March 10, 2007

Bubu’s Take on Propaganda

Isa Lei Ragone if I knew our blogsite was going to be highlighted on prime-time news before the first ads on the television tonight I would have plastered my photo’s from my younger day’s on our blog…hee hee hee!!!

Isa and Vinaka Vakalevu makubuqu Leweni for giving us free national (and regional and international) PR.

But seriously makubuna’s it is quite clear that we have struck a nerve. All I can say to that is "welcome to the civilian arena" which is unlike the army where there is but one voice that everyone jumps to.

What is important for my blog today is to help all you makubuna’s understand just how powerful a military propaganda campaign can be. We all know that saying about being fore-warned and fore-armed.

Look back in history and see how wars were won just by propaganda.

But the definition of propaganda for someone from my era is what I would call LIES. Plain and simple lies, both white and black.

Makbuna’s we have been flooded with information about psychological warfare from Intelligentsiya sources. So as information is power, we will pass this on.

You will note that whenever there is an opportunity for the military regime to talk about their efforts there are key messages and words (perpetrator tiko vei iko!) that they will disseminate. These include:
• They have the overwhelming support of the whole country
• We were swimming in corruption (moral and economic) and the military regime is here to fix it
• Anybody who tries to swim against their tide is a threat to national security
• They really do have our best interests at heart and care about us

If you think about this approach, the more you hear it (even if you know deep down in your heart that things are not right) wouldn’t you resign yourself to going with the flow as it’s too risky to be looking at a barrel of a gun?

Of course you will have your own views about these points but all I ask is that you unravel what you are being presented with against what you experience. For example, is a 5% pay-cut a sign that a leader has your best interest at heart while the lavish use of rental car’s by the military abound??

And that makubuna’s is exactly where the military regime itself will fall down (without any help at all from Intelligentsiya). In governance you never touch the wallets of your subjects until you know with certainty that they will be happy to pay for it. Which in this world is hardly ever. Subjects pay taxes and don’t want to hear anything more about having to part with more money.

In order for this military regime to properly roll out all their messages they need to control the newsrooms so that they only disseminate their side of the story. This is why we are not on the list of favourable sources and why we are being looked for (oilei turaga!)

Another key tactic that is used in military propaganda campaigns is that of deflection where when a serious issue is highlighted (like murder) deflection can be either throwing you off the scent OR creating another issue that will take attention away from the original issue (fnpf “scam”).

Remembering also that right now our national money situation is quite bleak so having stories about human rights abuses making the New’s does not augur well for our strained relationship with the EU. We need their money MORE then ever.

Did any of you makubuna’s notice 2 key letters in today’s Fiji Times? One from the EU clarifying that they did not invite us but that military regime has offered a 3-member delegation to personally explain our situation (presuming that if they write formally to question our circumstances, we would respond formally in writing also). A second letter queries the fact that our budget doesn’t add up?? Interesting times ahead ragone.

Makubuqu’s from FMF you really have directed too much undue attention to Intelligentsiya. Here’s a PR tip: just ignore us. The more you poke to find us, the more we become underdogs and in a “hearts and minds” campaign, the underdogs always win. You should know this!

Anyway enough from me for now. Me da toso tikoga. Keep your wits about you makubuna’s.

7 comments:

Phantom's Daughter said...

Oilei Bubu....did you hear that he also told Fijians in NZ to go against Helen Clark? ..and that memo from the skunk hairstyle like policeman to the CID about investigations into military personnel?....Is it just me or are they really,really getting desperate?

Bubu, you oldies can 'vosota'. It's the young ones like me that will be paying taxes to pay for the greenies and their expenses in years to come...and all for what we ask...cause it clearly aint about corruption anymore Bubu. Those who still believee this are just as deluded as Frankie B.

Anonymous said...

yes, God is watching, and hopefully he will soon strike down all these corrupt losers!

Anonymous said...

I say... They seem to be spending more time and effort trying to suppress the truth while they have not seemed to be able to present to us any evidence other than hearsay about the "corrupt" practices that led to their overthrow the last govt.

I mean, on one hand they harp on about getting rid of corruption when on the other hand, they do not want to be investigated for the deaths of CRW soldiers who were IN CUSTODY at the military camp or for sedition nor for physical abuse cases that involve the military!

They play judge and jury and if that is not abuse of power, I don't know what it is!! It's funny when Uncle Voreqe mentioned on One National news that "power can corrupt", he should have just gone on to say, "Just like in our case!"

Vinaka vakalevu for the refreshing doses of reality, Bubu... we all need it to keep our vision clear!

Anonymous said...

Vinaka Bubu!

I like to read the experiences of our soldiers when they were fighting for World peace in the Solomon Islands, Helping in Malaya and protecting innocent lives in faraway places like Lebanon.
Reading what these current bunch have been doing since 1987 is just an embarrasment and a huge blot on their proud history. The tortures and killings of innocent victims must stop and they be disbanded so we can stop all this LAWLESSNESS!

Anonymous said...

bainimarama and leweni need some PR LESSONS ESP. IN ENGLISH...talk about TATA & BROKEN ENGLISH..all the time they're being interviewed on telly...well they can't really help it anyways coz they ain't even academically qualified for the posts they have forced themselves into!!!
its really a pity to see how many loyal, long-serving, academically qualified and experienced certain govt.workers have been unceremoniously thrown out of their rightful jobs by some knuckleheads like Force-2-PM Voreqe, Kanikani Leweni,Fatty Teleni etc..etc..KUA NA KANA LOTO!! E BUNOCI NA I TUTU OQORI..maybe u guyz should've worked harder in school!!!GOSH..SHAME PPLE...SHAME!!

Anonymous said...

funny how you call yourself intelligentsia when you can't even get the spelling right also your facts. For your benefit here is a link to the wikipedia article
.

Anonymous said...

keyboardc@per and equityseeker - who are you kidding? Same greenish tinge in your comments and your tone - when all else fails, resort to insults and taunts on insignificant petty things like the spelling, etc.
Intelligentsia or Intellyias or whatever...don't let them get your goat! You are doing great stuff and don't worry, we're not all dummies here that we will swallow all the propaganda they are feeding us or be distracted by the red herrings they throw our way!