Pacific Peoples' Partnership has watched with alarm as the Fijian Military staged its fourth coup since 1987. We join Civil Society and Governments around the world in condeming this illegal action and call on the military to respect the rule of law by standing down and allowing the full return of the democratically elected government.

A house in Lami has been turned into a "peace shrine", which residents say is a symbol of hope seeking the return of democracy.
(Picture from Fiji Times, 7-12-2006 www.fijitimes.com)

The following is a selection of articles providing insight and analysis of the crisis.

CANADA SUPPORTS FIJI SUSPENSION FROM THE COMMONWEALTH  

December 8, 2006   

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, today reinforced Canada’s support for Fiji’s suspension from the Commonwealth.

“ Canada condemns Commodore Frank Bainimarama’s attack on democracy and his disdain for international appeals,” said Minister MacKay. “We are confident that the suspension will send a clear and unequivocal message to the military commander that the principles of democracy must be upheld. We stand with other Commonwealth democracies in decrying this act, which defies the rule of law.”

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group met today in London and decided to suspend Fiji from Commonwealth meetings and programs. Members will, however, remain engaged with Fiji to encourage a return to democracy and the rule of law.

On December 4, Commodore Frank Bainimarama staged a military coup against Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase and his government. Fiji was previously suspended from the Commonwealth in 1997 and 2000, following two separate military coups.

The Commonwealth is a multilateral organization of 53 countries that have declared a commitment to common values such as equality, democracy and the rule of law. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group is made up of nine foreign ministers from all regions with the goal to promote democracy, good governance and fundamental human rights. Canada is a current member of the Group along with Lesotho, Malaysia, Malta, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and the United Kingdom. The Canadian High Commissioner in London, James Wright, represented Minister MacKay at today’s meeting.

Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca  

Coalition says NO to sanctions: “Only the poor will suffer”

SUVA , Thursday 7 th December, 2006:

A group of concerned NGOs and citizens have come out strongly against international sanctions for Fiji.  The Coalition for Democracy and Peace says sanctions, which have already begun by the New Zealand Government, will mainly affect poor and marginalized Fiji Citizens.

“Removing scholarships and access to guest worker schemes obviously affect poor people, and not the military,” the group said.

“This shifts the negative impact of the military takeover onto the ordinary citizen.”

Fiji citizens are also feeling the brunt of the military takeover, as important issues such as the increase in Valued Added Tax (VAT) and the privatization of water are ignored during the crisis.  Vulnerable groups are also particularly at risk of violence and increasing levels of HIV, as a result of reduced services.

While welcoming the military’s retreat from media outlets, the Coalition is concerned by some published language that legitimizes the current illegal takeover.  The Coalition requests that the media refer to all military appointments as ‘military-appointed official’ rather than ‘caretaker’ official. 

The group yesterday delivered a request for a Presidential Commission of Inquiry to the President, Commander and Great Council of Chiefs.  The Coalition reiterates its pledge of allegiance to President Ratu Josefa Iloilo and has called on him to establish a binding Commission of Truth, Justice and Resolution under the Commission of Inquiry Act.  The Coalition believes such an inquiry can assist in addressing existing concerns from all sides of the conflict and is a Constitutional way out of the current crisis. 

They have also reiterated their call for peaceful non-violent protest by citizens calling for peace, democracy and the Rule of Law by:

• Wearing a Fiji Blue ribbon
• Wearing all black every Thursday as part of the ‘Thursdays in Black’ campaign
• Lighting a candle or lamp for peace in their homes, offices, churches or temples

The Coalition for Democracy and Peace is a diverse group of citizens and NGOs who are working to halt Fiji’s collapse into political, social and economic disaster following the military takeover of the Fiji Government.

MINISTER MACKAY CONDEMNS COUP D’ÉTAT IN FIJI

December 5, 2006

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, today issued the following statement on the military coup staged against the Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase and his government:

“ Canada is deeply concerned about the military coup against Fiji’s democratically elected government. We urge the military to respect the constitution of Fiji, and all parties to resolve this political crisis in accordance with the rule of law and democratic process.

“The actions of the Fijian military threaten to undermine the efforts being made by the Fijian people and international community to build a Fiji that is democratic and prosperous.

“The Canadian High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand, which is accredited to Fiji, is following the situation closely. Canadian consular officials are on duty to assist Canadians as required. We will continue to monitor events as they evolve.”

======================================================================

An Update from the Reverend Dr. Feleterika Nokise, Principal of the Pacific Theological College in Suva.

6 December 2006.

AN UPDATE OF OUR SITUATION IN FIJI

Dear Member Churches and Overseas Partners,

I greet each and everyone of you in the Name of Risen Saviour.

