Since 1987, there have been military three coups in Fiji within a year after elections.

In an interview last week, RFMF chief of staff Colonel Jone Kalouniwai said the military had learnt from its past mistakes, moved out of the coup culture and was no longer a threat to the country.

However the RFMF has recently commented on statements from both main opposition parties as well as the Methodist Church.

The defence spokesperson for the Sodelpa party, Mosese Bulitavu, whose leader Sitiveni Rabuka was the instigator of the 1987 coup, said "There needs to be a clearly defined role as to when do they come in and comment in the political arena."

In April Kalouniwai said that the RFMF had a constitutional role to ensure the safety, security and well-being of Fiji and all Fijians.

He offered this as a justification for commenting on the Methodist Church's submission about the marginalisation and agitation of the iTaukei.

The submission included a call for a Christian state, reinstatement of the Great Council of Chiefs and a review of indigenous rights issues.

Kalouniwai said the RFMF believed the statement had the potential to influence and breed suspicion, distrust, heightening ethnic tensions and potentially lead to conflict.

An opinion piece posted on the Fiji Sun has urged the commanders of the RFMF to remain silent.

"If they have any concerns about threats to the security of Fiji, they should see the Minister of Defence and explain to him."

Source

• Fiji Times
• RNZ
• RNZ
• RNZ
• Fiji Sun
• Image: Fiji Sun

Nacuva was sworn in as the House of Representatives Speaker on Monday, June 5, 2006.

And while he had little time to serve, he has forgiven those involved in the events of December 5, 2006, leading the removal of the democratically-elected government.

"Beloved Fijians, this is the season for forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32)," Mr Nacuva told the Fiji Times.

In a public statement made this week, he explained that while the spirit of that Constitution "is still hovering over the waters", it was indeed the season to forgive.

"I hereby with a very clear conscience grant my personal forgiveness to those involved for neither upholding their personal integrity nor dependent on their god-given conscience but succumbed to unjustified external commands, orders, coercion and intimidation."

Source

• The Fiji Times
• Image: The Fiji Times

Chong said interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has used the patron-client political strategy to gain support, particularly with the grassroots iTaukei (indigenous people).

He said studies showed that in the Bainimarama patronage, loyalty to the chiefs and traditional systems had shifted to the army.

"The military had become the institution of patronage. In other words, the form of power, namely patron-client politics exercised by former Fijian governments, has not changed.

"The only recognisable change in Bainimarama's regime was the change in personnel. Instead of chiefs dominating the system, military officers now headed the important governmental institutions."

More than 40 military officers have been appointed to senior positions within the civil service and statutory bodies since 2006, replacing those whose loyalty Commodore Bainimarama has questioned.

Click here for full text of Archbishop Chong's Address to World Association for Christian Communication

Source

• The Australian
• Radio New Zealand International
• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: Fiji World News

McCully said that if Fiji were to request that New Zealand should exempt new civilian appointees to the cabinet or to permanent secretary's roles coming in to replace military people currently occupying those roles, "then we'd certainly consider lifting the sanctions as far as those individuals were concerned."

Commodore Bainimarama, who seized power in a 2006 coup, said the new constitution would enshrine principles of one-person-one-vote, an independent judiciary and transparent governance.

According to a media report, Mr McCully said Wellington saw the consultation as a step in the right direction for Fiji, and it was keeping an open mind about post-coup sanctions.

"We've never ruled out looking at the sanctions," he said.

Shunned by Canberra and Wellington since Bainimarama's 2006 coup, Fiji now has new friends - such as Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, making the first ever visit to the region by a Russian leader.

The Russians are following in the steps of the Chinese, who have become the Fijian leader's new best friends.

But Bainimarama admits that New Zealand is privately "more understanding" than their political counterparts in Canberra.

View Video of Interview with Graham Davis on YouTube ( uploaded by Sky Australia)

Read Transcript of Interview with Graham Davis

Source

• YouTube Grubsheet/Sky News Australia
• Pacific Scoop
• Image: Screen Shot YouTube/Grubsheet/SkyNews Australia

In his interview with Grubsheet in Suva, the Fijian leader said the allegations were "not true". In the case of 2000, Lal and Hunter report that Bainimarama demanded that the military should be given the authority to rule Fiji for 50 years but this was opposed by the then president, Ratu Josefa Iloilo.

Denying the account, Commodore Bainimarama said he was already in control of Fiji in 2000. "For their information, I was in charge of the nation in 2000, so I took over in 2000. I gave the government to (Laisenia) Qarase". The Prime Minister said it was historical fact that he had handed the reins of power to Laisenia Qarase hoping that he would govern for all Fijians and not just the indigenous majority. "Everyone knows the story of 2000 when I came in, so why they change this and (have) people believing it, I don't know".

Source:

• GrubSheet
• Image: FijiVillage.com

At the time it was reported that a request had been made through Interpol and rejected by the New Zealand Government.

A recent article in the New Zealand Herald gives what is claimed to be a detailed background to this incident It was written by former Fiji Sun editor-in-chief Russell Hunter, who was deported from Fiji in 2008 - and former journalist, and now an Oxford academic, Victor Lal,

However Professor Crosbie Walsh, a retired founding director of development studies at the University of the South Pacific, has written a refutation of the Herald article.

Winston Peters, who was New Zealand Foreign Minster at the time also rejects the suggestion New Zealand was planning to arrest Bainimarama

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• Pacific Scoop
• FijiVillage
• Image: The Fiji Times

Suva lawyer Aseri Vakaloloma, who is representing Methodist leaders Reverend Tomasi Kanailagi and Reverend Manasa Lasaro, submitted an affidavit with Reverend Kanailagi's medical report, saying overseas medical evacuation depended on when he would receive the visa.

Other Methodist leaders facing charges, Church president Reverend Ame Tugaue, general secretary Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu also appeared before Suva Magistrate Thurshara Rajasinghe last Monday.

Source

• The Fiji Times
• Image: Croz Walsh's Blog

Reverend Josateki Koroi says that Christian soldiers in the Fiji Military Forces should carefully weigh up their religious obligations if ordered to shoot at people.

"Sega ni kena i naki ya me kalawaci na lotu, se na vanua se na turaga ni vanua (The purpose was not to overstep the church, the vanua or chiefs)," Commodore Bainimarama told Narocake villagers at a meeting in Rewa yesterday.

He said the major objective was to rid the nation of dirty politics, including racial politics, to allow for national development and prosperity.

A senior member of the Methodist Church in Fiji has called on the country's armed forces not to obey the military government.

Former Methodist Church president Josateki Koroi says soldiers are not obliged to obey the present government because it is not legal.

He told Radio Australia soldiers have a duty as Christians to question any orders they might get to shoot at people.

Mr Koroi said: "This should be the stand of the loyal citizens and also a stand of a Christian person in whatever government, a legal government, is in charge."

Source

• The Fiji Times Online
• Radio Australia
• Image: FBC

The debate featured Dr Jon Fraenkel who specialises in Melanesian affairs at the Australian National University and argues that Australia and New Zealand should refuse to engage with Bainimarama until he buckles.

According to Grub Sheet "Fraenkel is part of a strong anti-regime cabal at the ANU, which includes the Indo-Fijian historian, Brij Lal, and Frank Bainimarama's former land forces commander, Colonel Jone Baledrokadroka." Grub Sheet claims "all three are active political players, despite - in the case of Fraenkel and Lal - allowing themselves to be portrayed as independent commentators in the regional media."

• Listen to ABC interview
• Read Grubsheet Blog
• Image: Fiji Coup 2006