By Sarah E. Treptow
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – A political analyst with the Australian National University, Dr. Brij Lal, who is a co-architect of Fiji’s current Constitution, believes the advice given to Fiji’s interim Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, is counterproductive.  Dr. Lal made the comments after the recent expulsion of Caroline Macdonald, New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Fiji.

Dr. Lal said that Fiji will not gain anything by punishing Australia and New Zealand, “I don’t know who is advising the Prime Minister but the advice he’s getting is really counterproductive to Fiji’s long-term interest in the region.”  He thinks Fiji sees the two countries as the principal players in the anti-interim government move.  He said, “I think this is a shortsighted view because it’s not really Australia and New Zealand but the international community that is looking for some movement on the part of Fiji to restore the country back to parliamentary democracy.”  Dr. Lal said the only hope of Fiji holding elections any time soon was if the interim Prime Minister took up the United Nation’s offer to mediate the next political forum early in the New Year.  He said, “this initiative by the UN is something the government should look at very carefully because it doesn’t have too many options left.”

Interim Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, has brushed aside these comments and has urged Dr. Lal to not make comments that are “weak on facts.”  Mr. Sayed Khaiyum said that there are a number of options available to take Fiji forward.  He said that, “while Lal claims adherence to the principle of the rule of law, he fails to recognize the ruling of the High Court.”  The ruling he is referring to is the holding that the appointment of the interim Government was valid in law and legal.

Mr. Sayed Khaiyum said Fiji “shall put in place forward-looking measures that will provide long-term stability, prosperity, equality, common citizenry and true parliamentary democracy.”  He said he thinks it appears as that Lal was “currying favor with the Government of the country of his citizenship which was Australia at the expense of Fiji.”

For more information, please see:
Fiji Daily Post – A-G slams academic’s take on Fiji – 6 January 2009

Pacific Islands Report – Fiji Scholar Says Bainimarama Acting on Poor Advice – 5 January 2009

Radio Australia – Fiji finishing 2008 on a disappointing note – 2 January 2009