Summary
Tomasi Kanailagi (1938 or 1939 — 14 June 2018)[1][2] was a Fijian Methodist minister and political leader. He served as President of the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma from 1999 to 2001,[2] and in the Senate of Fiji from 2001 to 2006.
Rev Kanailagi attended Lelean Memorial School before embarking on his Theological Studies at Davuilevu.
Following the 1987 Fijian coups d'état he supported Rabuka, and was later part of a group of senior Methodists who ousted church president Reverend Josateki Koroi for opposing the coup.[3] He later supported the 2000 Fijian coup d'état.[4]
In 2001 he was nominated to the Senate of Fiji by Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase. In August 2002, Kanailagi told the Senate that non-indigenous Fijians should leave the country.[5] He also accused the Fiji Times of being an agent of evil which was plotting against Christianity.[6] In 2003 he opposed the Family Law Bill, which removed discrimination against women from many Fijian laws, claiming that it would undermine the traditional fabric of society.[7] He lost his seat in the Senate in the 2006 Fijian coup d'état. He was subsequently appointed Chairperson of the Fiji Council of Churches.
Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état the military regime told the Methodist church that it would not be permitted to hold any more annual conferences until Kanailagi was removed from office.[8] When the church attempted to hold its 2009 conference, he was arrested for violating the Public Emergency Regulations.[9] He was subsequently charged with organising an unlawful meeting.[10] The charges were eventually dropped in December 2016.[11]
In 2010 he opposed the military regime's decree legalising homosexuality.[12]
References edit
- ^ "Former Methodist Church President Reverend Tomasi Kanailagi Dies". Fiji Sun. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ a b "Reverend Kanailagi Laid To Rest". Fiji Sun. 24 June 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "No More Coup, Methodists Told". Fiji Sun. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Fiji Methodist Church accused of supporting May 2000 coup". RNZ. 23 June 2004. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Fiji government senator suggests non-indigenous people should depart". RNZ. 27 August 2002. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Fiji Times and Fiji TV accused as agents of evil". RNZ. 27 August 2002. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Fiji government senator attacks Family Law Bill". RNZ. 25 October 2003. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Fiji Methodists reluctant to bow to regime's conference ban". RNZ. 16 July 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Two more Fiji Methodist leaders released but warned not to meet". RNZ. 24 July 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Charges against 36 Fiji Methodist ministers dropped". RNZ. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Fiji Methodists welcome dropping of charges". RNZ. 14 December 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Leading Fiji Methodist rails against decree legalising gay sex". RNZ. 1 March 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2023.