FIJI'S INTERIM PM LASHES OUT AT U.S.; SAYS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000213

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2017
TAGS: ASEC PREL MARR CASC FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI'S INTERIM PM LASHES OUT AT U.S.; SAYS
SECURITY BARRIERS IN FRONT OF EMBASSY WILL BE REMOVED NEXT
WEEK; INTERIM AG CHALLENGES AMBASSADOR'S DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY

REF: A. SUVA 212


B. STATE 48129

C. SUVA 207

Classified By: DCM Ted Mann, per 1.4 (B) and (D)

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

1. (C) Interim Prime Minister Bainimarama issued an angry
press statement April 13 stating that his refusal to meet
visiting DAS Davies on April 11 or 12 was meant to "send a
clear message" that Fiji will only engage with countries
"genuinely committed to assisting us in moving forward."
Bainimarama reprised his false claim that the visit of
Ambassador Dinger and other chiefs of mission to the military
barracks last November was "an attempt to incite mutiny."
Late in the day, the interim Attorney General reportedly
challenged the Ambassador, along with the British and
Australian High Commissioners, to give up diplomatic immunity
so the police could thoroughly investigate the "incitement"
charges. In his statement, Bainimarama announced that he has
directed relevant authorities to remove the street barriers
in front of the Embassy by the end of next week. We heard a
separate report that officials in the Ministry of Public
Works were verbally instructed to remove the barriers by
16:30 today. As of 18:30 local time, we have no indication
that any such action will be undertaken today. Embassy EAC
decided that Embassy personnel would neither assist nor
confront troops or other interim government personnel who may
attempt to remove the barriers. Removal of the barriers
would leave the Embassy with no/no setback from the street.
End Summary.

Bainimarama Lashes Out,
Says US is No Friend of Fiji
--------------

2. (U) In a press statement April 13, Interim PM
Bainimarama issued an angry response to visiting DAS Davies'
April 12 statement that he had come to Fiji as a friend and
that Bainimarama's failure to agree to a meeting was "a
missed opportunity." "What kind of friend is he," said
Bainimarama, "when only a month ago he spoke from thousands
of miles away through video conferencing....demanding for the
immediate return of Fiji to democracy?" "What does he know
about Fiji and its people to be able to make a statement like
that?" Bainimarama said U.S. assistance to Fiji was very
small and that Fiji has little to lose if the U.S. continues
to isolate Fiji. Echoing statements he previously made about
Australia and New Zealand, Bainimarama concluded that "It
would be best if they left us alone."


3. (U) In contrast to the U.S. attitude toward Fiji,
Bainimarama stated that "we are ever grateful to the friendly
nations in Southeast Asia as well as China and India for
recognizing our problems as being internal and that the
issues be best left to the people of Fiji to solve for
themselves." He also said that Fiji was prepared to engage
with the Pacific Island countries, Australia and New Zealand
through the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) and the PIF Eminent
Persons Group, and with the European Union, noting a
high-level delegation is traveling to Brussels this weekend
for Cotonou consultations next week.

False Claim that Ambassador Attempted to Incite Mutiny
-------------- --------------

4. (SBU) Bainimarama repeated the false claim that the
Ambassador, along with the UK and Australian High
Commissioners, had attempted to incite rebellion among RFMF
officers when they visited the RFMF barracks in late November

2006. "This (visit to the barracks) clearly was an act of
interference and an attempt to incite mutiny. So I ask how
Mr. Davies would have accompanied the same Ambassador to call
upon me under the pretext of a courtesy visit and wanting to
be a "friend of Fiji." Colonel Pita Driti made the same
"incitement to mutiny" claim in a speech to troops April 12.
Ref A reviews Driti's statements and reports the text of a
joint U.S. Embassy, UK High Commission, Australian High
Commission response.

AG Suggests Diplomats Should Waive Diplomatic Immunity
-------------- --------------

5. (SBU) According to Fiji One television news, in the
early evening of April 13, Interim Attorney General
Aiyez-Khaiyum issued a statement urging the U.S. Ambassador,

SUVA 00000213 002 OF 002


and the high commissioners of the UK and Australia, to waive
their diplomatic immunity and allow the police to fully
investigate the charge they "incited mutiny." This approach,
said the interim AG, would demonstrate the diplomats'
commitment to the "rule of law."

Attack on the Human Rights Report
--------------

6. (U) Bainimarama, who earlier appeared to have taken our
Human Rights Report in stride, strongly criticized the
report, stating that "The United States should look at it own
human rights violations first before pointing fingers at
relatively minor cases of such violations in Fiji."
(Comment: The human rights violations in Fiji since the coup
have been anything but "minor." The military and interim
government have waged a systematic campaign of intimidation
and physical violence against those opposed to the coup,
suppressed free speech and the right to assembly, and
tampered with the formerly independent legal and court
systems. End comment.)

Bainimarama Orders Removal of Security Barriers
In Front of Embassy
-------------- ---

7. (U) In his statement, Bainimamara said he has directed
the relevant authorities to remove the barriers that
currently block the street in front of the Embassy by the end
of next week. These barriers have been in place, with the
permission of successive Fiji governments, since the East
Africa bombings in 1998. Bainimarama said the barriers
"denied the taxpayers who have funded construction of this
road a fair right of free and unrestricted access." Removal
of the barriers, he said, "is in line with the withdrawal of
military personnel from the various checkpoints as well as
relaxation of restrictions at those installations."

Source Tells Us Removal Could Take Place April 13
-------------- --------------

8. (C) SDL party National Director Peceli Kinivuwai told us
April 13 that the Minister of Urban Development and Public
Utilities, Jone Navakomocea (a former SDL party member),had
told him Bainimarama wanted to remove the barriers by 16:30
April 13. Bainimarama reportedly told Navakomocea to
coordinate the action with the Suva City Council. When we
told Kinivuwai about the Commodore's press release, Kinivuwai
guessed that coordination with the city of Suva was too
difficult to accomplish in one day. As of 19:00 April 13
local time there is no sign any action to remove the barriers
will be taken today. (Note: As reported reftels B and C, we
received a diplomatic note from the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs requesting that the Embassy remove the barriers by
April 13. Per ref B instructions, we declined to do so.)

EAC Decides on "Don't Assist, Don't Confront" Stance
-------------- --------------

9. (C) Embassy EAC met late afternoon April 13. The EAC
decided that Embassy personnel should not assist troops or
interim government personnel to remove the barriers, nor
should they confront them. RSO has conveyed this approach to
all guard personnel. If troops arrive, Embassy guards (all
of whom are unarmed) will move from the barriers to a
position directly in front of the main entrance to the
Embassy.

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

10. (C) Statements by DAS Davies and other US officials
condemning the coup and favoring a quick return to democracy,
and the generally positive media play those statements
receive in Fiji, have clearly rattled the Commodore, the
interim AG and other interim officials. Their statements
today were poorly reasoned and very bitter. We have every
reason to believe that Bainimarama will follow through on his
threat to remove the street barriers in front of the Embassy.
If that takes place, the Embassy will be left with no/no
setback from the street and the Embassy's physical security
will be greatly reduced.




DINGER