FIJI INTERIM GOVERNMENT LIFTS STATE OF EMERGENCY;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000300

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2017
TAGS: PGOV MARR ASEC CASC FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI INTERIM GOVERNMENT LIFTS STATE OF EMERGENCY;
ASSESSMENT TEAM SAYS ELECTION CAN BE HELD EARLY 2009 OR
SOONER

REF: SUVA 290

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

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

1. (C) Interim PM Bainimarama announced May 31 that Fiji's
State of Emergency would end, effective June 1. In a meeting
with diplomats, Deputy Commander Teleni confirmed that the
RFMF would no longer detain or bring individuals to the
military barracks for questioning. NGOs and foreign missions
(including the Embassy) welcomed the development, noting that
they hope this is the first step toward a quick
re-establishment of democracy in Fiji. In a report sent to
Pacific Island Forum countries June 1, the Forum's election
assessment team stated that a parliamentary election in Fiji
could be held within the 18-24 month timeframe recommended by
the Forum's Eminent Persons Group. End summary.

Public Emergency Regulations Discontinued
--------------

2. (U) In a speech May 31, interim PM Frank Bainimarama
announced that the Public Emergency Regulations (PER) put in
place after the December military coup had been discontinued,
effective June 1. Bainimarama defended his imposition (and
multiple renewals) of the PER, insisting it "had a limited
life span, was applied sparingly and...was within the scope
of our constitution." He expressed dismay that many in the
international community had opposed the PER, stating they
"failed to accept and recognize that the people of Fiji were
enjoying peace and a virtually crime-free environment as a
result of the increased security...Following the removal of
the check points, there was an immediate surge in home
invasions and burglaries." Nevertheless, said Bainimarama,
following a thorough assessment and taking into account the
views of Fiji's security agencies, the interim government
decided not to extend the regulations.

Reminder of the Public Order Act
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3. (U) Bainimarama emphasized that any person inciting
violence and disobedience of law, inciting racial antagonism,
maliciously fabricating or knowingly spreading false reports,
or otherwise acting in a matter prejudicial to the peace and
good order of Fiji would be investigated by the police and
prosecuted under the long-standing Public Order Act. He
noted the joint Police/RFMF operations throughout Fiji and
indicated these would continue.

Teleni Tells Forum - No More Trips to Barracks;
Military Won't Comment on Qarase's Status
-------------- -

4. (C) Peter Eafeare, the PNG High Commissioner to Fiji,
told a group of diplomats June 1 that Deputy RFMF Commander
Esela Teleni had informed the Pacific Island Forum-Fiji
working group that, in light of the lifting of the State of
Emergency, the military would cease taking people up to the
army barracks for interrogation. Teleni also said the RFMF
would no longer "chase after" individuals involved in the
many anti-coup blogs that have sprung up on the Internet.


5. (U) The military has remained mum on how removal of the
regulations affects the status of deposed PM Qarase,
currently in internal exile on an isolated island in the Lau
island group. RFMF spokesperson Leweni told reporters the
military has no comment to make at this time. Qarase's
lawyer, Tevita Fa, told reporters that he hopes Qarase will
be able to travel to Suva by next week, now that the State of
Emergency has ended.

NGOs Hope for the Best
--------------

6. (U) Several NGOs issued statements welcoming the interim
government's decision. Shamima Ali, head of the Fiji Women's
Crisis Center, told reporters she hopes the move is the first
step toward returning democracy to Fiji. She said that she
hopes this action will help stop human rights violations and
end the military's practice of detaining dissidents.

French Ambassador - A Good Start;
U.S. Embassy Issues Statement
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SUVA 00000300 002 OF 002



7. (C) The French Ambassador to Fiji, Jean-Francois
Bouffandeau, told us the decision to end the emergency
regulations was a very positive development from the EU's
perspective. It would to be very difficult, he said, for the
interim government to backtrack and reimpose a state of
emergency. The next big test, he said, will be how the
interim government reacts to the report of the Pacific Island
Forum's election assessment team. (Note: the election team's
assessment was sent to the Forum late June 1, see paragraph 9
below.) If the IG accepts an election timeframe consistent
with that report, some of the EU assistance money previously
allocated for Fiji but held up because of the coup should
begin to flow once again.


8. (U) In response to inquiries from news organizations in
Fiji, the Embassy issued the following statement:
"The U.S. Embassy is encouraged by the decision of the
interim government in Fiji to lift the Public Emergency
Regulations put in place following the military coup in
December. The United States hopes the move is the beginning
of a concerted effort to end human rights abuses and quickly
return Fiji to democracy, within the timeframe recommended by
the Forum's Eminent Persons Group."

PIF Assessment Team Says Elections Can be Held
Within Two Years
-------------- -

9. (C) The team responsible for the technical assessment of
the electoral process in Fiji forwarded its report to the
Pacific Island Forum (PIF) countries late June 1. We
received a copy from the New Zealand High Commission. The
team concluded that "from a technical point of view, a
parliamentary election in Fiji could be held in the first
quarter of 2009. However, if the (Fiji) Bureau of Statistics
has additional resources to allow it to bring forward the
release of provisional and final population figures from the
census, the election could be held in November 2008."
We understand the report will be made public June 7, after
the Forum member countries (including Fiji) have had a chance
to review it.

Comment: Election Timetable Remains the Key
--------------

10. (C) Comment: The decision to remove the public
emergency regulations is indeed a positive development.
Nevertheless, we remain somewhat skeptical that the interim
regime will tolerate real dissent or a possible strike action
by public sector unions, threatened for the coming weeks. It
also remains to be seen how Bainimarama will react to the
election timeframe suggested by the PIF election assessment
team.



MANN