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Huey14
11-01-2006, 05:38
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3846967a12,00.html


US voices concern over Fiji situation
01 November 2006
By MICHAEL FIELD

Fiji's military, threatening to overthrow its government, has been explicitly warned by America not to launch any moves against the government.

The strongly worded notice from the US State Department comes as the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase holds crisis meetings after being unable yesterday to remove Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) head Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.

The deepening crisis is also causing regional concern with New Zealand Prime Minister Helen, who called on Bainimarama to step down.

"The strong advice we have is the commander must himself follow the Fiji constitution," she said.

"One would have thought that if the president seeks to suspend him then those orders from a legitimate government should be followed."

Fiji capital Suva was calm today but US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement Washington was concerned at what was happening.

Noting the "recent deterioration of civilian-military relations in Fiji and threats of possible action against the democratically elected government by some elements of the Fijian armed forces", he said it was critical the RFMF fully respect constitutional processes, the rule of law and the military's subordination to the lawfully elected leadership of the country.

"Any action by the military to the contrary would severely affect Fiji's stability and its political and economic development," the US State Department said.

"It would also negatively affect Fiji's relations with the United States and other countries and could lead to a suspension of United States assistance to Fiji.

"We urge Fiji's military leadership to refrain from any actions that could be seen as a provocation or threat to the democratically elected government."

The US warning is potentially potent as Washington was strikingly slow in 2000 to condemn the George Speight coup which overthrew the government of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry. Although the government was seized on May 19, Washington did not formally react until June 2.

Commodore Bainimarama, who is in Iraq, has not reacted to the US warning but in a strikingly belligerent interview with today's Fiji Sun he said he would return soon and free Fiji of corruption.

"I'll be back to see that Qarase and his cronies step down," he said.

Commodore Bainimarama said the army was the only voice of hope for the nation, as the corruptive practices of the Qarase-led government had gone from bad to worse.

"Qarase is trying to weaken the army by trying to remove me," he said.

He told the Fiji Sun the European Union, Australia, New Zealand and the US governments had been supporting corrupt and unconstitutional practices by Qarase.

"These countries are saying it is a democratically elected government," said he said.

"Sure that's fine - but what about the corruptive practices. That means these countries condone such practices.

"What has the EU done about all those unanswered questions about the general election? Can Australia, New Zealand or the US allow people who are involved in the overthrow of a democratically elected government to sit in positions of power?

"What about those coup convicts who went to prison but yet their seat in parliament was kept for them till they come out?

"Will Australia, New Zealand and the US allow that in their country and anyway these countries have not experienced any coups, so they have not experienced that."

The US and Australia have put out high level tourist advisories for their nationals in Fiji but New Zealand's advisory is of a lower level.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said they were currently reviewing the status of the Wellington advisory.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/common/imageViewer/0,1445,263214,00.jpg
Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama

Huey14
11-01-2006, 15:23
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3847484a10,00.html


Kiwis ready to flee Fiji
02 November 2006
By MARTIN KAY and MICHAEL FIELD

UPDATED REPORT - 10.15am
New Zealand military personnel are preparing to evacuate Kiwis from Fiji if needed as tension between the Fijian military and its government increases.
VIEW VIDEO

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand would be ready for "every contingency" should the situation become worse after repeated threats of a coup.

"We have prepared, and are prepared for every contingency that we could possibly use to secure the safety of ... between 3500 and 7000 New Zealand tourists in Fiji on any given day," Mr Peters said.

Mr Peters' announcement followed rising tension in Fiji, including a defiant Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase last night angrily defying Fiji's military chiefs by insisting he would remain in office. Mr Qarase said he had international support – including from New Zealand – to remain.

His broadcast to the nation signalled a worsening in his battle with Republic of Fiji Military Forces chief Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, who is demanding the prime minister's resignation.

"I declare emphatically that there is absolutely no question of me resigning in response to the current situation, or of my government stepping down," Mr Qarase said.

He said the government had the constitutional authority and the support of the people "to rule now and for the next five years".

Mr Qarase said he had received messages of support from New Zealand, Australia and the US, which had called on the military to respect democracy and the rule of law.

Hours earlier, Mr Peters said New Zealand was liaising closely with Australia, which reportedly has warships on standby in case it needs to evacuate up to 7000 of its nationals, but was wary of preparations being misconstrued in Fiji.

