Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SUVA5
2008-01-06 16:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Suva
Cable title:  

FIJI: INTERIM CABINET RESHUFFLE; PEOPLE'S CHARTER

Tags:  PREL PGOV MARR PHUM PINR FJ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5720
PP RUEHPB
DE RUEHSV #0005/01 0061623
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 061623Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY SUVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0245
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1900
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0119
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 1449
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0019
RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 0575
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0985
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SUVA 000005 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR PHUM PINR FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI: INTERIM CABINET RESHUFFLE; PEOPLE'S CHARTER

V. ELECTIONS

REF: 07 SUVA 581

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 03 SUVA 000005

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR PHUM PINR FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI: INTERIM CABINET RESHUFFLE; PEOPLE'S CHARTER

V. ELECTIONS

REF: 07 SUVA 581

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

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

1. (C) Interim PM Bainimarama has announced the replacement
of over half the interim cabinet. The net result is even
more of a military, Fiji Labor Party (FLP),and National
Alliance Party (NAP) flavor. The stated aim is to
rationalize governance; an unstated aim is to reduce
frictions among the civilian elements. We expect Finance
Minister Chaudhry's continuing major role will ensure
frictions continue. The RFMF has named two new spokesmen.
The Mr. Outside, RFMF lawyer Col. Aziz, has accented to media
and the public the Military Council's role in the interim
government, and has made clear that the People's Charter is
the RFMF priority, not early elections. The first gathering
of People's Charter (PC) participants is to take place Jan.

16. Significant power centers like deposed PM Qarase's SDL
Party and the Methodist Church have refused PC roles. The
Aussies and Kiwis are taking a nuanced approach to visa
sanctions against PC participants. In general, we hear
Australia's new Rudd government has decided to maintain past
policies regarding Fiji. End summary.

Major Interim Cabinet reshuffle
--------------

2. (C) Interim PM Bainimarama finally detailed his cabinet
reshuffle on Jan. 4, removing 9 of 17 interim ministers,
shifting the roles of others, and adding 4 new faces, a major
overhaul. Bainimarama described it as an effort to
rationalize portfolios into a compact and streamlined
cabinet. The biggest names to depart are Public Services
Minister Bune, Commerce Minister Waradi, and
Labor/Tourism/Environment Minister Rounds-Ganilau. The
newcomers include Felipe Bole (foreign minister in the Rabuka
days, a failed NAP candidate in the 2006 elections, now
interim Education Minister),Tom Ricketts (a failed FLP
candidate in the 2006 elections, now interim Industry,
Tourism, Trade, and Communications Minister),Navy Captain

Timoci "Lesi" Natuva (until recently the RFMF Senior National
Rep in Iraq with BrigGen rank, now interim Works and
Transport Minister),and Dr. Jiko Luveni (a long-time UN
employee and wife of a retired RFMF Colonel, now interim
Health Minister).

Solidifying consensus?
--------------

3. (C) Observers had not anticipated that over half the
interim cabinet would depart, though many ministers have been
ineffective. The net result appears to be a strengthening of
the military, NAP, and Chaudhry/FLP bases. Former RFMF
Commanders Ratu Epeli Nailatikau (still Foreign Minister but
with civil aviation and international cooperation added) and
Ratu Epeli Ganilau (shifted from Fijian Affairs to the
Defense portfolio) remain. Bainimarama gives up "Defense"
and adds "Fijian Affairs" to his extensive responsibilities.
Natuva becomes another military face in the Cabinet, though
some speculate Bainimarama's motive may be to remove a
potential dissident from the barracks. Ganilau's NAP party
adds Bole to its cabinet list. The FLP's Chaudhry and
Vayeshnoi stay on and are joined by Ricketts. Bune, an
irritation for Chaudhry within the FLP, departs. We have
heard the Military Council was unhappy with the amount of
back-biting in the previous cabinet. The new group of 13
presumably is expected to salute more smartly. Interim AG
Sayed-Khaiyum remains and adds Public Enterprises and
Electoral Reform. Media have criticized giving the AG
additional responsibilities -- that role in the Westminster
system is theoretically to provide neutral legal advice --
and have noted a nepotism concern: Sayed-Khaiyum's brother
was recently named head of the government radio station, a
"public enterprise."

