Fiji crisis: Interview with Jone Baledrokadroka

In an exclusive interview, Lieutenant Colonel Jone Baledrokadroka told the Herald on Sunday he confronted his boss, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, after discovering the army head was manoeuvering chosen officers into key positions.

Had he not taken action last week, "treasonous acts" would have taken place in Fiji, says Lieutenant Colonel Jone Baledrokadroka.

"When you start removing people and putting them in strategic positions, you give out the wrong signals," he said.

Colonel Baledrokadroka, who was educated at De La Salle College in South Auckland, said he made the discovery on Tuesday, the day he started his job as Land Forces Commander, after six months outside the country.

"It seems had I not stood my ground things would have gone down the road of instability. It would have ended in treasonous acts."

There were other orders, which he says would only make Fiji's position worse were he to speak of them.

"I would be trying to run the affairs of the land force having this overbearing pressure from above to go down the road of illegality. I knew some day we would have to cross that line. I hoped my actions would pull people out of this madness."

The trouble began after he learned of a meeting during which officers under his authority were given a set of instructions by Commodore Bainimarama.

He called a meeting of his staff and told them they were to commit no "illegal" acts.

"I had to put my foot down on my first day in. Otherwise, you go too far in."

Word of the meeting reached his boss. The pair met on Wednesday afternoon, and Baledrokadroka was accused of "spreading disloyalty".

On Thursday morning, Commodore Bainimarama rang him and ordered him to write a report, listing the officers who were considered loyal and disloyal.

When the colonel balked, he was told to go.

It was against this background that security tightened at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Suva and naval vessels took to the harbour, fuelling speculation throughout Fiji that another coup was brewing.

Commodore Bainimarama has yet to withdraw his threat to take the country by force, and will not even discuss the issue with political leaders until tomorrow.

While New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters labels the issue an internal military problem, it is far from resolved.

Colonel Baledrokadroka suggested yesterday it was time for his boss to step down and for a New Zealander or Australian to take over the job. There was already a precedent, with the job of police commissioner going to Australian Andrew Hughes, he said.

"We have been politicised, the whole lot of us. It has permeated every officer ... It is time to apoliticise the military."

He said politicians could defuse Fiji's problems by co-operating. "That is the way to stability - not at the end of a gun."

Colonel Baledrokadroka said with the elections in September, it was likely there would be more trouble. "The chances of instability are quite high, given our history."

However, the entire country was sick of the situation. "Talk of treason, coups and illegality needs to be rooted out for our children's sakes."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY