SUVA, Fiji Islands (June 19, 2000 - PINA Nius Online)---The whirlwind visit
of the Commonwealth Ministerial
Action Group last Friday offered little new hope for the current crisis, though
Australian Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer deemed the visit "strongly worthwhile" and said they
recognized the issues facing the nation
as "complex."
"The question of the release of the hostages must be sorted out by the
Fijian authorities," Mr. Downer told a
group of local and international journalists at Nausori airport Friday evening,
prior to boarding the
Commonwealth jet.
The delegation, headed by special envoy of the Prime Minister of Malaysia,
Tau Sri Dato' Musa, read a statement
outlining the Commonwealth's stance on the current crisis facing Fiji.
"We insist the Harare Declaration must be upheld. The armed overthrow
of the democratically-elected
government is fully unacceptable to the Commonwealth," Mr. Musa said, adding:
"The welfare of the hostages
has become of great concern for the international community at large."
The Commonwealth delegation said that Fiji must return to democracy within
the framework of the 1997
Constitution, and that the Commonwealth is ready to assist Fiji is achieving
this end. They were told by Army
Commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama that rebel leader George Speight would
not be included in the
civilian government, but that it might take Fiji two years to fully return to
democracy, a time frame that was
frowned upon by the Commonwealth.
However, Mr. Downer said that at this point the Commonwealth remains with the
view that the "wise thing to do
is to wait and see how the situation develops."
The Harare Declaration - signed in Zimbabwe in 1991 - pledges a commitment
to democracy and human rights.
It affirms the liberty of the individual in Commonwealth countries under the
law, equal rights for all citizens
regardless of gender, race, color, creed or political belief, and in the individual's
inalienable right to participate by
means of free and democratic political processes in framing the society in which
he or she lives.
It recognizes racial prejudice and intolerance as "a dangerous sickness
and a threat to healthy development, and
racial discrimination as an unmitigated evil"; it opposes all forms of
racial oppression, and is committed to the
principles of human dignity and equality.
"Fiji is part of the family of the Commonwealth," New Zealand Foreign
Affairs Minister Phil Goff told the press
gathering. Though Fiji has been suspended from ministerial meetings, it has
not yet been kicked out of the Commonwealth.
But it could simply be a matter of time.
The Commonwealth is following guidelines set out in the Millbrook Commonwealth
Action Programme on theHarare Declaration, signed in New Zealand in 1995. If
a Commonwealth country is perceived to be in violation of the Harare Declaration,
the steps taken are exactly what the Commonwealth has done: public expression
of disapproval, contact by the Secretary-General, the appointment of a special
envoy and the discussion of possible bilateral or multilateral measures by member
countries to ensure the return to democracy within two years.
Fiji was only allowed back into the Commonwealth in 1997, when a non-discriminatory
constitution was adopted.
It has now been agreed by the military and George Speight's group that this
Constitution will be amended, and it
is likely that the offices of the Prime Minister and the President will only
be allowed to be held by an indigenous Fijian.
If this were to happen, Fiji would undoubtedly be removed from the Commonwealth
again.
And history would repeat itself.
SUVA, Fiji Islands (June 19, 2000 - Fiji Times/PINA Nius Online)---The military
and George Speight's rebels were
last night confident of a breakthrough in the naming of a civilian administration.
Army commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama said talks were progressing well
at 7:30 p.m. as the meeting
entered its third session for the day.
But he declined to elaborate as the discussions were at a delicate stage.
Once agreement is reached on the civil administration, the rebels will release
the 31 hostages and surrender all
weapons in return for an amnesty promised by the army and the Great Council
of Chiefs.
Commodore Bainimarama, rebel leader George Speight and legal advisors met at
the home of Tui Vuda Ratu Josefa Iloilo.
Last week Ratu Josefa offered to act as a mediator in the political crisis
which began on May 19 with the seizure of former Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry
and his government.
The crisis is now in its 32nd day.
It is understood that the military and the rebels have identified a group of
professionals not involved in the crisis to run a civil administration until
fresh elections are called.
Five people named in a list submitted by Speight's team are acceptable to the
military.
None of the five have been involved in any stage of the forceful takeover of
Parliament.
One nominee both sides have accepted is former Fiji Development Bank chief
executive Laisenia Qarase.
Sources close to the talks last night said the sides also discussed the membership
of a commission to review the 1997 Constitution.
The review will precede an election expected to be held in about two years.
One of the major concerns raised about the 1997 document was the alternative
voting system.
A Commonwealth delegation headed by Malaysia's Tan Sri Dato Musa was told by
Commodore Bainimarama that Fiji would return to democracy rule in two years.
Pacific Islands News Association (PINA)
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