Fiji Military tightens grip on Democracy

[uTu]

Continuing their campaign against Free Society, Cdre Bainimarama and his Army thugs extend their looting.
Military takes over Reserve Bank of Fiji
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10566561

Crackdown in Fiji underway
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/2331684/Crackdown-in-Fiji-underway-McCully

I guess it's about time we got our own committed dictator in the South Pacific. Shame on them. Hopefully this ends up back in the realm of sanity sooner than later.
http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/7188/721538161099753/1600/z/545567/gse_multipart25590.jpg

[TheKiwi]

He still gets a lot of support from the Fijian indians I know.

[kool_kruiser]

dude,

I am a Fiji Indian and trust me he does not have a lot of support from Fiji Indians or Ethnic Fijians. What is happening in Fiji does not have an ethnic line to it.

Btw there is a media blackout with all news being censored by the govt and so really no news about whats happening in Fiji get published here basically leaving most people in the dark.

I was just informed this morning that the President of the Fiji Law Society was arrested by the Police for statements he made in support of the Constitution that was abrogated a few days ago.

Most media organizations in Fiji have their websites but at this point in time i dont think it will do any good to post the links here as no news with the political events going on are likely to be published.

We all are waiting and watching on how things turn out.

[TheKiwi]

My sources are probably somewhat biased, but none of the three Fijian indians I work with think he's doing the wrong thing.

[kool_kruiser]

i can understand that. A large number of Indian from Fiji left for NZ, Aus and the US after the coups of 1987 and 2000 which were conducted based on ethnic policies and where Indian dominated governments were thrown out. In this instance a Fijian mainstream party was overthrown so a number of aggrieved persons living aboard think what is happening is justice for the wrongs of 1987 and 2000.

What such people fail to realise is that the events of the recent past is hurting all the people of Fiji irrespective of their political, social and economic status. What has happend must not be about avenging the past but looking at how it will hurt us in the future.

Any person living in a cosy home 3000 miles from Suva can say they are happy about what is being done but what about the people living in Fiji who are losing their jobs, homes and livelihoods on a daily basis....they surely are not happy...I wish our dissident former citizens gain some wisdom and see things as they are and not be disillusioned by the past, ethnicity or hatred.

I for one hope that things get back on track sooner rather than later.

[kool_kruiser]

This is it: Bainimarama [Military Commander/Interim pm] Publish date/time: 15/04/2009 [12:07]

Print this page (http://www.fijivillage.com/?mod=story&id=150409d63f7d18d160450749f791df#)
Email this page (javascript:emailthispage('etp.php?doc=news&id=150409d63f7d18d160450749f791df'))
Public Emergency Regulations will remain in Fiji for 30 days or more and elections will not be held sooner than September 2014.

Commodore Frank Bainimarama stressed that no one can stop them from what they have decided to do.

Bainimarama said his government will decide on Fiji's future and people will have to accept it.

Bainimarama also said the international media does not need to be in Fiji to report on what's happening.

from www.fijivillage.com - The website of Fiji's largest radio network.

[uTu]

any truth behind this?
(yagona = kava drink, a traditional Fijian beverage)

http://rawfijinews.wordpress.com/2009/04/15/ratu-epeli-used-regimental-fund-to-send-yagona-to-middle-east/
Epeli Ganilau used regimental fund to send yagona to middle east
April 15, 2009

By islandboy57

The amount taken from the military’s regimental fund runs into millions of dollars and a case of abuse by Ratu Epeli Ganilau was on numerous occassions when he first used military vehicles to transport yaqona from his farm in Taveuni to Suva before sending the grog to our troops in Sinai & Lebanon. This grog would be paid for including freight to Lebanon & Sinai from the regimental fund. When the grog reached Sinai & Lebanon our soliders would have to buy this same grog off the military for their consumption, so in actual fact Ratu Epeli was double dipping. On a couple of occassions Adi Ateca accompanied Ratu Epeli to visit the troops and all expenses were paid for from this fund.

[uTu]

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/2650814
http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/news2009/pacific-fiji/fiji_commodore_160409_2.jpg
A military mutiny could be about to unfold to oust Fijian leader Frank Bainimarama.

The prediction comes from Fiji's former land forces commander who sought refuge in Australia after being imprisoned following the 2006 coup.

Jone Baledrokadroka and Bainimarama used to be military comrades and great mates.

But their friendship ended when Baledrokadroka was accused of plotting to assassinate Fiji's interim Prime Minister after the coup.

Baledrokadroka says the accusation turned his life upside down.

He says he's not the only Fijian military man opposed to the commodore's antics and he believes there is a 50/50 chance of a mutiny within the ranks of the Fijian military.

With international pressure continuing to build with the European Union freezing more than $200 million worth of aid to Fiji and pressure from other Pacific nations, along with threats of sanctions from Australia and New Zealand, an uprising may be likely.

"We do hope that the interim government is listening to the international reaction that is going on at the moment and will reconsider its position and go back towards moving towards election again in a much shorter time table," says George Cunningham from the EU.
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But Baledrokadroka doubts the effectiveness of such sanctions. He says the most effective pressure would be to hit Fijian soldiers in their back pockets and withdraw them from UN peacekeeping roles.

Baledrokadroka says with no pay coming from international military missions, the average soldiers will get more dissatisfied with Bainimarama's rule.

