Fiji's opposition boycotts Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's speech to parliament
Fiji's main opposition party has boycotted a historic speech by India's prime minister Narendra Modi to the country's parliament.
The leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA), Ro Teimumu Kepa, said she stayed away after the government reneged on an invitation for her to give a vote of thanks to Mr Modi.
Ms Kepa also said opposition MPs were not allowed to meet with the Indian prime minister.
"[The government] don't have any regard for opposition," she told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat program.
"Why would you bring [Mr Modi] to parliament? He knows full well there are two sides and at least they can give us that opportunity."
Mr Modi's visit marks the second visit by an Indian prime minister to Fiji.
Ms Kepa said when Indira Ghandi visited Fiji in 1981, the opposition was granted the opportunity to address her, but not this time.
In his address to parliament, Fiji's prime minister Frank Bainimarama apologised to Mr Modi on behalf of the country for the absence of the opposition MPs.
"I apologise to you, prime minister Modi, on behalf of the people of Fiji for this inexcusable behaviour which does not have anything to do with the relations between our two countries," he said.
"It only shows that some of us have lessons to learn about democracy and nationhood."
Admiral Bainimarama said SODELPA has failed in its obligation to work for the common good in a democratic parliament.
Their chairs stood empty as he made an historic address to Fiji's parliament outlining hopes for closer engagement with the country and the wider Pacific.
Nearly 40 per cent of Fiji's population is of Indian ethnicity, making the visit from Mr Modi one of particular national importance.
SODELPA's members are predominantly native i-Taukei and the party champions indigenous issues.
However, Ms Kepa denied a racial link to her party's boycott, saying her party's alliance with Indo-Fijian MP Biman Prassad shows her party is racially inclusive.
"I think it would be rather foolish for anyone to say that we are coming from a racist background," she said.
Fijians out in force for Modi
The boycott was the only sour note on what was a warm welcome for Mr Modi.
Thousands of people gathered at a sports field in Fiji's capital Suva to welcome the Indian prime minister following his recent tour of Australia.
The visit, which involved a speech to Fiji's parliament and meetings with several Pacific leaders, has put FIji and India's their bilateral relationship on new footing.
After a meeting with Mr Bainimarama, Mr Modi said India and Fiji face many common issues and they should cooperate more.
"I see this visit as an opportunity to renew an old relationship and lay the foundation for a strong partnership in the future," he said.
He said the two countries agreed to work more closely on issues like international trade, climate change and UN peacekeeping, and signed agreements covering diplomatic training and Indian finance for a $70 million co-generation power plant to boost Fiji's struggling sugar industry.
Admiral Bainimarama said the two countries have much to learn from each other.
"I believe we have laid the groundwork for a very productive relationship in the future," he said.
Mr Modi also met with several other Pacific leaders during his stay and said Fiji could serve as a hub to increase India's engagement in the Pacific.
The leader of Fiji's other opposition party, the National Federation Party (NFP), Dr Biman Prassad, turned up for the special sitting of parliament, saying he could not miss the opportunity to learn from the leader of a seasoned democracy.
"We decided to participate in the parliament and really the NFP believes we can learn a lot from India in terms of the ideals of democracy, human rights, [and] media freedom," he told Pacific Beat.
"We welcome Mr Modi's visit to Fiji and that is why we gave that respect by going to the parliament.
"We were only two of the opposition members who were present."
Dr Prassad said he hoped Mr Modi's visit would help strengthen Fiji's newly reformed democracy and inspire cooperation in parliament.
"Fiji's democracy is a work in progress and we hope that this visit will give some impetus and re-thinking to some of the issues we still have to achieving genuine democracy," he said.
Dr Prassad said he would not comment on SODELPA's decision to boycott the speech, and was not given the chance to meet with Mr Modi personally.
"I respect their decision. We are two parties in the opposition and on this particular matter we decided for ourselves and that's where I'm going to leave that," he said.
China's president, Xi Jinping, will arrive on Friday for a three-day visit.
