Fiji Interim PM Will Refuse to Address Coup’s Legality at Next Meeting

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – Fiji’s interim prime minister has announced that his government will not be pushed around by leaders from Fiji’s political parties in Monday’s meeting.

Interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, says Monday’s meeting will not be about the legality of the interim government. Bainimarama added that leaders interested in merely expressing grievances with the interim government may as well not show.

On October 9, a three judge court ruled that the 2006 military coup of Fiji’s federal government was legal. Ousted Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, is among several advocates pushing for elections in 2009 to restore Fiji to democracy.

But at this year’s 63rd UN General Assembly, Bainimarama told leaders that those elections will not happen as previously planned.

Bainimarama has preemptively told leaders attending Monday’s meeting, that the interim government is in charge and will do whatever it believes is in Fiji’s best interest.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Fiji interim regime stakes out political talk framework – 22 October 2008

Author: Impunity Watch Archive