"There should be no opportunity provided to anyone in Fiji to pretend this is anything other than a peaceful operation to secure the safety of Australasians (if needed)," Mr Peters said, describing New Zealand's interest as that of a "long-term good friend".

New Zealand issued a low-level travel warning for Fiji, urging travellers to monitor the media and stay away from crowds and other potentially volatile situations.

The preparations came as Commodore Bainimarama fended off high- level bids to fire him and continued to demand the immediate removal of Mr Qarase. As well, the military defied Fijian police and removed a 7.5-tonne shipment of ammunition from Suva's wharves.

Mr Peters' stance that Kiwis could be evacuated if the need arose is in contrast to the Fiji coups of 1987 and 2000 and the Solomons coup of 2000 when New Zealand did not act to help nationals caught in the crises.

Military sources said last night that the New Zealand Navy has no readiness to evacuate civilians from Fiji and any operation would be dependant on getting into Nadi International Airport. Sources say it would be easier simply to use commercial operators who operate numerous flights each day.

While Fiji was calm yesterday, Commodore Bainimarama – who is currently in Iraq, but due home over the weekend – stepped up his threats.

"I'll be back to see that Qarase and his cronies step down," he told yesterday's Fiji Sun newspaper.

The military chief's comments came a day after Fijian President Ratu Josefa Iloilo's order for Commodore Bainimarama's resignation was thwarted when the military refused to accept Colonel Ratu Meli Saubulinayau as his successor.

Sources close to the military said the 3500 strong Republic of Fiji Military Force appeared ethnically split, just as it was in November 2000 when a mutiny broke out, leaving eight dead.

Prime Minister Helen Clark called on Commodore Bainimarama to step aside yesterday, and Mr Peters said he had massively overstepped his authority.

"The strong advice we have is the commander must himself follow the Fiji constitution," Miss Clark said. "One would have thought that if the president seeks to suspend him then those orders from a legitimate government should be followed."

Mr Peters said the commodore – whom he has known for many years – had over-reached his authority, but he was reluctant to call him personally and ask him to back down unless there was some sign he would have an effect.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said it was looking at the capacity to look after Australians in Fiji, but there were no plans for Australian military intervention.

Fiji military spokesman Major Neumi Leweni said Commodore Bainimarama was expected to return to Fiji on Sunday or early next week.

The situation between the government and military was unchanged.

"The Prime Minister did address the nation yesterday and indicated his willingness to sit down and discuss with the commander the issues that we've raised and hopefully they will come to some solution," Maj Leweni told NZPA.

He denied reports that the military illegally seized a container, carrying ammunition, from Suva's wharf yesterday or that police on the wharf were threatened.

"We did send out all the necessary documents and we had all the documents necessary to remove the ammunition from the wharf," he said.

"There were no threats."

- With NZPA

http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/common/imageViewer/0,1445,263357,00.jpg
READY FOR ACTION: Fiji police's Tacital Response Unit provides extra security for the prime minister and cabinet ministers before and after meetings in Suva.

Huey14
11-01-2006, 15:31
Same site.


Fiji PM will not resign amid coup fears
02 November 2006

SUVA: Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase has refused to resign in the face of threats from the country's military chief, warning a coup would have dire consequences for the South Pacific nation's fragile economy.
VIEW VIDEO

"There is absolutely no question of me resigning. . . or of my government stepping down," Qarase said in an address to the nation on local radio.

"We have the constitutional authority and the support of the people to rule now and for the next five years."

Australia has placed two warships on standby to evacuate its citizens. "We are very concerned about the possibility of a coup in Fiji," Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told Australian Broadcasting/ Corp. radio.

The United States said it could suspend aid if troops do not respect constitutional processes and the rule of law.

Military chief Frank Bainimarama has threatened to force Qarase to resign unless he drops two contentious bills, including one offering amnesty to some of those involved in a coup in 2000.

Bainimarama, currently visiting troops in the Middle East, said he would remove Qarase from office once he returned to Fiji, arguing the government was corrupt.

"I'll be back to see that Qarase and his cronies step down," he told the Fiji Sun newspaper on Wednesday. Bainimarama is expected back in Fiji later this week.

AMMUNITION SEIZED

Qarase said police were investigating Bainimarama's threats. "The rule of law must prevail. No one is above the law, no one has the right to interfer with the legal process," he said.

Fijian troops drove through the streets of Suva on Wednesday and took control of tonnes of ammunition from the waterfront, amid fears of a coup. The military plan a march by 3,000 reservists through the streets of Suva on Thursday.

