SUVA (PMW): Fiji's Sunday Times newspaper has appealed to rebels to hand
over remaining guns at large in a criticism over the decree which has
allowed the acquittal of a rebel accused over a shooting incident in
which a British cameraman was wounded.
In an editorial on 23 July 200, the Sunday Times said it was important
for rebels to do this so "the amnesty for all their supporters comes
into force".
An Amnesty Decree signed by the military commander, Commodore Frank
Bainimarama, waived prosecution for all people accused of committing
political crimes between May 19 - when Parliament was stormed by armed
rebels - and July 13.
This decree was gazetted after the signing of Muanikau Accord on July 10
by Bainimarama on behalf of the military and rebel leader George
Speight.
The accord, ending the hostage crisis in which the rebels had held the
elected multiracial government of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry
captive in Parliament, stipulated that a pre-condition for amnesty was
the return of all weapons to the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF).
While most weapons have been returned, the military says there are a
substantial number of arms still at large.
On July 21, a rebel, Isoa Raceva Karawa, was acquitted on charges of
illegal possession of firearms and three counts of attempted murder over
a skirmish outside Parliament on May 27. Three wounded soldiers were
taken to hospital, and a rebel and British television cameraman Jerry
Harmer were also wounded.
In freeing Karawa, Chief Magistrate Salesi Temo said the Immunity Decree
stated that any person assembled with Speight who carried out an illegal
act would be pardoned by the courts.
Harmer, a cameraman for Associated Press Television News, was shot in
the arm while he taped an armed confrontation between approximately 150
coup supporters and about a dozen government troops.
Harmer earlier reported that a rebel soldier had pointed his gun at a
group of journalists before firing once and hitting him. Harmer was
treated at Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva, then flown to
Australia for recuperation.
The Sunday Times editorial said: "No amount of legal wrangling will
repair the immense damage done by the precedent set when Karava was
allowed to go free."
Fiji's Daily Post on July 24 quoted military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Filipo
Tarakinikini as saying rebels - including Speight - could not be granted amnesty
because all arms had not been
returned to barracks.
The granting of amnesty under the Muanikau Accord was "conditional on
the return of arms, ordinance and stores to the Republic of Fiji Military Forces",
he said.
+++niuswire
Title -- 2855 FIJI: Rebel accused in cameraman shooting acquitted
Date -- 24 July 2000
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- PMW, 24/7/00
Copyright -- PMW
Status -- Unabridged
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