Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SUVA23
2007-01-10 20:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Suva
Cable title:
FIJI UPDATE 1/11/2007: CABINET TO MEET; EMERGENCY
how-toVZCZCXRO5075 PP RUEHPB DE RUEHSV #0023/01 0102056 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 102056Z JAN 07 FM AMEMBASSY SUVA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3656 INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1504 RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY PRIORITY 1089 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 1282 RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND PRIORITY 0302 RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY PRIORITY 0708 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0285 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000023
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR PHUM PINR CASC ASEC FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI UPDATE 1/11/2007: CABINET TO MEET; EMERGENCY
REGULATIONS; BAD ECONOMIC NEWS
REF: SUVA 22
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 000023
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR PHUM PINR CASC ASEC FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI UPDATE 1/11/2007: CABINET TO MEET; EMERGENCY
REGULATIONS; BAD ECONOMIC NEWS
REF: SUVA 22
Classified By: Amb. Dinger. Sec. 1.4 (B,D).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Fiji's interim cabinet is to meet formally next week
for the first time. Detailed emergency regulations that
curtail constitutional rights have appeared, purportedly
signed Dec. 5, but very possibly back-dated. A New Zealand
citizen of Fiji origin reportedly was tortured by authorities
this week. The Interim AG is looking at RFMF immunity
options. Behind the scenes, Fiji economic officials predict
a depressing 2007 for the economy and for government
finances. The name announced before the coup to be Fiji's
new UN PermRep has been withdrawn. Australian conman Peter
Foster, supposedly under military custody, may have sailed
off to Vanuatu. End summary.
Interim Cabinet to meet
--------------
2. (U) Interim administration sources report that Interim PM
Bainimarama and the interim Ministers will meet formally for
the first time next Tuesday, Jan. 16. An early item of
business is expected to be a reshuffle of CEOs to realign
senior civil servants with the reduction of ministries from
24 to 16.
Interim Military Government regulations??
--------------
3. (C) When Bainimarama seized power Dec. 5 he announced he
was invoking emergency powers; however, the formally gazetted
extraordinary decree at the time was extremely scanty on
detail. Today we saw for the first time an extraordinary
gazette of Dec. 29, of regulations purportedly signed by
Bainimarama on Dec. 5, that go into detail on military and
police powers under the emergency decree. The powers are
very broad. We suspect, but cannot confirm, that the
detailed emergency regulations were put together after
activists started questioning unconstitutional human rights
abuses, and then were pre-dated to Dec. 5.
Abuse of a foreigner
--------------
4. (C) Our Kiwi colleagues report that a New Zealand citizen
of Indo-Fijian origin was picked up in Sigatoka by several
soldiers and a police officer a couple of nights ago,
supposedly concerning a land dispute. He was beaten, jumped
on, and had his head pushed under water. The New Zealand
High Commission has lodged a complaint.
Interim AG exploring RFMF immunity options
--------------
5. (U) Interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum has told
the media he is studying various legal options for granting
everyone in the RFMF immunity from prosecution for any
coup-related crimes.
Economic downturn predicted
--------------
6. (C) The Suva media have run a succession of stories
quoting government and business sources predicting that
Fiji's economy, including the tourism sector will rebound
rapidly from the coup. We hear Ministry of Finance senior
officials are much less optimistic. They predict GDP will
decline by between 4 and 9% in 2007. The Reserve Bank
reportedly expects the Fiji Government to hit a fiscal wall
sometime in the July-September period unless unexpected
revenue streams appear.
A change in UN Rep
--------------
7. (U) The Qarase Government had named Tupeni Baba to replace
PermRep Savua in New York. The Interim Government announced
Jan. 10 that Baba's appointment is being withdrawn.
