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