"As a Christian country, our day of worship is on Sunday," Tuilaepa Soiamoa Grey told the Samoa Observer.

"I have nothing against the government's decision to make Samoa a Christian state. I fully support it.

"But what I find contradictory and hypocritical, is when the government changes the constitution, yet allows foreigners to disrespect our day of worship by continuing to do hard labour on Sundays."

Tuilaepa lives next to a construction site at Vaitele. The workers are Chinese and they have been working on the Pesega Fou School on Sundays in the past months, without any consideration for others, according to Tuilaepa.

"It's really disturbing that I cannot have a peaceful Sunday when these Asians are doing hard labour work," she said.

"What is the robustness of the Samoa Constitution when it comes to these Asians who are conducting heavy labour work on Sundays?

"What's more annoying is that their actions are a clear indication they have no respect for the laws of the land.

"Samoans take the day off, they attend church and if you don't go to church, you still cannot do such heavy work on Sundays.

"Why is it that we are a Christian country, yet there are people who work hard labour on Sundays? These Asians clearly have no respect for our traditions?

"Each and every Samoan knows that we don't do any hard labour work; what makes them any different? They are visitors to our country, whether they are citizens or not, they should respect our traditions."

Tuilaepa reiterated that these Asians should respect Samoa's tradition and culture.

Source

• Samoa Observer

But a political analyst, Grant Wyeth, says the change has the potential to actually create religious tensions.

Samoa is no longer a secular state after its Parliament voted on bill which amends the Constitution to officially declare itself as a Christian nation.

The bill was passed in the first week of June. 43 of the parliaments 49 members voted in favour of the bill. It now awaits the signature of the Head of State.

The change to the constitution means those who claim to be interpreters of God's will in Samoan society will now hold a far greater legal sway.

There is also the potential for more theocratic tendencies to emerge.

Churches lobbying the government for both their own tangible interests, or causes they consider of importance, will now have the state's foundation's document on their side.

But this could create a denominational rivalry for influence over the state.

While 98 percent of Samoa's population identify as Christian, there is a range beliefs within the country.

Christian denominations include the evangelical Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, a large number of Roman Catholics, as well as the Pentecostal Assemblies of God, and the Methodist Church.

There has been a strong recent increase in Mormons (15 percent of the population and rising),

The likelihood of any radical Islamic elements with the organizational capacity to create tensions in Samoa is extremely remote.

The 2001 census counted the followers of Islam to be 0.03 percent of the Samoan population, or 48 people.

Although religious numbers haven't been counted in subsequent censuses, it's unlikely that the figure has increased too much beyond this. The country has only one mosque that is very modestly attended.

Source

• thediplomat.com
• Image: bahai-library.com

Oni Kirwin is a controversial figure who lives in Australia.

According to some commentators she has little credibility and little support.

Vuniwaqi told the Fiji Sun that Kirwin was "in attempts to form a so-called Christian State in Ra and Nadroga."

Professor Brij Lal, Indo-Fijian historian at the Australian National University says he is baffled by the separatist intentions.

"You have crazy people all over the world, it's simply ridiculous. Western Fiji is fully integrated into the economy. This is a nonsensical."

Oni Kirwin, who describes herself as attorney-general of the Ra and Nadroga Christian state, said she is "not frightened or scared at all".

Kirwin rose to prominence late last year, after she claimed that she was to go to London to meet the Queen and discuss Fiji's independence.

It is believed this meeting never took place.

It was also rumoured that Kirwin has taken the issue to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

It is believed that is also untrue.

"There is a takeover in Fiji and it is not a good one," said Kirwin.

"We're concerned by Muslims. Their influence is very, very high," Kirwin says.

She points to Muslims holding high office in the Bainimarama government, including attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

About seven per cent of Fiji's population is Muslim.

Supporters of the Christian state have allies in Australia.

They were blessed by the Reverend Fred Nile during a meeting with a group led by Kirwin in the New South Wales upper house of parliament in April.

More than 60 people allegedly linked to anti-Muslim separatists have been detained in Fiji, accused of plotting to create a breakaway state on the western part of the main island of Viti Levu.

Brij Lal is also critical of Bainimarama, "I think, as some critics suggest, it's a diversionary thing from criticism of the government and diversion from the economy," he said.