New RFMF spokesmen
--------------

4. (C) In late December, when the RFMF's spokesman, Col.
Tikoitoga, gave up that role to prepare for a one-year
military-college course in India, two officers replaced him:
Col. Aziz (the RFMF's head lawyer) and LtCol. Qiliho (Chief
of Staff for Land Forces). Aziz handles general policy
issues; Qiliho handles straight military matters. Both are
already on the U.S. visa-sanction list. Aziz reportedly has

SUVA 00000005 002 OF 003


been instrumental in RFMF efforts to protect military human
rights abusers, including those charged with murder, from
prosecution. He reportedly has a close relationship to the
Fiji Human Rights Commission's Shaista Shameem, and perhaps
to Shaista's sister Justice Nazhat Shameem. Qiliho is one of
those responsible for intimidating human rights activists
just after the coup.

Role of the Military Council
--------------

5. (C) In the past few weeks, Col. Aziz has made obvious that
the Military Council is playing a key role in the interim
regime's governance. He acknowledged that members of the
Military Council attend interim Cabinet meetings and that the
Military Council provided advice to Bainimarama on who should
go, who should stay, and who should be added in the cabinet
reshuffle. Reports from within the interim Cabinet had
indicated that, in reality, the Military Council, rather than
the cabinet, has been formulating policy. Aziz's comments
have brought that reality into the light of day.

The People's Charter and elections
--------------

6. (C) Late last week, two interim government officials
stated baldly that the People's Charter is the priority, not
elections by March 2009. At a People's Charter workshop, a
senior official in the interim PM's office described the
Charter as the military's "exit strategy" that must be in
place prior to elections. Col. Aziz told the media that the
Charter is "the priority" and the date of the next general
elections will depend on how readily people accept and
understand the Charter. He said, "The Charter will lay the
platform for the election." Bainimarama's office has
announced that the oft-postponed first meeting of the
National Council for Building a Better Fiji (the Charter
process) will take place on Jan. 16. PM PermSec Chand says
13 invitees out of 24 have so far confirmed participation. A
few have declined, and others remain undecided, reportedly
due to travel-ban concerns. Chand said there are to be 8
nominees from the interim Minister for Fijian Affairs (now
Bainimarama) representing the 14 provinces, and 3 reps from
"grassroots people." The IG will appoint 10 of its own
representatives.


7. (C) In theory, the Charter process will unfold over the
next six-to-eight months, followed by a referendum next
October. Bainimarama has repeatedly left the strong
impression publicly that he knows the outcome. Though a
draft document has been circulating for months, IG officials
are now insisting the actual Charter will only come from the
soon-to-begin process. If, as Bainimarama has indicated, the
Charter will decree a new, all-open-seat electoral system,
that outcome could well bring a postponement of March 2009
elections pending the variety of new regulations and new
electoral boundaries that would be required. Constitutional
challenges in the courts to any such revisions could delay
things further. The current Constitution makes no provision
for referenda and makes any changes to embedded electoral
processes exceedingly difficult to achieve.

Aussie/Kiwi People's Charter visa ban issue
--------------

8. (C) We hear that both New Zealand and Australia have
informed the IG that they will not automatically extend their
visa sanctions to those who take roles in the People's
Charter process. However, if the totality of circumstances
indicates a person meets on-going visa-sanction criteria
(based on closeness to the IG and/or the military) visa
sanctions will continue to apply. We hear Australia's Rudd
government has committed to continue past Fiji policies,
though with a couple of nuances. The Aussie High Commission
can now engage at the ministerial level with the IG when
necessary. The decision not to automatically apply sanctions
to those who participate in the People's Charter process may
be another adaptation, though that issue only rose to the
surface recently.

Comment
--------------

9. (C) We will be surprised if the new interim cabinet
line-up brings an end to back-biting. So long as Mahendra
Chaudhry is in the mix, he will be working personal and FLP
political angles, and some of those angles will not relate
well to rigid Military Council perspectives on team play.

SUVA 00000005 003 OF 003


The People's Charter has taken much longer to formalize than
the IG anticipated. Major Fiji players, in particular
deposed PM Qarase's SDL Party and the Methodist Church, are
not taking roles. Some others may have been reluctant to
join because of fear of visa bans, but many are suspicious
(rightly) that Bainimarama, the RFMF, and the IG have
pre-cooked a process that really ought to be the job of an
elected Parliament.
DINGER