UN condemns Fiji, Govt asked to keep talking

Fiji's Commodore Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama was reappointed interim prime minister of the Pacific Island nation on April 11. Photo / Greg Bowker

The Fiji Indian Association in New Zealand has written to Prime Minister John Key asking him to maintain dialogue with Fiji's military regime, which has now been condemned by the United Nations Security Council.

The association's president, Salim Singh, also condemned the "draconian measures" taken by Commodore Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama and his interim government, Radio New Zealand International reported today.

The United Nations Security Council says it is "deeply concerned" about the situation in Fiji and has demanded the country resumes moves towards forming a democracy.

Mr Singh said New Zealand should establish an eminent persons group to negotiate with the regime and help Fiji return to normalcy.

Fiji was a regional hub and it should remain outside the influence of other powers.

"Once you close the door on negotiations, the regime turns elsewhere and if you look at the geopolitical fights in the Pacific at the moment there is one country, China which is doggedly fighting for dominance in the South Pacific and we do not wish countries like China to play such a dominant role in the Pacific, that they can start affecting the systems of government," he told RNZ International.

He said there was a common misconception that Indo-Fijians support Cdre Bainimarama but this was untrue.

Speaking on behalf of the UN Security Council, Mexico's Claude Heller said the council was "deeply concerned about the situation in Fiji, where undemocratic decisions were made, including the abrogation of the constitution".

Cdre Bainimarama, who overthrew the elected government in a December 2006 coup, has introduced emergency regulations since the country's constitution was dumped on April 10, a day after the Court of Appeal ruled his interim government illegal.

Eight magistrates and a chief magistrate were sworn in by President Ratu Josefa Iloilo yesterday and the Fiji Law Society says it has been told court documents concerning the interim Government dating back to 2006 have been destroyed.

The Intelligentsiya blogsite set up by "libertarian" Fijians says new court registrar, Major Ana Rokomoti was "attempting to blur the murky illegal tracks of Bainimarama's illegal regime".

The blogsite quoted sources pointing to a high level directive for all legal files involving the military junta to be sent to Major Rokomoti's office for shredding.

New Zealand would consider sending troops into Fiji if they were needed to provide stability as part of a multilateral peacekeeping action but would not act unilaterally, the prime minister said yesterday.

Prime Minister John Key said the situation in Fiji was "tragic" but stable since the constitution was abolished and the judicial system overthrown more than a week ago, leading to diminished media freedoms and an economic free fall.

"I just can't see how any of that can be of any good to the people of Fiji," he told reporters.

He said it was possible there would be a need for New Zealand troops to go to Fiji "but it is not likely."

"New Zealand could always be asked by a multilateral agency like the United Nations. I certainly don't see New Zealand acting unilaterally," he said.

"If it was part of a multilateral effort to stabilize peace in a dangerous situation in Fiji, of course New Zealand would consider that," Key said.

There was always the threat of a fight back from the Fijian military, he added.

Fiji has some 3,500 troops, the most powerful armed force of any small South Pacific nation outside regional powers Australia and New Zealand.

On Friday, Fiji's armed forces chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama said the country should accept that he is in control and move on from events of the past week.

Bainimarama, who seized power in a 2006 coup, said his government would remain in power until he called elections in September 2014.

He has vowed to rewrite the constitution and electoral laws to remove discrimination against Fiji's ethnic Indians before elections in 2014. Critics say he shows little sign of being willing to give up power.

- NZPA, NZ HERALD STAFF