Fiji has suffered three coups and a failed mutiny since 1987.

The coups have been racially fuelled, with indigenous Fijians fearful of losing political control of their island nation to ethnic Indian Fijians, who dominate the economy.

Qarase said that if the military staged another coup, Fiji would face a foreign currency crisis and see the loss of thousands of jobs in the mainstay tourism industry.

Suva residents were nervous that Fiji was about to be rocked by further instability. People stayed away from the city's open air market and worried parents accompanied children to school for exams.

"These people are playing around with the future of our kids, who will go into their exams under stress – its just not good enough," Saten Prasad, a parent, said.

Fijian political leaders failed to remove Bainimarama from his position on Tuesday, with the military rallying around him.

"Bainimarama is still commander and now the government is in a dilemma and will have to eat their words," Land Force Commander Colonel Pita Driti told Fiji media on Wednesday.

Bainimarama has accused the Qarase government of being too soft on those involved in the 2000 coup. He said that while the leader of the 2000 coup, failed businessman George Speight, was in prison, those that backed him were now in parliament.

He said he regretted appointing Qarase as interim prime minister following the 2000 coup. Qarase has since won two free elections.

"He betrayed our trust when he went back to team up with the very people who caused the political instability of 2000," Bainimarama told the Fiji Sun.

Qarase said he was still prepared to hold talks with Bainimarama and would seek advise from Fiji's Great Council of Chiefs, who support his two contentious bills.

"I call on the churches and people to pray for our country," said Qarase at the end of his address to the nation.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/common/imageViewer/0,1445,263363,00.jpg
STAYING PUT: Fiji PM Laisenia Qarase has refused to resign in the face of threats from the country's military chief.

aricbcool
11-01-2006, 17:46
I'm not seeing any of this in the media over here. Thanks for the updates Huey.

--Aric

Huey14
11-01-2006, 18:09
No worries.

Huey14
11-05-2006, 22:25
...


Fiji military chief gathers top officers for talks
05 November 2006

SUVA: Fiji's defiant military chief gathered his top officers for talks on Sunday after the prime minister he has threatened to remove softened his stance in a crisis that had raised fears of a fourth coup in 20 years.

Commander Frank Bainimarama returned from overseas on Saturday, three weeks after warning Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase to drop two contentious pieces of legislation or be forced from office.

Qarase said on Saturday that a key provision that would have given amnesties to some of those behind a May 2000 coup by armed indigenous nationalists had been dropped from one of the bills.

Military spokesman Major Neumi Leweni said Bainimarama was gathering his senior officers for talks at the military's Queen Elizabeth Barracks headquarters outside Suva before responding.

A week ago Qarase vowed to "deal with" the outspoken military chief but the military in turn rebuffed an attempt by Qarase to replace Bainimarama.

The stand-off had raised fears of a fourth coup in the South Pacific island nation since 1987, although both Qarase and the military have played down the risk of more upheaval.

Leweni said all senior officers had been told to attend the talks, including former Land Forces Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Ratu Meli Saubulinayau, who Qarase unsuccessfully tried to appoint in place of Bainimarama on Tuesday.

Saubulinayau, who fell out with Bainimarama while serving in Iraq last year, turned down Qarase's offer.

Qarase hopes to have talks with Bainimarama early this week before a meeting of the Great Council of Chiefs.

The council represents Fiji's 14 provinces run by chiefs who are the nation's ultimate powerbrokers and has been called on to find a solution to the crisis.

The stand-off between Qarase and Bainimarama, who installed Qarase as interim leader in the middle of the 2000 coup, has rattled Fiji and alarmed New Zealand and Australia, as well as the United States and Britain.

Bainimarama accuses Qarase's government, re-elected in May for a second five-year term, of being too soft on those behind the 2000 coup.

While Suva remains calm, police have increased their presence around the capital and armed troops ramped up tension by holding exercises on Friday.

Trouble still looms over the second piece of legislation, the "Qoliqoli Bill" that would enshrine indigenous ownership of coastal land currently owned by the government.

Bainimarama fears the bill will increase uncertainty over the leases on coastal land often taken up by holiday resorts and hotels, thereby potentially damaging the fragile economy.

The May 2000 coup, led by failed businessman George Speight, devastated the tourism and sugar-based economy and Qarase has said more upheaval in the former British colony would be "a disaster".

