A. R. Manu

Last updated

A. R. Manu
Nominated Member of the Legislative Council
In office
1956–1957
Succeeded by A. H. Sahu Khan
Personal details
BornFiji
Died29 March 1957 (aged 48)
Lautoka, Fiji

Abdul Rahman Manu (died 29 March 1957) was an Indo-Fijian businessman politician. He served as a nominated member of the Legislative Council from 1956 until his death in 1957.

Biography

Born in Fiji, Manu owned a business and sugar cane farm in Lautoka District. [1]

He was one of the founding members and president of the Maunatul Islam Association, an organisation representing Muslims who originally came to Fiji as indentured labourers from Kerala in South India. He was also an active member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Lautoka. [2]

Following the 1956 elections, he was nominated as one of the Indo-Fijian members of the Legislative Council. [1] Following his death the following year, A. H. Sahu Khan was nominated as his replacement. [3]

Related Research Articles

Siddiq Moidin Koya (1924–1993) was a Fijian Indian politician, Statesman and Opposition leader. He succeeded to the leadership of the mostly Indo-Fijian National Federation Party (NFP) on the death of the party's founder, A. D. Patel, in October 1969, remaining in this post until 1977. He later served a second term as leader of the NFP, from 1984 to 1987.

Jai Ram Reddy, CF is an Indo-Fijian politician, who has had a distinguished career in both the legislative and judicial branches of the Fijian government. In 1998, he received Fiji's highest honour, the Companion of the Order of Fiji, in recognition of his services to his country.

Colony of Fiji

The Colony of Fiji was a British Crown colony that existed from 1874 to 1970 in the territory of the present-day nation of Fiji. London declined its first opportunity to annex the Kingdom of Fiji in 1852. Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau had offered to cede the islands, subject to being allowed to retain his Tui Viti title. His demand was unacceptable to both the British and to many of his fellow chiefs, who regarded him only as first among equals, if that. Mounting debts and threats from the United States Navy had led Cakobau to establish a constitutional monarchy with a government dominated by European settlers in 1871, following an agreement with the Australian Polynesia Company to pay his debts. The collapse of the new regime drove him to make another offer of cession in 1872, which the British accepted. On 10 October 1874, Britain began its rule of Fiji, which lasted until 10 October 1970.

A. D. Patel

Ambalal Dahyabhai Patel, better known as A.D. Patel, was an Indo-Fijian politician, farmers' leader and founder and leader of the National Federation Party. Patel was uncompromisingly committed to a vision of an independent Fiji, with full racial integration. He was one of the first to advocate a republic, an ideal not realized in his lifetime. He also advocated a common voters' roll and opposed the communal franchise that characterized Fijian politics.

Pt. Vishnu Deo OBE was the first Fiji born and bred leader of the Indo-Fijians. From his initial election to the Legislative Council in 1929 to his retirement in 1959, he remained the most powerful Indo-Fijians political leader in Fiji. He was a staunch supporter of Arya Samaj in Fiji and also the editor of the first successful Hindi-language newspaper to be published in Fiji.

Parmanand Singh was one of the three Indo-Fijians elected to the Legislative Council of Fiji in October 1929 when Indo-Fijians were given the first opportunity to elect their own representatives. The other two were Vishnu Deo and James Ramchandar Rao. Singh was a landlord from Ba and undertook several business ventures which included publishing newspapers.

Kunwar Bachint Singh was an Indo-Fijian teacher and politician. He arrived in Fiji in 1927 as a teacher for the Arya Samaj but his association with Vishnu Deo led him to play an active role in aggressively promoting the Arya Samaj and finally into politics. He was elected into the Legislative Council as a protégé of Vishnu Deo but after the election took an independent stance opposed to the wishes of the majority of the Indo-Fijians. He supported nominated rather than elected representation, actively supported the war effort and even attempted to set up a farmers union opposed to a number of existing unions. The Government rewarded him for his loyalty by nominating him into the Legislative Council three times, appointing him as a Justice of the Peace and as the first Indo-Fijian member of the Executive Council.

Chattur Singh

Chandersen Chattur Singh was an Indo-Fijian politician. He caused a major sensation in the 1937 elections when he defeated A. D. Patel, a well known lawyer and political ally of Vishnu Deo.

Ayodhya Prasad Sharma was an Indo-Fijian farmers' leader and politician. He formed the most successful farmers' union in Fiji and forced the Colonial Sugar Refining Company to make concessions to farmers after 60 years of total control over Fiji's economy. However, other Indo-Fijian leaders formed rival unions and his initial success was not repeated. He also served as a member of the Legislative Council between 1953 and 1959.

Islam in Fiji

Islam In Fiji, has a high following in Fiji. Muslims are mostly Sunni followers Imam Abu Hanifa, with a small minority adhering to Shia. In the 1966 elections a Suva-based Muslim communal party, the Muslim Political Front, took part.

Brahma Dass Lakshman was an Indo-Fijian politician, trade unionist and businessman, who had a considerable influence on Fiji’s sugar industry. He served in the Legislative Council in two spells between 1940 and 1963.

Tulsi Ram Sharma was the first Indo-Fijian to qualify as a lawyer. He served one term as member of the Legislative Council and three terms as the President of Fiji Indian Football Association. He was one of the founding members of the Maha Sangh, but his association with farmers' union was short-lived. In 1941 he was appointed to Central Indian War Committee, formed by the Government to enlist the support of Indians to the war effort.

Ami Chandra

Pandit Ami Chandra Vidyalankar was an Indo-Fijian educator, preacher, labour leader, politician and football administrator. He served as a member of the Legislative Council between 1947 and 1953.

1963 Fijian general election

General elections were held in Fiji between 17 April and 4 May 1963. For the first time, women and indigenous Fijians were given the right to vote alongside the male European and Indo-Fijian population.

Andrew Indar Narayan Deoki was an Indo-Fijian statesman who served his community as a social and religious leader, soccer administrator, member of the Legislative Council and Senate in independent Fiji and as Attorney General.

Krishna S. Reddy was a Fiji Indian school teacher, leader of a farmers' union and both a nominated and elected member of the Legislative Council. Although he started his political career as an ally of A. D. Patel, disputes over the leadership style of A. D. Patel led to a split within the farmers' union that they both led and later they became members of opposing political parties. After independence, he was elected to the House of Representatives as an Alliance member and also served as an assistant minister.

The number of Fiji Indians that could be elected to the Legislative Council was fixed over the years as follows:

Mohammed Taiyab Khan was an Indo-Fijian politician and lawyer. Between 1966 and 1977 he served as a member of the Legislative Council, Senate and House of Representatives. He was also Minister for Commerce, Industries and Co-operatives from 1972 to 1976.

1956 Fijian general election

General elections were held in Fiji in August 1956; voting took place in the Eastern constituencies between 11 and 18 August, and on 18 August in all other constituencies.

Abdul Rahman Sahu Khan was an Indo-Fijian civil servant and politician. He served as a nominated member of the Legislative Council between 1944 and 1947.

References

  1. 1 2 Mr. Abdul Rahman Manu Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1957, pp139–141
  2. Fiji Times, 2 March 1955
  3. 1956 Fiji Legislative Council elections Fiji Elections