Fiji PM to Replace Presidential Political Dialogue Forum with National Roadmap

Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Office

SUVA, Fiji - Fiji’s interim prime minister says he will be launching a roadmap for Fiji’s return to democracy instead of holding a Presidential Political Dialogue Forum to discuss Fiji’s future.

After the last Presidential Political Dialogue Forum, interim PM, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, said he wrote to the United Nations and Commonwealth, inviting them to attend the next Forum.

Bainimarama also says he intends to invite the UN and Commonwealth to attend any presidential forum regarding the government’s launch of the new roadmap.

But according to Fiji Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, the UN never received any communication from the Fiji government regarding the Presidential Dialogue after the last Presidential Dialogue Forum in April. 

The UN says, however, that it remains open to discussing Fiji’s political future and democratic elections.

Meanwhile, some question the interim prime minister’s decision to replace a Presidential Political Dialogue Forum with a national roadmap.

“The nation can only be united if the leaders adapt an inclusive approach to the problem and that’s pretty fundamental and that’s the way all our previous coups and problems of the past have been resolved. It’s been resolved through dialogue and discussion and this coup is no different,” said Mick Beddoes, the leader of the United People’s Party.

Bainimarama has yet to set a date to launch and discuss Fiji’s new roadmap, but he claims there will be an announcement within the next two weeks.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International - Fiji’s ousted opposition leader not confident in imposition of national roadmap - 15 June 2009

Radio New Zealand International - Fiji’s PM says roadmap will replace President’s Dialogue Forum - 14 June 2009

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