Mahendra Chaudhry, leader of the Fiji Labour Party, lauded the late Dr. Tupeni Baba for his strength and resilience when he was taken hostage during the coups of 1987 and 2000.
On May 14, 1987, Dr. Baba was taken captive by then-Lt Col Sitiveni Rabuka and kept under house arrest for six days along with Dr. Bavadra and other Cabinet members. During the 2000 coup, he was held at gunpoint for 56 days with then-Prime Minister Chaudhry and other ministers.
“In both coups, Dr. Baba showed exemplary courage and fortitude, refusing to give in to the intimidation by armed soldiers,” said Chaudhry in a tribute to the late politician and academic.
Chaudhry noted that even though they were held in separate locations and separated along racial lines during the 2000 crisis, Dr. Baba managed to keep in touch to provide updates.
“He was a constant source of strength and comfort to his colleagues. As my Deputy PM, he managed to keep in touch with me through notes, providing his opinions and advice on critical issues,” said Chaudhry.
Describing Dr. Baba as having an affable and pleasant personality, Chaudhry also highlighted his strong advocacy for social justice, noting that he did not contest the 1992 and 1994 general elections under the racist 1990 constitution.
“Dr. Baba contributed significantly to Labour’s formative years and will be remembered for the legacy he left behind,” added Chaudhry.
Dr. Baba was a founding member of the Fiji Labour Party and served as Deputy PM and Minister for Foreign Affairs in Chaudhry’s Labour-led government. He also held the position of Minister for Education, Youth, and Sports in the Bavadra Government of 1987, which was removed a month after taking office in Fiji’s first coup, also led by Rabuka.
Later, Dr. Baba broke away from the Fiji Labour Party to form the New United Labour Party to contest the 2001 general election.