Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SUVA393
2006-09-24 23:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Suva
Cable title:  

FIJI MILITARY COMMANDER RESUMES OFFENSIVE V.

Tags:  MARR PREL FJ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8428
PP RUEHPB
DE RUEHSV #0393/01 2672334
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 242334Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY SUVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3309
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1288
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 0897
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1079
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000393 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2016
TAGS: MARR PREL FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI MILITARY COMMANDER RESUMES OFFENSIVE V.
CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT; REPORTEDLY ATTEMPTS TO INVOKE U.S.

REF: A. SUVA 255

B. SUVA 214

C. SUVA 389

D. SUVA 209

E. SUVA 254

Classified By: Amb. Dinger. Sec. 1.4 (B,D).

Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000393

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2016
TAGS: MARR PREL FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI MILITARY COMMANDER RESUMES OFFENSIVE V.
CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT; REPORTEDLY ATTEMPTS TO INVOKE U.S.

REF: A. SUVA 255

B. SUVA 214

C. SUVA 389

D. SUVA 209

E. SUVA 254

Classified By: Amb. Dinger. Sec. 1.4 (B,D).

Summary
--------------

1. (C) Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) Commander
Bainimarama reignited public conflict with PM Qarase's
government during a speech last weekend. In a follow-up
interview that was headlined "Army outburst 'on US advice'"
on the front page of the 9/25 Fiji Sun, Bainimarama
reportedly said he drew motivation from the remarks of the
Commander, U.S. Army Pacific, LtGen. Brown at the Pacific
Regional Armies Seminar (PAMS) recently held in Fiji. Most
of Fiji's civilian leaders declined immediate comment.
LtGen. Brown's remarks that complimented free and frank
discussions within PAMS seminars on military topics were
taken entirely out of context. We have provided
clarification to the media (see para 4). Prods for
Bainimarama's volatile remarks could have been that, as
threatened before last May's elections, PM Qarase recently
requested Fiji's President to seek clarification of the
RFMF's constitutional role. Qarase has also introduced
controversial "land" bills in Parliament, against
Bainimarama's advice. Most people in Fiji have relished a
period of calm since the elections and have been encouraged
by efforts to find common political ground. Bainimarama's
remarks have set the public's nerves again on edge. End
Summary.

Fiji military commander reignites civ-mil friction
-------------- --------------

2. (U) During remarks at a secondary school's passing out
parade for military cadets on Saturday, Sept. 23, the
Commander of the RFMF, Commodore Bainimarama, harshly
criticized the government of Prime Minister Qarase for
advocating controversial legislation like a "qoliqoli" bill
that has been proposed to clarify coastal land/fishing
rights. Bainimarama's remarks appeared to end an informal
truce with Qarase after last May's elections returned the
Qarase government to power (see refs A and B).

Commodore reportedly inspired by U.S. PAMS comments
-------------- --------------


3. (U) In a follow-up interview with the Fiji Sun newspaper,
Bainimarama reportedly said he drew motivation from remarks
by LtGen. John Brown, USARPAC, during the PAMS that took
place in Fiji Sept. 11-15. The Sun's front-page headline on
Monday, Sept. 25, was "Army outburst 'on US advice'." The
article says Bainimarama was motivated to speak out by LtGen.
Brown's "challenge" during PAMS that divisive issues "should
not be faced with politeness but with honesty." The article
says that Bainimarama, in his closing speech to PAMS said
that, "the military, as you (Gen. Brown) have suggested,
cannot and should not be too polite in these areas and should
deal with them with an attitude that is sincere, frank,
direct, and truthful." (Note: Bainimarama is currently
visiting the UN with Home Affairs Minister Vosanibola to
discuss PKO issues, per ref C. We cannot confirm the
accuracy of the statements attributed to Bainimarama in the
article.) The article reports that PM Qarase and a spokesman
for the "opposition" Fiji Labor Party (FLP) declined comment.
Opposition Leader Mick Beddoes reportedly said U.S. generals
have "no jurisdiction over Fiji."

No relation to actual context: media correction
-------------- --

4. (U) On seeing the article (which was not vetted with the
Embassy),we contacted LtGen. Brown and confirmed that his
comments were taken entirely out of context. His reference
to frank and direct discussion related to the excellent
conversations that took place among the multi-national group
of military attendees during PAMS seminars on
military-related coalition-operations issues. His remarks
were not directed toward and were not intended to apply to
civil-military relations. The Ambassador held a media event
on Sept. 25 and distributed the following statement:

"The United States Government has a very strong belief that
the military must be subordinate to the elected civilian
leadership in a democracy. We routinely convey that view
during U.S. training events for foreign military officers,

SUVA 00000393 002.2 OF 002


and, as necessary, we make the point directly with foreign
militaries.

"A front-page headline in the Monday, September 25, Fiji Sun
suggests that RFMF Commander Bainimarama took a different
message from a statement by the Commander, U.S. Army Pacific,
Lieutenant General John Brown, during the recent Pacific
Armies Management Seminar (PAMS) held in Nadi, Fiji, for
military leaders from 30 Asia-Pacific nations.

"I have spoken with Lieutenant General Brown. In his closing
remarks to the PAMS, he complimented the "open, candid, and
frank conversations" that took place in the PAMS seminar
sessions, which were solely devoted to military discussions
of military subjects related to peacekeeping operations.

"Lieutenant General Brown's remarks were not in any way
intended to suggest how military leaders in democracies
should relate to their civilian governments.

"In fact, Lieutenant General Brown emphasized to me the U.S.
view, which is his view, that the military in a democracy
must not attempt to involve itself in politics and must not
give the impression it is seeking to usurp the powers of the
elected civilian government.

"In sum, the PAMS seminars and Lieutenant General Brown's
remarks were solely focused on how military forces can best
cooperate to implement international coalition operations."
End statement.

PM Qarase's effort to clarify RFMF roles
--------------

5. (U) In response to Bainimarama's Saturday speech, PM
Qarase revealed publicly that he recently activated his
pre-election threat to seek a definitive Supreme Court
opinion on the proper role of the military in domestic
politics in Fiji (Ref D). Qarase said President Iloilo, who
as Commander in Chief would be the proper authority to
initiate a Supreme Court review, has the request in his
in-box.

Comment
--------------

6. (C) Commodore Bainimarama's anti-government remarks
Saturday at the school were deliberate. We had heard just
beforehand that he was going to deliver a controversial
speech. While we cannot confirm if the Fiji Sun interview
was a deliberate attempt to tie the U.S. to his approach, we
can confirm that Embassy Suva and U.S. high-level visitors
have repeatedly made clear to Bainimarama and others in the
RFMF leadership the U.S. view of the proper civil-military
relationship.


7. (C) It appears the relative peace in Fiji's
civil-military relations since the May elections were an
anomaly, not the new norm. Bainimarama's motivations could
include: 1) an awareness that Qarase is following through on
the request for a Supreme Court opinion and 2) unhappiness
that Qarase continues to push for the qoliqoli and other
controversial legislation. We sense Bainimarama is swimming
against a heavy tide of public opinion that has approved of
the current, relatively cordial multi-party cabinet system
(ref E),revels in the current less-confrontational politics,
and wants past civil-military frictions to subside. That
said, the current political calm has been fragile in any
case, as FLP leader Chaudhry is seeking to penalize several
of his colleagues now in Cabinet who are actively seeking
multi-party solutions to Fiji's major problems. End Comment.
DINGER