"He (Voreqe Bainimarama) has in his sights people who are critics of the government. He equates criticism of the government as an attack on democracy."

Last Friday Bainimarama warned Fijians living overseas who support the Christian state movement.

"If you encourage sedition you are committing a serious offences." The hand of the law is very long. And rest that the authorities in Fiji will not rest until you are brought to justice."

"If you encourage sedition, you are committing a serious offence," he said.

Bainimarama did not name any individuals.

Source

• 3news.co.nz
• sbs.com.au
• radionz.co.nz
• fijileaks.com
• crosbiew.blogspot.co.nz
• Image: crosbiew.blogspot.co.nz

In a paper published this year titled "Samoa and the Christian State Ideal," Professor Ahdar explored the notion of a Christian state in the context of Samoa.

Ahadar says Samoa is not in a Christian state in a legal (de jure), constitutional sense.

"It is, however, possible to argue that, yes, in practice, it is a de facto Christian state insofar as the substance of much of Samoan law reflects Christian teaching,"he says

"Is Samoa a Christian nation? In terms of self-identification, yes, most definitely."

Source

• Samoa Observer
• Image: emileluider.com

Hela Province governor Anderson Agriru recently introduced a motion in Parliament to carry out a nationwide consultation on PNG's religious status, which was passed unanimously.

There has even been talk of banning non Christian religions.

Pacific Council of Churches spokesman Netani Rika tells Bruce Hill that Christian identity is important to most Pacific people, but this idea may not be the best way to reflect that. Read more/Listen

Submissions to the Constitution Commission recommending that Fiji should be declared a Christian State have caused considerable debate.

The idea would continue to be debated, Mr Koroi said, "because many of us accept this concept at face value rather than following Jesus Christ's teaching as recorded in the scriptures, 'come follow me'."

According to Mr Koroi, Fiji needs to separate Church and State — to distinguish clearly between the State's role to govern and the role of Christianity.

Christianity, he said, was personal and to do with a person's living relationship with the living person who is Jesus Christ.

Declaring Fiji to be a Christian State would mean that Christianity became an ideology enshrined in law, and adherence to this ideology would be compulsory.

Mr Koroi said that Christianity was never meant to be like that.

"Christianity is a worldwide religion; it is not sectarian, closed religion of one's own race or country as the Fiji Christian state being advocated by others", he said.

Sources

• The Fiji Times Online
• Image: Fiji Guide

This was the Prime Minister's response to the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) party submission summary handed to the Constitution Committee by the party constituent leaders.

The SDL said Fiji should be a Christian State and Christianity is the state religion.

"This will never happen," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister said Fiji as a secular state would tie in well with Government's new roadmap in building a better Fiji for all.

Fiji is a multi-cultural and multi-religious society and the Prime Minister said these had to be respected.

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The SDL (Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua) was founded in 2001 by Laisenia Qarase. It is widely seen as the successor to the Alliance, the former ruling party that had dominated Fijian politics from the 1960s to the 1980s. It draws its support mainly from indigenous Fijiians.

The recommendations are contained in the SDL's submission to the Constitutional Commission. The SDL say they want the name "Fijian" to be reserved for the indigenous Fijians and all citizens to be called "Fiji Islanders".

SDL also proposes that there should be no provisions for dual citizenship.

SDL officials say that the party wants the term "sexual orientation" to be removed from the Bill of Rights of the 1997 constitution.

In that section it states that a person must not be unfairly discriminated against, directly or indirectly, on the ground of his or her sexual orientation.

They propose that parliament and senate should be retained, some communal seats to be retained and the balance to be won under the one man one vote system.

On the appointment of the country's President and Vice President, SDL has suggested that they should still be appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs.

Recently the blogger Graham Davis said, "The recent observation by the former vice-president, Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, that race relations in Fiji have never been better is an important acknowledgement of unquestionably the Commodore Bainimarama Government's greatest achievement."

"This is its crusade to bridge the gulf between the races in Fiji and try to draw a line under the entrenched separateness that has always bedeviled the country and retarded its development. Whatever else it may have done since it seized the reins of power five and half years ago, the attempt to create one Fijian identity has been the most daring of the regime's initiatives and the most noble."

Source

• FijiVillage.com
• Wikipedia
• FijiSun
• Image: The Muslim Times