This is not an easy letter for me to write. I was here during the 2000 coup and despite the lapse of time, the effects of what has transpired here in Fiji over the last few days, have resurrected the painful memories of the psychological and emotional displacement such crisis brings. Nevertheless I feel the need to inform you of our situation here at PTC in the midst of the political upheaval now gripping Fiji.

You would have heard by now of the takeover and removal of the democratically elected government of Fiji by the military yesterday. It is the culmination of months of instability and the war of words between the commander and the prime minister. As I write, news has just been filtered through that parliament has been dissolved with the army moving in to close down the Senate who have been meeting this morning. At the same time, over 100 soldiers moved in to the Police headquarters and arrested the acting commissioner of police and his senior police officials who were meeting. CEOs have all been taken to the army headquarters for a briefing today. This morning, the Prime Minister and his wife have been removed to their home island in the Lau Group. They were, together with other ministers under house arrest last night.

Last night, the commander officially announced that he has given himself Executive Authority over all of Fiji. That means simply that he is now in control and the President and Vice president have also been removed from their office. Today, an announcement came that he is now the President of Fiji on a temporary basis.

The media has also been taken over with both the TV and newspapers news items closely scrutinize by the military before they can be released. News has just come to hand that the Ministry of Information is now beginning to release news in the name of the military. Checkpoints are now part of the scene in Suva. All guns and ammunitions that were kept in armouries within a number of police compounds have been removed.

What is happening is a systematic elimination of any likely opposition to what the military is doing. Government officials refusing to abide with directives from the military are picked up and taken to the army barracks. In a way, the military is slowly but firmly choking the political life of Fiji. Where all this is leading in the long run is anyone’s guess.

But there is real concern now that some provinces will rise to confront the army. The army appears to anticipate such a likely reaction. The number of soldiers in full combat uniforms around Suva is very alarming. I personally do not sense a retreat of the army from its current course. They seem determine to push on with what they have started. I do not hold much hope for their willingness to negotiate. But the hope remains that they will.

There is tension and much uncertainty here now. We do not know what will happen next. All we know is that each day, new developments takes place that seem to plunge this country further into an abyss of political instability.

The expected reaction from the international community have started not only with their condemnation of the military takeover but with smart sanctions on certain things. I sense an intensity of this over the next few days.

A blessing for us is that these events have happened after our end of year graduation and all the graduates and their families have returned to their homelands. But we still had 169 living in our compound when the problems started. Given our location near Parliament and the memories of the last coup…the need for us to assess and monitor developments became extremely urgent. I set up an Emergency committee comprising of a few faculty members and students. We met as a community every day, sometime more than once a day as events unfold. I contacted the home churches and overseas sponsors of students still here to update them with the situation and give some assurance that their students are alright. Furthermore to also share with them my intention to evacuate the students if needed and to ascertain their feelings of such a likely move. I appreciate very much the understanding and support they offered.

The events have understandably created enormous uncertainty, triggering off much anxiety and stress amongst our students and staff. We have initiated nightly patrols with teams four/five taking two hour shifts. Patrol begins at 7pm and finish at 6am. We have also initiated a curfew from 6pm regarding going out of the compound. Movements outside during the day are also restricted to emergency cases such as visit to hospitals and pharmacies. We have bought additional stock of flour, rice, sugar, tin food and other essentials. If families run out of food they buy it from the canteen. Even our movements within the compound are restricted. Our playing fields at the front is now out of bounds till further notice and the gates are closed all day and night with guards on each all the time. In a way, we live in blockade kind of context now. The stress on the families are beginning to show. There is fear in not knowing what will happen next.

In view of the many uncertain factors, the stress and fear elements, I have reluctantly had to concede that I cannot guarantee the safety of anyone in our community. It is a frightening and very sad admission on my part, but it is unfortunately a part of our reality now. So I have decided to begin the evacuation of the college.

Yesterday, nine students and their families from the Church of Melanesia left for nadi to catch a morning flight back to the Solomon islands today. Today the sole student from the United Church of PNG left with his family for Nadi to catch a morning flight back to PNG (via Brisbane). Tuvalua student family is scheduled to leave tomorrow. Vanuatu student and family plus one more Church of melanesi student and his family are scheduled to leave this Saturday.

Plans are in place for others to move next week including faculty members and staff. There is also a plan now in place to move to the West(near Nadi) if we need to depending on the state of the crisis. This exercise has probably ruined our budget for 2007. But the lives of students and staff cannot be jeorpadised. We have to do this.

