FIJI UPDATE 4/5/07: BAINIMARAMA ON PKO; STATE OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SUVA 000199

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM MARR ASEC FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI UPDATE 4/5/07: BAINIMARAMA ON PKO; STATE OF
THE EMERGENCY; FIJI LOOKS TO INDIA

REF: SUVA 194

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

Bainimarama pleads for PKO
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1. (U) Commodore Bainimarama reacted to media reports that
Commonwealth SecGen McKinnon asked the UN to remove Fiji from
PKO activities by saying any attempt to stop soldiers from
participating in peacekeeping missions would be "an attempt
to hurt the people" of Fiji. He noted that PKO duties
generate significant income for military families and their
communities. Bainimarama thanked UN SYG Ban for reportedly
saying the UN "needs Fiji peacekeepers." Bainimarama said Ban
has the "wisdom of looking at the greater needs of the UN
community rather than the narrow interests of a few."
Bainimarama added that "bullying tactics" such as shown by
the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the
Commonwealth Secretariat "do very little to help the people
of Fiji."

State of Emergency continues
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2. (C) The Fiji interim government announced that the state
of emergency declared December 5 will continue for yet
another month after the military evaluated the security
situation last weekend. No particular reason was given,
though presumably public service strike threats were a
driving force. The RFMF has turned over daylight manning of
road check points to the Police, and also for the first time
in years the RFMF handed over responsibility for ceremonial
guarding of the President's residence to the Police last
weekend. Streets remain quiet, though many observers believe
ethnic-Fijian dissatisfaction with the coup remains high and
Fiji's economic plight is affecting incomes across the board.
Public reports of human rights abuses have declined, but
activists continue to receive reports. Media intimidation
continues, and some internet websites that featured political
topics have recently shut down after complaints "from the
barracks."

Fiji looks to India for help
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3. (C) Interim Foreign Minister Nailatikau has told the media
his visit to New Delhi last month is expected to result in
considerable Indian assistance. He asked for the provision
of "high judicial officers" to join a tribunal to investigate
Chief Justice Fatiaki, military training for the RFMF,
forensic investigation training for the Commission Against
Corruption, assistance for electoral reform, cooperation in
negotiating an economic partnership agreement with India,
etc. Nailatikau said Indian leaders are "ready and willing
to engage with Fiji and to assist us in our efforts to return
the country to normalcy." MFA PermSec Ligairi is to visit
New Delhi in early May to continue discussions. Nailatikau
contrasted India's decision not to impose sanctions with the
travel bans imposed by Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S.
DINGER