By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – A United Nations and Commonwealth Joint Technical Team arrives in Fiji today to begin a fact-finding mission of the political situation.

The UN and Commonwealth has decided to act together after receiving a request to mediate an “inclusive, independent and time-bound political dialogue process.” The team consists of Mari Yamashita and Alex Grzybowski from the United Nations and Juliet Solomon and Sabhita Raju from the Commonwealth.

As part of its agenda, the Team will meet with members of Fiji’s interim Government as well as key stakeholders.

The goal of the fact-finding mission is to facilitate Fiji’s return to democratic rule through elections. Meanwhile, Fiji’s Interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, has been unwilling to relinquish power or set a date for those elections.

In 2006, Bainimarama led the bloodless coup of Fiji’s Federal government. Since then, he has promised to restore stability and democracy, but has yet to step down as Interim Prime Minister.

Ousted Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, says he looks forward to meeting with representatives from the UN and Commonwealth.

According to the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Fiji, the Technical Team will remain in Fiji until Saturday the 14th.

For more information, please see:
Fiji Times – UN, Commonwealth to follow up on technical missions – 09 February 2009

Radio New Zealand International – United Nations and Commonwealth joint technical team in Fiji – 08 February 2009

Fiji Times – UN to gather data on Fiji – 08 February 2009