I will not allow the College to be abandon. So if the worse comes, all will leave but I will stay back with our two Fijian students and three Fijian staff who live on the compound. I am committed to that and it is not negotiable. I will not compromise the safety of any overseas student or staff if things gets worse. They will have to leave Fiji.

I know you are remembering us still at PTC in your prayers. That is giving us strength. I thank you for your moral support and prayers. Indeed, our only hope is with our Living God.

It is hard to be normal when things are abnormal. But we are trying as best as we can to be calm and prayerful.

I will try and keep you inform of what is happening to the College in the coming days as much as I can. If however, you do not hear from me soon, it may be because other things regarding our situation here demands my full attention.

In Christ,

Rev. Dr Feleterika Nokise

Principal

======================================================================

Army assures Fiji media of 'freedom'

Fiji Times Thursday, December 07, 2006

"Commander Frank Bainimarama, Fiji's military leader, has resisted calls from world leaders to call off his coup"

There will be no further interference by the military in the role of the nation's media, says acting commander, Captain Esala Teleni.

This follows the voluntary closure of The Fiji Times on Tuesday night and of the Fiji Television newsroom when the military attempted to impose censorship on reporting.

Yesterday, a meeting between Captain Teleni and senior executives of four media companies and the chairman of the Fiji Media Council, Daryl Tarte, saw the military give an undertaking on behalf of Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama that there would be no censorship.

Captain Teleni apologised for the military's actions the night before and said it had been a "misunderstanding" due to "misinformation". However, he asked the media to be responsible and not to publish or broadcast material that could incite trouble.

On Tuesday night six unarmed soldiers entered The Fiji Times newsroom and told senior company executives that they wished to place a soldier in the newsroom to monitor incoming faxes and check stories to be published the next day.

If the company published material that was pro-Qarase government "propaganda"or anti-military, the newspaper would be closed.

Following discussions, Fiji Times Ltd managing director Tony Yianni declared the newspaper could not accept the military's demands and ordered the newspaper closed.

The military delegation also visited Fiji Television, Fiji Broadcasting Company Limited and FM96 with similar demands.

It is understood that soldiers were placed in the studios of the radio stations and within the television station, although the station, rather than accept censorship, also closed its newsroom.

The military visited the Fiji Sun, but the newspaper had already been printed. Yesterday morning, following an approach by The Fiji Times, the military gave permission for the printing of a special afternoon edition of the newspaper.

A subsequent meeting of media executives made an approach to the military for a meeting, which was accepted.

The Fiji Times has now resumed normal publication and the soldiers have been withdrawn from the other media outlets.

News Limited chairman and chief executive John Hartigan yesterday called on the Fiji military to allow publication of The Fiji Times newspaper to continue without restrictions.

Mr Hartigan said the military intervention raised serious concerns about the safety of employees and that the company was closely monitoring the situation.

"We will do whatever we can to uphold democracy and freedom of speech provided that we can also guarantee the safety of our staff in Fiji," he said.

"Fiji Times managing director Tony Yianni and Editor Samisoni Kakaivalu are satisfied that normal publication has resumed and they are handling this crisis with skill, diplomacy and courage," said Mr Hartigan.

News Limited has also called on the Australian government to do whatever it can to ensure the most basic accepted principles of democracy and free speech are upheld in Fiji and to persuade the Fiji military to allow unrestricted media coverage of the current crisis.

" Fiji's citizens have the right to expect unfettered access to objective, factual news reporting," Mr Hartigan said.

Mr Yianni said the military's demands breached the Constitution of Fiji that specifically protected freedom of speech.

The demands also breached the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

"We were ordered to breach the Constitution and not publish any dissenting views that may be sent to us by free citizens, as well as the views of legally elected members of the Qarase Government.

"If we do not have the freedom to publish with responsibility, then we do not publish.

"We would never and have never published anything that would incite people to do wrongdoing.

"The Bill of Rights is for everybody and not just for the Army.

"I think the military needs to remember an age-old truism in a battle between guns and pens, pens always win."

Mr Kakaivalu said he refused to edit any newspaper in which content had been altered or censored in any way by external forces.

"I, and my staff, refuse to work for any publication under these conditions. This is no longer journalism, but propaganda exactly the effect the Army says it is trying to prevent."

The Fiji Media Council, in a statement, said the freedom of the press was enshrined in Section 30 of the Constitution and that the Army needed to uphold it.

"The military should always allow the media organisations to operate freely without intimidation.

The Council said they would continue to be in full compliance with the code of ethics by ensuring news stories were balanced accurate and fair.

Meanwhile, media organisations, especially overseas media expressed their concern at the conduct of the Fiji military in their attempt to control the free flow of information.

The Editor of Courier Mail in Briasbane Australia, David Fagan said it was completely unacceptable in a democracy for military troops to arrive at a newspaper and demand to vet copy.