Huey14
11-05-2006, 22:27
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Aussies deny sending mercenaries to Fiji
06 November 2006

SUVA: Australia said it had reinforced its Fiji mission in preparation for a possible coup, while Fiji's military accused Canberra of flying in mercenaries ahead of crisis talks with police and government leaders.

Fiji's Land Force Commander Colonel Pita Driti has accused Australia of breaching sovereignty and threatening security by sending a number of police, who he described as mercenaries.

Australia's Justice Minister Chris Ellison denied the claim.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said extra staff were flown to Fiji last Friday with equipment to communicate with two warships sent towards Fiji to evacuate Australians in the event of a coup.

"I'm not going into the details of who they are, but I'm just saying that we need people to assist with co-ordination and administration, and they obviously need some equipment," Downer told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio.

Driti said the Australians were whisked through immigration in the western city of Nadi without going through proper channels and were accompanied by 400kg of equipment in strong silver boxes which he said did not clear Customs.

Australia and New Zealand have been rattled by the stand-off between Fiji's military and government, which has raised fears of a fourth coup in 20 years.

Outspoken military chief Commander Frank Bainimarama has warned Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase to drop two contentious pieces of legislation or be removed from office.

Australia, a regional security power and major aid donor, has cautioned Bainimarama not to move against Qarase. Canberra has warned that a coup would hurt outside investment and the tourism on which Fiji's economy relies.

Australia last week sent two warships towards Fiji in case it needed to evacuate some of the 7000 Australian holidaymakers in the South Pacific island nation. It said the ships would not enter Fijian territory without being asked.

Bainimarama was to meet Fiji Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes, an Australian, early this week to try to ease tensions between the two security services.

Bainimarama gathered senior commanders on Sunday and was seeking talks with Qarase ahead of a meeting on Thursday of the Great Council of Chiefs, which has been asked to resolve the stand-off as the country's top powerbroker.

Qarase softened his stand on Saturday, saying a key provision that would have given amnesties to some of those behind the May 2000 coup by armed indigenous nationalists had been dropped from one of the two contentious bills.

The treason trial of Sitiveni Rabuka, the former army chief who launched two coups in 1987 and went on to become prime minister, began on Monday with pre-trial legal arguments.

The trial relates to a bloody but unsuccessful mutiny in November 2000 which was linked to the coup.

Rabuka, who has pleaded not guilty, could face a life sentence. Prosecutors say Rabuka incited Lieutenant-Colonel Viliame Seruvakula in July and November 2000 to remove Bainimarama, who barely escaped the mutiny with his life.

Bainimarama declared martial law in a bid to end the May 2000 coup which toppled the government of Mahendra Chaudhry, Fiji's first ethnic Indian prime minister.

He installed Qarase as interim leader but now accuses him of being too lenient on the those behind the coup and failed mutiny.

Huey14
11-05-2006, 22:28
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[/QUOTE]
Forget coup talk, says Fiji military
04 November 2006

Fiji military boss Voreqe Bainimarama is expected to return home to face the music on Tuesday, as his deputy says the army will not stage a coup.

Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes said Commodore Bainimarama would not be arrested straight off the plane. But he would face police questioning over alleged sedition for his continued threats to remove Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase from office.

In Suva, Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) acting head Captain Esala Teleni told more than 1000 reservists called in for two weeks of exercises: "We are not here, as has been rumoured, to conduct a coup. Forget it."

He said he had met Mr Qarase to reassure him. "I reassure the people of Fiji and the world: come to Fiji for a holiday."

As he faced his troops at the barracks, two Australian warships steamed toward Fiji yesterday to rescue its citizens, whose holidays seem little troubled by political turmoil. Canberra denied it was engaging in gunboat diplomacy.

In a deft piece of ambiguity for which Fijian politics is famed, Captain Teleni also reasserted military supremacy. "I want to make it clear, the RFMF, under the Constitution; we are the last bastion of law and order, not the police."

It was not clear whether Commodore Bainimarama approves of his captain's remarks and the last comment he made, two days ago, warned of bloodshed if Mr Qarase failed to step down. Captain Teleni, who said he had spoken with the commodore, and would do so again today, said Fiji was calm.

"Everything in Fiji is normal. For the RFMF there is no security threat."

Commodore Bainimarama has threatened Mr Qarase occasionally during the last six years, but while he was visiting Fijian forces overseas he was quoted as saying the prime minister had three weeks to withdraw contentious legislation or be removed from office. Yesterday was the deadline.

