}}</ref> The coup by Colonel [[Sitiveni Rabuka]] in 1987 led to a constitution that ensured Indian Fijians could only have less than half of all seats in parliament and banned Indians from the post of prime minister. The [[2000 Fijian coup d'état|coup of 2000]], by [[George Speight]], removed the elected Prime Minister [[Mahendra Chaudhry|Mahendra Chaudry]], who is a Hindu of Indian origin.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/754876.stm | work=BBC News | title=Ethnic split haunts Fijian politics | date=May 19, 2000}}</ref>

==Interference of Methodist Church in politics ==
{{See | Military–church relations in Fiji | Separation of church and state }}

The powerful Methodist Church backed the past three coups,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/tribal-chiefs-critical-of-coup/2006/12/07/1165081060811.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | title=Tribal chiefs critical of coup | date=December 7, 2006}}</ref> but has opposed the [[2006 Fijian coup d'état|2006 coup]].

The Church plays a major role in Fiji politics.<ref>[http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=52499 Let us pray, churches say] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165601/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=52499 |date=2007-09-30 }}, Fiji Times Online, November 29, 2006</ref> Oftentimes, some politicians appeal to Fijians addressing them as "Christians", even though Hindus are 38% of the
population in Fiji, compared with 52% Christians.<ref>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1834.htm Fiji (10/07)]</ref> It was alleged by Commodore Frank Bainimarama that the [[2000 Fijian coup d'état]] that removed the elected PM [[Mahendra Chaudhry]], was supported by many people within Methodist church.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?id=18901&op=read |title=Fiji military dismisses GCC and Methodist support for reconciliation bill |date=August 25, 2005 |work=[[Radio New Zealand International]] |accessdate=September 24, 2011}}</ref> The Methodist church leaders supported a subsequent proposal to pardon those involved.

There are some people within the Methodist church that have raised the possibility of declaring Fiji a theocratic Christian state.<ref>[http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/link.asp?id=u250pmj6q7047403 Roots of Land and Church: the Christian State Debate in Fiji - International journal for the Study of the Christian Church] {{dead link|date=August 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> This has brought [[Frank Bainimarama|Josaia Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama]], leader of the December 2006 coup, into conflict with the Methodist church in the past.

===Church's aim of establishing a Christian state in Fiji===

Some Methodist Church authorities have continued to advocate the establishment of a Christian state. In a letter of support from the head of the Methodist Church, Reverend Tomasi Kanilagi, to George Speight, the leader of the May 19, 2000, armed takeover of Parliament, Reverend Kanilagi publicly expressed his intention to use the Methodist Church as a forum under which to unite all ethnic Fijian political parties.<ref>[https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/23828.htm Fiji]</ref> The Methodist church also supported forgiveness to those who plotted the coup in form of so-called "[[Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill]]".

===Persecution of Hindus===
{{see | Persecution_of_Hindus#Fiji_Islands | l1= Persecution of Hindus in Fiji Islands }}

The Methodist church general secretary Reverend Ame Tugaue has expressed concern about the practice of Hinduism in Fiji. Fiji Times reported his views on March 27, 2005:

:"Because if God does get angry with the heathens, Christians will be punished because they allowed the worship of idols and other lesser gods in Fiji. Sodom and Gomorrah were only destroyed after the Lord removed the faithful from there and not because of a few would we allow God's wrath to befall the whole of Fiji. It was clearly stated in the 10 Commandments that God gave to Moses that Christians were not allowed to worship any other gods and not to worship idols."<ref>[http://www.christianaggression.org/item_display.php?type=NEWS&id=1112408217 Christian Aggression] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926230135/http://www.christianaggression.org/item_display.php?type=NEWS&id=1112408217 |date=2007-09-26 }}</ref>

Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu of the Fiji Council of Churches and Assembly of Christian Churches has stated that the 2006 coup is "un-Christian" and is "[a] manifestation of darkness and evil" and pointed out that "52% of Fijians are Christian and the country's Christian values are being undermined".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200612061204/fiji_military_monitoring_the_media |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2006-12-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118042641/http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200612061204/fiji_military_monitoring_the_media |archivedate=2012-01-18 }}</ref>

==Exodus of Indians from Fiji==

Fiji is one of the few countries in the world that officially imposes disabilities on a group that constitutes a large part of the population, on the basis of [[racism|race]],<ref>[https://archive.today/20120728002920/http://www.cdnn.info/special-report/fiji_coup/fiji_coup.html 403 Forbidden]</ref><ref>[http://web.amnesty.org/wire/may2001/index Amnesty International] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061230084057/http://web.amnesty.org/wire/may2001/index |date=2006-12-30 }}</ref> and [[religion]]. It has caused an exodus of the Indians, who until recently formed slight majority in Fiji.<ref>[http://migration.ucdavis.edu/MN/more.php?id=2176_0_5_0 Migration News - Migration Dialogue] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906070438/http://migration.ucdavis.edu/mn/more.php?id=2176_0_5_0 |date=2006-09-06 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[George Speight]]
* [[Catholic_Church_sexual_abuse_cases#Comparision_with_Protestant_Churches_and_Jehovah's_Witnesses|Methodist church sex abuse cases]]
* [[Military–church relations in Fiji]]
* [[Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill]]
* [[Religious reaction to the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill]]
* [[Persecution_of_Hindus#Fiji_Islands|Persecution of Hindu minority in Fiji by Methodist Christian majority]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2003/08/23/23n.html Declare Fiji Christian state: Nationalists]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050301163852/http://ecrea.org.fj/webpages/publications_files/Papers/35.doc THE CHURCH AND FIJIAN ETHNOCENTRISM- An Adventure in Religious History and Sociology], Kevin J. Barr, 2004

{{DEFAULTSORT:Church Involvement In Fiji Coups}}
[[Category:History of Fiji]]
[[Category:Christianity in Fiji]]
[[Category:Religion and politics]]
[[Category:Anti-Indian sentiment]]
[[Category:Anti-Hindu sentiment]]

Church involvement in Fiji coups - Revision history

>SdkbBot: /* Persecution of Hindus */removed erroneous space