Bainimarama Travels to UN

By Ryan L. Maness
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

NEW YORK, USA -- In his first departure from Fiji since the interim government's coup last December, interim Prime Minister Bainimarama  has traveled to New York to address the United Nations.  The primary purpose for his trip was to increase economic activity between Fiji and other members of the United Nations and to explain to the world why he engaged in a coup of the Qarase government.   

While in talks with various UN bodies, Bainimarama also promised to provide extra personnel to protect the UN mission in Iraq and that each Fijian citizen would be allowed to vote for only one candidate in future elections (regardless of their race or religion),

In his address to the UN General Assembly he stressed his desire to remove the influence of race and religion in Fiji's politics.  He also reaffirmed his commitment to return democratic rule to Fiji as soon as he possibly could, though he did not bring up the reinstitution of the Public Emergency Regulations. 
He also indicated that it was this personal commitment to democracy that had lead him to rise up against the Qarase government last December.  He said that he had tried for several months to turn the deposed PM from the course that he was on, but "[his] efforts to constructively engage with the previous government came to no avail."  He went on to say that he was reluctant to use the power of the military to bring about political change, but that Fiji has a history and a culture of coup violence and that his actions were necessary to bring about the greater good for all members of the Fijian populace. 

Prior to his departure, Bainimarama had to choose who would replace him in his ministerial duties while he was absent from the country.  While he ultimately chose Col Samu Saumatua to act as commander during his trip, he said that any of Fiji's 200,000 citizens would have been able to act in his capacity. 

It is uncertain how much he believed that anyone could take his place, while he was gone, because prior to his departure for NY he also warned the populace that no one should stage a coup while he was gone.  The military, through  spokesman Lt. Col. Mosese Tikoitoga, said that their support for the current government is unshakable. 

While Bainimarama spoke before the United Nations, members of Fiji NGO's traveled to various human rights organizations to ensure that they were informed about life on the ground in Fiji. Specifically, Angie Heffernan, of the Pacific Centre for Public Integrity would be meeting with members of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.  She has said that it is particularly important that she raises issues of a controlled judiciary and the militarization of the civil service.

Bainimrama has said that Heffernan is only parroting the views of other foreign governments, specifically Australia and New Zealand, because she and her organization were paid to do so.  (For more on these allegations, please see Impunity Watch's coverage here). 

For more information, please see:

Radio New Zealand International -- Fiji's Bainimarama says anti-coup lobbyists won't matter in NY -- 25 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International -- Fiji's military warns against overthrow attempts while commander out of the country -- 23 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International -- Fiji Interim PM says anyone can act in his position when he is in NY -- 21 September 2007

Fiji Times -- One person, one vote -- 30 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International -- Fiji interim P holds bilateral meetings at UN -- 28 September 2007

Fiji Times -- Interim PM tells world leaders, at UN, why he did it -- 30 September 2007