The mystery of Peter Foster
--------------
8. (C) Australian conman Peter Foster, who offered
Bainimarama "proof" of fraud in the May 2006 election in
exchange for a chance to clear his name (see Suva 18 and
previous for details),may have fled Fiji. He reportedly had
been staying at Denarau (near Nadi) with his mother under
apparently loose military supervision; but Vanuatu
SUVA 00000023 002 OF 002
authorities say people saw a person of Foster's description
departing from a boat near Port Vila on Jan. 10, and the boat
had papers aboard in Foster's name. The RFMF has yet to
offer an explanation.
DINGER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR PHUM PINR CASC ASEC FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI UPDATE 1/11/2007: CABINET TO MEET; EMERGENCY
REGULATIONS; BAD ECONOMIC NEWS
REF: SUVA 22
Classified By: Amb. Dinger. Sec. 1.4 (B,D).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Fiji's interim cabinet is to meet formally next week
for the first time. Detailed emergency regulations that
curtail constitutional rights have appeared, purportedly
signed Dec. 5, but very possibly back-dated. A New Zealand
citizen of Fiji origin reportedly was tortured by authorities
this week. The Interim AG is looking at RFMF immunity
options. Behind the scenes, Fiji economic officials predict
a depressing 2007 for the economy and for government
finances. The name announced before the coup to be Fiji's
new UN PermRep has been withdrawn. Australian conman Peter
Foster, supposedly under military custody, may have sailed
off to Vanuatu. End summary.
Interim Cabinet to meet
--------------
2. (U) Interim administration sources report that Interim PM
Bainimarama and the interim Ministers will meet formally for
the first time next Tuesday, Jan. 16. An early item of
business is expected to be a reshuffle of CEOs to realign
senior civil servants with the reduction of ministries from
24 to 16.
Interim Military Government regulations??
--------------
3. (C) When Bainimarama seized power Dec. 5 he announced he
was invoking emergency powers; however, the formally gazetted
extraordinary decree at the time was extremely scanty on
detail. Today we saw for the first time an extraordinary
gazette of Dec. 29, of regulations purportedly signed by
Bainimarama on Dec. 5, that go into detail on military and
police powers under the emergency decree. The powers are
very broad. We suspect, but cannot confirm, that the
detailed emergency regulations were put together after
activists started questioning unconstitutional human rights
abuses, and then were pre-dated to Dec. 5.
Abuse of a foreigner
--------------
4. (C) Our Kiwi colleagues report that a New Zealand citizen
of Indo-Fijian origin was picked up in Sigatoka by several
soldiers and a police officer a couple of nights ago,
supposedly concerning a land dispute. He was beaten, jumped
on, and had his head pushed under water. The New Zealand
High Commission has lodged a complaint.
Interim AG exploring RFMF immunity options
--------------
5. (U) Interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum has told
the media he is studying various legal options for granting
everyone in the RFMF immunity from prosecution for any
coup-related crimes.
Economic downturn predicted
--------------
6. (C) The Suva media have run a succession of stories
quoting government and business sources predicting that
Fiji's economy, including the tourism sector will rebound
rapidly from the coup. We hear Ministry of Finance senior
officials are much less optimistic. They predict GDP will
decline by between 4 and 9% in 2007. The Reserve Bank
reportedly expects the Fiji Government to hit a fiscal wall
sometime in the July-September period unless unexpected
revenue streams appear.
A change in UN Rep
--------------
7. (U) The Qarase Government had named Tupeni Baba to replace
PermRep Savua in New York. The Interim Government announced
Jan. 10 that Baba's appointment is being withdrawn.
The mystery of Peter Foster
--------------
8. (C) Australian conman Peter Foster, who offered
Bainimarama "proof" of fraud in the May 2006 election in
exchange for a chance to clear his name (see Suva 18 and
previous for details),may have fled Fiji. He reportedly had
been staying at Denarau (near Nadi) with his mother under
apparently loose military supervision; but Vanuatu
SUVA 00000023 002 OF 002
authorities say people saw a person of Foster's description
departing from a boat near Port Vila on Jan. 10, and the boat
had papers aboard in Foster's name. The RFMF has yet to
offer an explanation.
DINGER