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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.
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