In all its 174 year history, the Methodist Church has never failed to meet as a Conference. This is a major gathering that stands at the centre of church life and organisation. It appears now, in 2009, that the Conference tradition is to be broken by the strong-armed tactics of the current military ruler. The claimed sticking point is the failure of the Methodist Church leadership to do the regime's bidding and dismiss Revs Kanailagi and Lasaro for alleged "political" comments ; failing that the Methodist Conference would be banned. Quite correctly, the Qase Levu, Ame Tugaue, the GS Tuikilakila and the Assoc GS, Tevita Banivanua - all well-educated, moderate and respected men - replied that ministers cannot be dismissed at the will of any particular individual or administration but that certain processes, involving fairness and justice, must be followed. Yet the army gave the church one hour to act on its demand! The Methodists must stand together in solidarity and seek the religious freedoms that they are entitled to from any reasonable secular dispensation.