"These are indeed sad times for Fiji but your stance in refusing to allow them to control your publication is a brave and correct decision," said Mr Fagan.

Group Editorial Manager for News Limited Australia, Warren Beeby said he was in touch with the Australian government to encourage them to do what they can to foster a return of free speech in the face of military censorship.

Garry Bailey from the News Limited in Hobart Australia said the newspaper had maintained their advocacy on the freedom of press on behalf of the Fiji media in Tasmania.

The editor of another publication, Fishing Magazine in New Zealand, Allan Burgess said newspapers were the body armour of freedom and liberty.

"I wish to send my support to the editor of the Fiji Times. No one can tell the editor of a newspaper what he can or cannot publish," said Mr Burgess.

The Editor in Chief of the Herald and Weekly Times in Melbourne, Peter Blunden said: "We wish to extend to you all the strongest possible message of support as you battle to carry out your duties.

"It's disappointing that you're forced to endure such circumstances, but it is paramount that all staff are safe and that you're again free to do you job as soon as possible."

======================================================================

New Zealand sets sanctions against Fiji

Fiji Times   Thursday, December 07, 2006

Fijian soldiers outside Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase's house in Suva, Fiji.

Fiji now faces a full range of sanctions imposed by New Zealand on the interim administration of military leader Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.

Among the first measures imposed by New Zealand are the freezing of any new development aid and a review all current funding.

The New Zealand Govermment has made it clear it will not recognize the interim administration set up by Commodore Bainimarama and will ban any contact at ministerial level "unless it is for dialogue and mediation purposes".

All Fiji Military Froces personnel currently in New Zealand studying, training or exercising are being told that they and their accompanying family members must make arrangements to leave New Zealand immediately.

Fijian military officers currently training with the New Zealand military will not be able to participate in any activities associated with that training, with immediate effect, pending their departure from New Zealand. This started last night when an officer from the Fiji military was asjked to stay away from a graduation ceremony, at which former Foreign Minister Phil Goff officiated.

Fiji citizens will be excluded from the seasonal workers scheme - announced recently - that gives preference to job seekers from the Pacific Islands.

All sporting contact between Fiji and New Zealand will also be suspended.

Australia is imposing similar sanctions, including dropping defence co-operation and banning members of the Fiji military and their families from travelling to Australia.

Britain has also suspended defence ties, and the United States is stopping almost $NZ3.5 million in financial aid to the country.

Prime Minister Helen Clark and Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced a further series of sanctions in response to the Fijian militarys seizure of power.

"These measures reflect New Zealand's abhorrence of the actions taken by the Fijian military. Those actions are a tragedy for Fiji. New Zealand now has no option but to respond further to this completely unacceptable and unconstitutional action by the Republic of Fiji Military Force," she said.

"We are putting in place a wide range of measures which will affect high level contacts between the two countries: immigration; defence and sports links; and development assistance links of an inter-governmental character. Events in Fiji will also have adverse impacts on Fijis participation in international fora, initiatives and events.

On the development assistance front, New Zealand says it discontinue the awarding of new government managed scholarships and training, review and reconsider New Zealand's assistance to the Fiji Electoral Office, suspend the Fiji public sectors eligibility for training initiatives under regional governance programs and review planned support for people in squatter settlements, with a view to assessing the scope for providing such assistance through NGO and relevant regional agencies, rather than through the Fiji government agencies.

Pacific Peoples' Partnership would like to thank our many generous friends, supporters and volunteers who donated their time, their services and merchandise to our fundraisers

Special Event ! Islands In Between Fundraiser

September 21, 2006 - Victoria, BC – The Pacific People’s Partnership held a fundraiser on Saturday, October 7 at Fran Willis Gallery, 1619 Store Street, from 7-11pm. The evening showcased emerging artists, fashion designers and hot local DJs. This was a licensed event, and there were be delicious appetizers including traditional native fare, beverages and a silent auction featuring a hand-crafted wooden DJ table, art pieces from Alcheringa, paintings from emerging artists, jewelry, Thai Massage and more. Monies raised support the work of the Pacific Peoples' Partnership, an organization that supports indigenous rights in the South Pacific. To see and download full Press Release Click Here . To get full size Event Poster (pdf) Click Here.
Special Event ! West Papua: A Forgotten Land West Papuans Speak Out!  Victoria , BC (September 28, 2006): Yan Christian Warinussy, Human Rights Lawyer and winner of the John Humphrey Freedom Award, was joined by other native West Papuans and activists for a talk on West Papua. To see and download full Press Release Click Here . To get full size Event Poster (pdf) Click Here.