Comments on: Fiji: Court rules military government illegal

By: Global Voices in Italiano » Figi: la quiete dopo la tempesta?

Global Voices in Italiano » Figi: la quiete dopo la tempesta? — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 05:57:50 +0000

[...] 9 Aprile, la Corte [Suprema] aveva sentenziato [in] che il governo di Frank Bainimarama, appoggiato dai militari, responsabile [nel 2006] dello [...]

By: Global Voices in Italiano » Figi: situazione caotica con nuovo mandato all’ex Primo Ministro

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 01:43:16 +0000

[...] 9 aprile Bainimarama si era dimesso dalla carica di Primo Ministro dopo che un tribunale aveva deliberato [in] l'illegalità della sua presa di potere con un colpo di Stato avvenuto nel dicembre 2006 [...]

By: Global Voices Online » Fiji: The calm after the storm?

Global Voices Online » Fiji: The calm after the storm? — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:29:42 +0000

[...] response to an April 9 court ruling declaring the military backed government of Frank Bainimarama came to power illegally when he dissolved [...]

By: Global Voices Online » Fiji: ‘The Media has been Muzzled’

Global Voices Online » Fiji: ‘The Media has been Muzzled’ — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:07:57 +0000

[...] April 8, Fiji has been ruled by three different governments. Thursday, April 9 a court of appeals declared that military ruler Commodore Voreqe Frank Bainimarama came to power illegally when he dissolved [...]

By: Global Voices Online » Fiji: President gives former PM new five-year mandate

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:23:58 +0000

[...] was Bainimarama who stepped down as Prime Minister Thursday, April 9 after a court ruled he had come to power illegally in a December 2006 coup that toppled the government of Laisenia [...]

By: Global Voices Online » Fiji: President gives former PM new five-year mandate

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:23:58 +0000

[...] was Bainimarama who stepped down as Prime Minister Thursday, April 9 after a court ruled he had come to power illegally in a December 2006 coup that toppled the government of Laisenia [...]

By: Frank

Frank — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 06:14:13 +0000

Sunday evening in Fiji has the military censors denying the media permission to announce the news. FijiTV is not broadcasting it’s nightly news program at all. There are military personnel at all TV and radio stations as well as newspapers. Radio announcers have been warned they are not to make any mention of the news. The first freedom taken away in any dictatorship is the freedom of the press to inform the public.

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:25:16 +0000

In my haste to post the comment, I did not make it clear that I whole-heartedly agree with the Court that Bainimarama’s government is illegal. It was the leader’s reaction to that decision that is distressing. By dismissing the very Courts that called their actions illegal, they demonstrate a total lack of regard for the legal process and their insistence on remaining in power.

If any of them truly believed in the Constitution they swore to uphold (another broken promise), they would have followed legal and established means to create a better government. Their farcical swearing-in ceremonies stating their dedication to the Fiji people are worthy of nightclub comedy sketches. It’s amazing how quickly they can organize these ceremonies with all the pomp and circumstance yet they can not organize a simple election or get King’s Highway repaired.

By: Global Voices Online » Fiji’s President voids constitution, calls for elections in five years

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 14:39:46 +0000

[...] issue stems from a Thursday, April 9 court ruling stating the military leader Frank Bainimarama came to power illegally in December 2006 when he [...]

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 07:05:27 +0000

The end result of the Courts actions is most distressing for Fiji. The Court directed the President to appoint a new Interim Prime Minister. A president who remained in office only at the whim of Bainimarama. A President who has no backbone to stand up to Bainimarama and the military.

The actions of the President abrogating the Constitution make the Rule of Law in Fiji a joke. There is no law in Fiji, just a military dictatorship.

The events of the past day, the emergency decrees and the censorship of all media outlets, means Bainimarama intends to retain power by whatever means are necessary. Elections that were to be held this year, are a hollow promise for 2014 at the earliest. For all intent purposes, Fiji has suffered it’s 5th coup. The collusion between the figurehead President and Bainimarama found Bainimarama replacing himself but with greater powers and no Constitution to hinder him.

A sad time for Fiji, now governed in the same manner as Zimbabwe.

By: acak

acak — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:30:07 +0000

Fiji continues to be a politically unstable nation, due to the mounting tensions between the Indians and ethnic Fijians; this conflict is clearly reflected in Fiji’s political history, where the Indians and Fijians have clashed on issues regarding discrimination. Although the country in the past has attempted to transform into a democratic republic, the government has failed, resorting to military coups to resolve the ethnic conflicts. Unfair, corrupt practices, commencing with General Rabuka’s military coup in 1987, have tainted the reputation of the governmental system. Even after a fair election of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudry, the country objected; because of his Indian heritage, people such as George Speight strongly believed he could not exemplify the needs of the ehnic Fijians. Even after Qarase attempted to advocate for racial equality among citizens, he was still heavily scrutinized by both groups, who felt that his policies were biased to benefit only one ethnic group. After a 20 year period of volatility, courts have finally realized that Bainimarama’s tyrannous take over is illegal.
Since his ascension to power in the fall of 2006, self appointed Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has wreaked corruption and conflict throughout his country. Not only has Bainimarama ousted the previous he has driven to increase his personal power within the government. Historically, Fiji’s Great Council of Chiefs which is comprised of the President, the Vice President, the Prime Minister, six chiefs, 42 provincial council members, three Rotuma Island Council members and a Sitiveni Rabuka member. However when the council refused to endorse Bainimarama’s organized government Bainimarama dissolved the council, banning any future meetings. In February 2008, Bainimarama reinstated the council. However, in doing so he declared himself the chairman of the council. In addition to his political fraudulency, Bainimarama has made alleged accusations in assassination attempts. In November 2007, the Prime Minister accused sixteen people of treason in an assassination attempt against himself. His supposed assassinators included politicians, businessmen and New Zealand nationalists. This conspicuous accusation also rendered discord between Fiji and New Zealand. This international disagreement escalated into an argument over the lack of democratic conventions present in Fiji. Another source of corruption that Bainimarama has exploited includes elections. As of December 2008, Bainimarama postponed the upcoming elections. Ultimately the tyranny and corruption Prime Minister Bainimarama has inflicted on Fiji is an issue that must be addressed.

By: Rachel L

Rachel L — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:00:54 +0000

It is important the Fijan Supreme Court finally ruled the military regime lead by Military ruler Frank Bainimarama is unlawful. It is critical to note that the military government breached Fiji’s constitution. According to the BBC, if Bainimarama doesn’t step down and a democracy isn’t created, Fiji will be removed from the “Pacific Islands Forum, a regional trade and diplomatic bloc.” Furthermore, this military regime contains skepticism and blames President Ratu Josefa Iloilo for the takeover of former Prime Minister Qarase’s government. Hopefully, the Ethinic Fijans and Indians can try to work together to create a new democratic government.

By: jkck

jkck — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:18:54 +0000

Finally, someone is reconglizing this militart coup as being illegal. Although the tensions between the Maori and Indian populations in this country have existed for generations, the idea of a military coup to shift the balance of power is rediculous. There have already been three military coups before this, the underlying cause of all being for the same reason; ethnic tensions. In the past 20 years, there have already been several new constitutions, each either creating or dissmantling the segregation of an ethnic group. It is about time this madness stopped. When Bainimarama led the fourth military coup a few years ago, he put aside and hope of tranquility in the region once more as he took complete power away from the president while forcing the Prime Minister to go under house arrest. In conclusion, although Bainimarama is claiming to step down from politics, the region has to work out some sort of agreeable compromise between te two sides or it could lead to the destruction of the whole country.