By Sarah E. Treptow
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji– Fiji’s Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, has written to the Chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum and Premier of Niue, Toke Talagi, dismissing Mr. Talagi’s statements to Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat about Fiji’s political situation as ill-informed.

Mr. Talagi said that the region’s leaders must be careful when accepting Bainimarama’s election promises.  Bainimarama told the leaders in 2007 that Fiji will hold elections next year but has since said this will not happen.  Mr. Talagi said, “That’s part of the problem that I have as a chair of the Forum at the present time – the fact that if he’s not able to hold to his word then we’ve got to be extremely careful in determining when he promises to do things into the future whether he’s going to hold to that word as well.”

Bainimarama replied that Mr. Talagi has never been to Fiji to assess the realities on the ground not communicated with him in any substantial way about the political situation.  He says that the people of Fiji will decide their political destiny and future.  He also reiterated that Fiji will not return to parliamentary representation by March this year.

The attacks on Niue’s Premier come a week ahead of a special Forum leaders meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to discuss Fiji’s political situation and its refusal to hold elections as promised.  Commodore Bainimarama is looking forward to meeting Mr. Talagi at the meeting.

For more information, please see:

Radio New Zealand International – Forum chair Talagi criticized by Fiji regime over post-coup stance – 19 January 2009

Islands Business – People will decide political destiny: Bainimarama – 19 January 2009

Fiji Times Online – Fiji must win leaders’ trust: Talagi – 09 January 2009