Fiji: NZ Prime Minister Reflects On The Way Forward; Forum Statement; 2006 Fiji Coup

First, an opinion column released by NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark. She reflects on the way forward in Fiji following the discussions among Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in Niue last month.

Following that, the full text of the statement of the Pacific Leaders Forum Meeting in NIue.

Finally, looking back to December 2006, Fiji Coup in Pictures.

A Way Forward For Fiji

Public commentary on Fiji since the Niue Forum has focused on the warning Leaders gave to the Interim Government about Fiji’s future participation in the regional body in the event the Interim Government continues down its current path. Much less attention has been paid, especially within Fiji, to the framework Forum Leaders provided in their communiqué to help resolve the current situation in Fiji.

Forum Leaders explicitly acknowledged that there are long-term issues that need to be addressed in Fiji. They recognised that an independent and inclusive political dialogue process could assist in developing understandings among Fiji’s key stakeholders. Leaders considered that the framework for this political dialogue already exists in the Commonwealth-led process of consultations with stakeholders. In the view of Forum Leaders, this could create a more conducive environment for an election to be held under Fiji’s current Constitution by March 2009, and provide a basis for all stakeholders to commit to work with the newly-elected government to advance a framework for reform and broader national reconciliation.

This vision of Forum Leaders fits the facts on the ground in Fiji. Leaders of all Fiji’s political parties have expressed an openness to consider reforms, including in constitutional and electoral matters. They have

expressed their willingness to participate in a dialogue process, if it is independent and inclusive, without preconditions or pre-determined outcomes, and pursued within a legal and constitutional framework. Given goodwill and commitment on all sides, an inclusive and independent political dialogue process could generate outcomes acceptable to all.

Promoting successful dialogue will not be easy. It will need skilled facilitation such as the Commonwealth can provide. But it is clear that many of Fiji’s key stakeholders have well considered ideas about ways to overcome the political difficulties facing their country. Some of the proposals already in the public domain are quite detailed and specific about objectives and how to achieve them. And it is clear that on some of these issues there are divergences of view between different groups and stakeholders within Fiji. Reaching an enduring agreement on such issues will therefore take some time.

Given this background, it is heartening to discern signs of widespread willingness among political party leaders to commit to implementing an agreed framework for further reform and national reconciliation after an election conducted according to Fiji’s undertaking to Forum leaders at the Nuku’alofa Forum. If such an agreement were to be reached, Forum Leaders would certainly be willing to stand as guarantors to ensure full implementation.

That is why Forum Leaders tasked the Ministerial Contact Group to monitor the progress of the Commonwealth-led dialogue and any political consensus within Fiji arising from it. That is why Forum Leaders proposed that the Ministerial Contact Group visit Fiji again before the end of 2008 to prepare a report for a possible Special Leaders Meeting in Papua New Guinea before the end of the year on the situation in Fiji. This Special Meeting need not be about further measures against Fiji, such as suspension from the Forum. If the major actors in Fiji seize the opportunity identified in the Niue Forum Communiqué, the Special Leaders Meeting could be about how best the Forum can support a return to constitutional governance and democratic politics in Fiji.

New Zealand very much wishes to see such an outcome. We believe it can be achieved if the Interim Government looks carefully at what the Niue Forum has proposed and endorses a change process in Fiji that will avoid the prospect of isolation from its Pacific neighbours.

That would also make possible a return to more normal relations between New Zealand and Fiji. Without a legitimate government in Fiji, the relationship cannot be normal. The return of a legitimate government committed to advancing a process of reform and national reconciliation would allow us to start down the road of normalisation and reconciliation. It is for this reason that the Forum Communiqué deserves close attention by the Interim Government as well as by political stakeholders and key sectors within Fiji.

