FIJI VISA SANCTIONS: ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS; EFFECTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000045

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR PHUM ASEC CASC FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI VISA SANCTIONS: ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS; EFFECTS
ALREADY VISIBLE

REF: SUVA 43 (AND PREVIOUS)

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

Summary
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1. (C) We propose including President Iloilo in USG visa
sanctions against the interim government, since he has become
a front man "approving" any and all decrees placed before
him, even though the Fiji Constitution does not grant him
such powers. We provide a few additional snippets of
evidence regarding human rights abuses. We note that the
invocation of visa sanctions by Australia and New Zealand is
already biting. A heated attack by Bainimarama on the Kiwi
policy brought a firm response. Prominent opponents of the
coup are urging the international community to maintain
pressure, including visa sanctions, in the effort to force a
return to democratic governance ASAP. End summary.

Visa sanction on President Iloilo?
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2. (C) The Fiji visa-sanction lists we have seen from
Washington do not, as yet, include President Iloilo. While
it is true that he has not taken on a new job officially in
the post-coup era and in fact was deposed by Commodore
Bainimarama for the first month of the coup, it is also true
that Iloilo accepted back the presidency from Bainimarama on
Jan. 4 and announced his full support for the coup at that
time. Subsequently he has allowed a series of decrees to be
issued under his name that have removed officials, appointed
other officials (including Commodore Bainimarama as interim
Prime Minister),formalized a state of emergency, and, most
recently, provided immunity from prosecution for all acts by
the military, police, and others related to the coup. From
our reading of the Fiji Constitution, the President has no
lawful power to assume such expansive roles.


3. (C) From Embassy Suva's perspective, Iloilo has clearly
become a facade for Commodore Bainimarama's continuation of
military control as interim PM. Thus, Iloilo merits
inclusion in USG visa sanctions. We note that Australia has
included him on its visa-ban list based on his statements in
support of the coup and his involvement in the swearing in of
an illegal government.

Other visa-sanction cases
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4. (C) We have seen a draft document put together under
supervision of Fiji Human Rights Commissioner Shamima Ali
that has 58 pages of "alleged human rights abuses,
constitutional violations and breaches of the rule of law"
related to the Fiji coup. Most of the listings are familiar
and have been included in Embassy reporting. We noted a few
new pieces of evidence that may be of use as Washington
considers the USG visa-sanction list.

-- Reportedly Angie Heffernan of the Pacific Centre for
Public Integrity (PCPI) was visited by two military lawyers
on Dec. 4, 2006. Amani Bale and Ana Rokomokoti reportedly
warned Ms. Heffernan to stop opposition to the military. The
RFMF lawyers specifically referred to paid advertisements by
PCPI, Transparency International, and the Fiji Women's Rights
Movement.

-- Reportedly when Public Services Commission Chairman Stuart
Huggett was taken to the RFMF HQ on Dec. 7, 2006, Commodore
Bainimarama kicked Huggett's legs out from under him and beat
him around the head, telling him, "Don't f*** with the
military." Earlier reports had said Bainimarama had pulled
on Huggett's ear.

-- Reportedly on the evening of Dec. 23, 2006, seven
ethnic-Fijian taxi drivers who had been engaging in a
pre-Christmas drinking party were taken by RFMF soldiers to a
forested area, stripped naked, and then forced to handle each
other sexually. Reportedly the officer in charge at the
scene was Lt. Siwatibau Rabuka.

Visa sanctions capture interim government attention
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5. (C/NF) The invocation of visa sanctions imposed by
Australia and New Zealand has caught the interim government's
attention. When the New Zealand High Commission refused a
visa to interim CEO in the PM's Office, Parmesh Chand, last

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week, Bainimarama publicly threatened to punish New Zealand.
(Note: we hear that privately Bainimarama threatened a New
Zealand diplomat with harm.) The New Zealand PM and Foreign
Minister have since reiterated that the GNZ intends to stay
the course on sanctions. A clearly worried Government CEO
approached the Ambassador at a private function last weekend
to ask if the USG is imposing sanctions on senior civil
servants. The Ambassador noted that the U.S. publicly
announced its visa sanctions will apply to interim government
leaders. Details will follow. When deposed PM Qarase phoned
the Ambassador today, Jan. 22, he specifically thanked the
USG for imposing visa sanctions, noted their value, and said
he would urge the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) to impose such
sanctions to inhibit interim-government travel in the Pacific.

Comment
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6. (C) A prominent figure who opposes Bainimarama's coup has
informed us that responses to the coup have not concluded yet
(see septel). Deposed PM Qarase and others have stressed to
us that sanctions by foreign governments, including the
United States, are an extremely important element to pressure
Bainimarama and his interim government to return Fiji to rule
of law and democracy ASAP. We recommend that, as Washington
considers the visa-sanction list, senior civil servants who
have clearly chosen to assist the military's interim
government be included. With the announcement on Jan. 19
that all government CEOs' contracts were terminated, any who
wish to continue under the interim government apparently will
have to apply for permanent-secretary jobs. Those who apply
will thereby attest support for the interim government and in
our view will merit inclusion on the visa-sanction list.
Such inclusion would parallel their inclusion on the
Australian and New Zealand lists.
DINGER