Pacific Leaders Will Meet Despite Fiji’s Absence

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – Leaders from around the South Pacific are traveling to Papua New Guinea for a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum.

The Pacific Islands Forum represents over sixteen independent and self-governing states. Forum leaders meet to address issues involving the peace, harmony, security or economic prosperity of the participating Pacific nations.

The focus of this meeting will be on Fiji, and whether the Forum will suspend Fiji from the group for refusing to hold democratic elections in 2009.

On Friday, Fiji’s interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, announced he would not attend the meeting. Leaders from New Zealand and Australia have expressed their disappointment that Bainimarama will not appear to discuss the restoration of democracy in Fiji.

Fiji’s Interim Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed Khayu, is flying to PNG today to take Bainimarama’s place. Bainimarama had considered sending either the interim attorney general or Fiji’s interim foreign affairs secretary, Ratu Isoa Gavidi. But Isoa Gavidi is currently suspended from his government position for commenting on a political matter in breach of Fiji’s civil service code of conduct.

The meeting in Port Moresby was almost called off last week after leaders from Fiji and Papua New Guinea postponed it without the consent of the Forum members.

The meeting has been rescheduled, however, for Tuesday the 27th.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Forum leaders begin to gather in PNG for special meeting on Fiji – 25 January 2009

The Australian – Pacific Leaders Forum back on – 26 January 2009

ABC News – Pacific forum to go ahead – 24 January 2009

Author: Impunity Watch Archive