The commodore has been reluctant to reveal his return date but Captain Teleni said he understood it was Tuesday. He said the RFMF would support the police inquiry. "We will be open to investigation."

Captain Teleni and fellow officers seemed amused at Australian Prime Minister John Howard's decision to send the warships Kanimbla and Newcastle toward Fiji on standby to rescue up to 7000 Australians if there is a coup.

Captain Teleni said Mr Howard and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer could say what they like and the Australian navy was welcome. "Come over and enjoy our hospitality in Fiji, come and spend your money in Fiji. We will let them come in because we know they will spend their Aussie dollars." Australian Defence Minister Brendan Nelson rejected suggestions Australia was engaging in gunboat diplomacy, saying the ships would not enter Fijian waters unless they were given the green light to pick up Australian citizens.

Kanimbla had on board "a number of soldiers", a medical team, an evacuation unit and helicopters.

"It should not be seen as anything provocative at all by anybody," Dr Nelson said. He said that if the ships had any impact on Commodore Bainimarama, it would hopefully be to discourage a coup.
[/QUOTE]

Huey14
11-05-2006, 22:29
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NZ cops 'mercenaries' in Fiji
06 November 2006
By MICHAEL FIELD
In Fiji

Fiji's military have demanded an explanation on why New Zealand police officers are in the Pacific nation.
»LISTEN TO AUDIO CLIP

The blunt comment from Fiji Land Force Commander Colonel Pita Driti came just a day after Republic of Fiji Military Forces head Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama returned to Fiji.

The commander has threatened to remove Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase from office.

New Zealand has sent additional police – understood to be four officers – to support the New Zealand High Commission. This came after Australia dispatched two warships to Fiji to prepare the evacuation of Australian nationals.

But Colonel Driti claimed last night that, on Friday night, a group of Australians, carrying heavy silver boxes, were allowed in through Nadi, supported by Fiji police.

The latest statement signalled a worsening rift between the RFMF and the Fiji police which is headed by an Australian, Andrew Hughes.

Colonel Driti, who questioned Mr Hughes' "cultural background", said the behaviour of Australia and New Zealand toward Fiji, as well as toward the Solomons and Papua New Guinea, represented the "hegemonic shoving of big brother policies down our throats."

Soldiers were ready to die for Fiji, he said "We will not accept any foreign intervention."

Referring to Australia and New Zealand police as "the forum police", he said he did not know whether the New Zealand Police came into Fiji through normal channels.

"The RFMF questions the arrival of the New Zealand police officers in the country and what powers do they have in exercise of their duty in a country they do not have the mandate to exercise their authority," Colonel Driti said.

"In the interests of the nation, a threat to national security, the RFMF demands an explanation by Commissioner Hughes on this very serious matter."

Fiji did not need another police force; the RFMF could easily do the job. Asked what would happen if the Australian and New Zealand police tried to intervene, he said: "We will stop them."
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He said the arrival on Friday night of Australians in undisclosed numbers was a "gross breach of sovereignty and independence" and he demanded an explanation from Mr Hughes over what it was about.

He said they had 400 kilograms of "proper strong silver boxes" which entered the country without any customs clearance.

Asked if the boxes contained arms he replied: "Probably could be. We think of the worse and plan for the worse, nuclear bombs or anything."

Colonel Driti said that, till there was a proper explanation of what was happening with the New Zealand and Australian police, the RFMF would "perceive them as mercenaries."

Prime Minister Helen Clark today said the claims by Fiji's military that New Zealand police there are mercenaries were "ridiculous" .

Miss Clark said on Newstalk ZB that the Fiji military was "poking its nose in where there's absolutely no cause to".

"There was a decision taken at the end of last week for four New Zealand police officers to go up to the New Zealand High Commission to provide it with additional security and support," she said.

"Now, the prime minister's office was contacted, no problem. Fiji police were contacted, foreign ministry of Fiji was contacted.

"Of course the New Zealand police didn't go to the Fiji military, why would they? Absolutely ridiculous."

Miss Clark said New Zealand was beefing up security at its high commission, as she expected the Australians were also doing, in the "ghastly event" there was a fourth coup in 19 years.

Australia also would be preparing to help people evacuate but the Government was working to ensure events "fall well short of that".

Miss Clark said it was her gut feeling that the Fiji military "was endeavouring to bluff, intimidate and threaten".

The jury was out over whether it would be prepared to mount a coup but it was good news that Fiji's capital Suva had appeared to be calmer over the past two or three days, Miss Clark said.