FIJI UPDATE FRI. FEB. 9, 2007: STATE OF EMERGENCY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000099

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR ASEC FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI UPDATE FRI. FEB. 9, 2007: STATE OF EMERGENCY
CONTINUES; MILITARY PARADE FOR TOURISTS; METHODISTS NOW ON
BOARD; ACTING POLICE COMMISSIONER; COMMONWEALTH VISITORS

REF: SUVA 94

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


1. (C) It has been two months since Fiji's coup, and the
state of emergency has been extended another 30 days. The
QE2 and several other cruise ships are making day stops in
Suva. The military band plans a welcoming parade on
Saturday. The Interim Attorney General has suggested the
labor-union right to strike will depend on the security
situation. Methodist leaders now say they want their flocks
to work with the interim government. Fiji has a new Acting
Police Commissioner. Two staff from the Commonwealth
Secretariat are due in Suva for discussions with interim

SIPDIS
leaders and NGOs. End Summary.

State of emergency extended
--------------

2. (U) The interim government has informed the media that the
state of emergency which Commodore Bainimarama declared last
Dec. 5 during his coup against the Qarase Government has been
extended another thirty days. Military check points remain
in key locations, though the pace of activity around them has
definitely declined in intensity. We have heard a report
that up to eight RFMF soldiers have died while manning the
check points, presumably from heat exhaustion. That could
explain the sudden appearance of tents near all check points
a few weeks ago.

Cruise ship PR
--------------

3. (U) The QE2 docked in Suva on Feb. 8, sending its 1700
passengers into the downtown for the day. Bainimarama had
lunch on board. Reportedly four other, smaller cruise ships
are due in Suva harbor in the next few days. The RFMF has
announced it will conduct a parade through downtown Suva, led
by its marching band, on Saturday, as a way of welcoming
cruise-ship tourists. Reportedly such parades happened
fairly frequently several years ago. In the past two years,
when the RFMF marched in Suva the motive was to intimidate
the Qarase Government. Presumably this week's parade will
endeavor to prove that all is fine in Fiji. Some Suva
vendors of tourist items complained in today's newspapers
that their business is way down, and the QE2 passengers
didn't buy very much.

Interim AG cautions public-sector unions
--------------

4. (C) Per reftel, public-sector unions upset by a proposed
5% cut in salaries and a reduction of the mandatory
retirement age from 60 to 55 have threatened strike action if
negotiations with the interim government fail. On Feb. 7, a
union leader announced plans to conduct a secret ballot under
Fiji's labor law asking members to authorize a strike.
Interim Attorney General Sayed-Khaiyum told the media on Feb.
8 that labor rights under the Constitution can be derogated
during the current state of emergency. Sayed-Khaiyum
suggested that any interim government decision about whether
or not to curtail labor rights would be based on an
evaluation of the security situation. Commodore Bainimarama
told the DATT he has received an assurance from union leaders
that they will not, in the end, lead a strike; however, they
need to appear strong with the rank and file for now.

Methodists now to work with interim government
-------------- -

5. (C) Methodist Church leaders met at length with interim PM
Bainimarama on Feb. 8 to discuss resolutions published late
last week that were highly critical of the interim government
(reftel). Bainimarama told the DATT he "thoroughly enjoyed"
the meeting, presumably because he felt in control, with the
pastors on the defensive. Church President Ratabacaca
subsequently called for the people of Fiji to "leave their
differences aside and work together to help the interim
government move forward." Ratabacaca said pastors this
Sunday will tell their congregations the Church wants them to
help the interim government and will advise "not to be used
by individuals like in the past."

Tikotikoca is Acting Police Commissioner
--------------

6. (C) The Constitutional Offices' Commission (COC) has
appointed Romanu Tikotikoca to be Acting Commissioner of
Police. Per previous reporting, Tikotikoca had a long career

SUVA 00000099 002 OF 002


in the Fiji Police before taking up his most recent position
as head of security for a mine in the Solomon Islands. The
"Acting" designation clearly disconcerted Tikotikoca, who had
believed, from his conversations with Bainimarama, that he
was to be named Commissioner. The COC reportedly plans to
advertise the job before making a permanent assignment. We
are aware that Tikotikoca consulted with former Police
Commissioner Hughes before taking the job and received advice
to accept only if the COC followed all constitutional
procedures.

Commonwealth team to Fiji
--------------

7. (U) Fiji MFA has confirmed that two staffers from the
Commonwealth Secretariat are to arrive in Fiji this weekend.
The visit, billed as part of a regional swing, is to focus on
"law and order" and establishment of a road map back to
parliamentary democracy. Reportedly the two will meet with
interim-government officials and NGOs linked to the
Commonwealth Secretariat.
DINGER