Bainimarama talked to ONE News on Tuesday over his expulsion of foreign journalists, but did not answer calls on Wednesday over the issue of an uprising within the military ranks.

Fiji has since backtracked on those expulsions and Bainimarama's military spokesman said journalists are most welcome to visit Fiji but they just need to apply first.

However, foreign journalists who have been deported are not allowed to return.

With the May deadline to announce an election date looming, suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum now looks certain while the Commonwealth of Nations is also looking at a similar measure.

[kool_kruiser]

any truth behind this?
(yagona = kava drink, a traditional Fijian beverage)

http://rawfijinews.wordpress.com/2009/04/15/ratu-epeli-used-regimental-fund-to-send-yagona-to-middle-east/
Epeli Ganilau used regimental fund to send yagona to middle east
April 15, 2009



there is no real way of finding out if this is true of not. only an audit or investigation would be able to reveal that and that isnt going to happen any time soon.

the blog seriously anti-govt and is not independent. a lot of information there is correct but they do come with their own sensational twist.

[kool_kruiser]

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/2650814

A military mutiny could be about to unfold to oust Fijian leader Frank Bainimarama.



a mutiny is possible but unlikely. i dont think there is any discord in the military regarding the actions of Frank and the caretaker govt.

those who had been dissenting with the military leadership are long gone. most of the dissenting officers had departed from the military around the time of the December 2006 takeover of the govt by the military.

[uTu]

NZ would consider sending troops to Fiji - Key
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10567516

New Zealand would consider sending armed forces troops into Fiji if they were needed to stabilise peace as part of a multi-lateral action, Prime Minister John Key said.

[kool_kruiser]

thats a real dumb idea IMHO.

The situation in Fiji is not so bad that it warrants international troops. Yes admitted that civil liberties have been removed, the constitution abrogated, a military government is there but the situation isnt as bad as it seems.

People still go to work, go about doing their daily chores (even though there may be unhappy with the situation).

There no riots, no ethnic violence, no serious breakdown of civil order.

sanctions..fine.....troops not fine......discussions and dialogue fine....soldiers not fine.


additionally almost the whole population will see foreign troops as occupants and they would not receive any or very little support from the populace.

[uTu]

Yeah mate, it was just our PM's reaction to the question. I don't think anyone here has the will to cause any grief to any Fijians. It's just rotten seeing a military takeover like this when those people should know better. The Commonwealth does have good traditions because it's seen so much horror in history.
Besides people only want to go their and holiday, drink kava :)

[Alfacentori]

ADF chief threatened me: Bainimarama

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200904/r359756_1658821.jpg (http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200904/r359756_1658826.jpg)Commodore Frank Bainimarama's comments come ahead of Fiji's likely suspension from the 16-nation Pacific Islands Forum. (AAP: Mick Tsikas, file photo)


Fiji's self-declared Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, claims Australia's Defence Force chief threatened him in 2006.
Commodore Bainimarama says Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston threatened him in an early morning phone call made when the Fijian leader was recovering from a "heavy grog session" the night before.
"He says it didn't happen. Well, it did happen," Commodore Bainimarama told Sky News.
"He woke me up early in the morning to tell me 'don't ever do anything that will pit my troops against yours'.
"He made a threat. I said I really don't know where he was coming from and that was the end of the conversation."
Commodore Bainimarama's extraordinary claim comes ahead of the country's likely suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum for refusing to hold democratic elections this year.
Commodore Bainimarama says he has no intention to meet tonight's deadline, set by the forum, to announce democratic elections.
Commodore Bainimarama says Fiji's new election date of September 2014 was set after the President abdicated the constitution, so he will be sticking to that and extending the country's state of emergency.
"We want this calm to continue for a while," he said.
"The emergency regulation was brought entirely for the media censorship, to ensure that there's calm in the nation."

Rudd rejects talks


Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand have both ruled out talks with Commodore Bainimarama.
Commodore Bainimarama wants to meet with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who has flatly refused.
Mr Rudd says he has no intention of meeting with Commodore Bainimarama in the present climate.
"This is a bloke who just abolished freedom of the press in Fiji," he said.
"This is a bloke who just sent independent judges, including those from Australia, packing.
"This is a bloke who just suspended the constitution of Fiji.
"We invited Fiji to announce an election timetable within a reasonable timeframe. Not only did they not respond to that but they then went in exactly the reverse direction."

Suspension imminent


New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, says an official announcement of suspension is likely in the next couple of days.
But Mr McCully says that does not mean that the door will be permanently closed on Commodore Bainimarama.
"I think he should expect that people are going to treat him with a degree of caution," he said.
"They know they can contact us if they want to contact us at any time.
"They've got my telephone number. I'm sure the same goes for Australian Minister Stephen Smith."
However academics, including the University of Auckland's Dr Hugh Laracy, are criticising the stonewalling.
"These people who are criticising him, I think are being naive and not recognising the practicalities of his difficult situation," he said.
Dr David Neilson from New Zealand's Waikato University says Commodore Bainimarama is being boxed into a corner he will find difficult to get out of.
"If we had taken his project at face value and given more constructive support to facilitate the re-establishment of a robust election system, we may have furthered the cause of a return to democracy more effectively then what we've done, which is basically to make it more and more difficult for that to happen as the regime gets bogged down with the effect of economic sanctions."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/01/2558347.htm

Alfa