By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – This afternoon, Fiji’s interim government plans to expel New Zealand’s acting High Commissioner over travel sanctions.

FijiLive reports that interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, is throwing High Commissioner, Caroline McDonald, out of the country in response to what he perceives are unfair travel bans on family and members of the interim government.

New Zealand and Australia introduced travel bans to punish Fiji for Bainimarama’s bloodless military coup of Fiji’s Federal government in 2006. Tensions between Fiji and the Pacific community have increased since a High Court in Fiji declared the military coup legal in October. Fiji’s ousted prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, has challenged that judgment, calling it a “miscarriage of justice.” An appeal of that decision is scheduled to be heard in March 2009.

According to reports, New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully, spoke with Bainimarama over the phone yesterday.

“There’s been no agreed pathway” for resolving the issue. It’s work in progress. … Taking the matter forward is in the hands of the Fijians now. We want our acting High Commissioner to stay there,” McCully said.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith says that his country will not be removing travel bans until the political situation in Fiji is addressed.

“Australia will continue with its travel bans… until such time as we see the interim Fiji government moving towards and making progress to an election and the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Fiji,” Smith said.

For more information, please see:
ABC News – Fiji to expel NZ’s acting High Commissioner: reports – 17 December 2008

International Herald Tribune – NZ diplo faces Fiji expulsion in sanctions dispute – 17 December 2008

The National Business Review – Report claims NZ envoy to be expelled from Fiji today – 17 December 2008

TVNZ – Diplomat still at her Fiji post – 17 December 2008