Helen Clark
Prime Minister

24 September 2008

[Beehive Op-Ed Release]

20th AUGUST 2008

STATEMENT: 39th  PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM LEADERS  RETREAT STATEMENT ON THE SITUATION IN FIJI, MATAVAI RESORT, NIUE

Leaders:

(a) expressed serious concern at the failure by the Fiji Interim Government to attend the 2008 annual Pacific Islands Forum and consider this non-attendance unacceptable; and further stated that the Interim Government should have attended to account to Forum Leaders for the undertakings given at the 2007 Forum in Tonga to hold an election by March 2009, in accordance with Fiji’s existing Constitution and electoral laws;

(b) condemned the recent statements by the Fiji Interim Government that are inconsistent with the undertakings provided to Leaders at the 2007 Forum regarding the holding of elections and a return to democracy;

(c) reaffirmed the importance of the Interim Government honoring the undertakings it made to Forum Leaders in 2007 to return Fiji to democracy by holding an election by March 2009, and to accept the outcomes of that election;

(d) acknowledged the importance of maintaining and encouraging continued pressure from the Forum and other members of the international community to meet the March 2009 deadline;

(e) reaffirmed the readiness of Forum members to continue to assist Fiji prepare for that election;

(f) commended the work undertaken by the Fiji-Forum Joint Working Group up to June 2008, and urged Fiji to demonstrate its good faith in maintaining a constructive relationship with the Forum by resuming participation in the Working Group;

(g) acknowledged that there are long-term issues that need to be addressed in Fiji, including through independent and inclusive political dialogue. In this context, Leaders recognised that a political dialogue process could assist in developing understandings among key stakeholders that would:

(i) create a more conducive environment for an election to be held under Fiji’s existing Constitution by March 2009; and
(ii) address the process for ongoing dialogue that a newly elected government and key stakeholders would need to progress following an election in order to advance relevant reforms and promote national reconciliation. Accordingly Leaders expressed the Forum’s support for a political dialogue process, providing it is:
– complementary to the implementation of Fiji’s commitments to the Forum on elections, and not used to delay the elections;
– conducted as a genuine dialogue, without preconditions, threats, ultimatums or predetermined outcomes;
– supported by all key stakeholders;

(h) expressed the Forum’s support for and willingness to assist in appropriate ways the Commonwealth-led political dialogue process, and directed the Ministerial Contact Group to monitor the progress of that dialogue and any political consensus within Fiji which might arise from it;

(i) emphasised the importance of Fiji maintaining respect for human rights and the rule of law;

(j) reiterated their appreciation for the solidarity with and support for the Forum’s work on Fiji provided by other members of the international community;

(k) tasked the Ministerial Contact Group with continued monitoring of the Fiji situation, including the possibility of the Group returning to Fiji, and directed it to report back to Leaders before the end of 2008 on the situation regarding election preparations, and other key issues. The Ministerial Contact Group’s report should include recommendations, taking into account practice in the Commonwealth and other relevant organisations, on further measures that the Forum should take to promote compliance by the Fiji Interim Government with its 2007 Vava’u election undertakings, with a view to strengthening the Forum’s efforts under the Biketawa Declaration;

(l) agreed that following the receipt of the Ministerial Contact Group’s second report, the Leaders would consider a further special meeting of Forum Leaders by the end of 2008 to consider special measures in relation to Fiji (consistent with paragraph 2(iv) of the Biketawa Declaration) and that measures to be considered include the suspension of particular governments from the Forum; and

(m) agreed in principle the offer of Papua New Guinea to host a special meeting.

Looking Back To Tuesday, 5 December 2006: Fiji’s Coup 2006

Source: BBC News

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Fiji’s military head Frank Voreqe Bainimarama announced it had toppled the government and dismissed Fiji’s elected Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, in Suva, 05 December 2006, following a month’s long standoff between the two men.

Bainimarama said, “as of six o’clock this evening, the military has taken over the government, has executive authority and the running of this country,” he told a press conference adding he was appointing an interim leader and government. Later Bainimarama appointed himself interim Prime Minister of Fiji.

“Therefore, having stepped into the shoes of the president, I shall now therefore dismiss the Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase,”

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Before the announcement, soldiers poured into the streets setting up roadblocks.

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A number of them went to stand guard outside government buildings.

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Then they moved on to cut off access to the home of the ousted Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase.

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The soldiers removed Mr Qarase’s government car…

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… before securing the residence and confining Mr Qarase to house arrest. They also did the same with government ministers removing their cars.

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Mr Qarase was greeting supporters at a traditional ceremony at his home when the announcement was made.

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A group of people gathered outside Mr Qarase’s residence, singing songs of prayer as coup measures were being enforced.

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Some tried to fight back their tears – after all this is Fiji’s fourth coup in two decades.

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Army authorities restrict media coverage.

[BBC News, Dec 5th 2006]

Latest statement from Fiji’s Interim Government delivered to the United Nations, September 28th, 2008.

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