4:26 AM |
| Media Statement
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi has noted Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin's views as conveyed in the media release from his office on 29 April 2009
"Like Faleomavaega, I have no wish to prolong an argument and wish only to reiterate the reasons for the deep sense of frustration felt by myself and other Pacific Forum Leaders in the continued rejection by Commodore Bainimarama of the efforts of the Pacific Island Forum, the Commonwealth, the European Union, etc to encourage Fiji to return to democracy."
"Firstly, I want to reassure Faleomavaega that it was never my intention to cast any doubt on his freedom to speak his mind on any subject affecting the Pacific including Fiji nor the important work he does through the high and influential office of the United States that he has held with pride for many years, as the media reports most regrettably conveyed."
"I wish however to point out that we have now tried to deal with Commodore Bainimarama since he overthrew at gunpoint in 2006 the elected government and sent into limbo the Parliament of his country. In that time, he promised the Forum Leaders at the Tonga Forum (I was present) that he would hold elections in 2009. The Commodore had no qualms in breaking this personal undertaking he made to the Leaders, and despite the offers of assistance from member countries – including assistance from Samoa which was given and carried out in good faith – the interim government made absolutely no attempt to even prepare for an election. The Forum Ministerial Consultative Group of the Forum made up of Ministers from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu that has visited Fiji twice came away with the distinct impression that the Commodore had no intention of holding elections. I participated in the first visit and personally conveyed my views to the Commodore." "The Commodore in 2007 despite reservations was accepted, attended and sat in meeting with the Forum Leaders in Tonga where he made his undertaking to the Forum to hold elections in early 2009. However in 2008 he did not bother to attend the Pacific Islands Forum in Niue knowing full well that Fiji was high on the agenda."
"Even when the Pacific Forum Leaders convened a special meeting in Port Moresby early this year for the sole purpose to discuss Fiji, the Commodore would not attend sending instead his interim attorney general to meet with the Pacific Leaders. This rejection of the Forum Leaders' open gesture was made even with the concentrated diplomatic effort of the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea who went out of his way to try and convince the Commodore to attend."
"The Commodore also employed tactics aimed at dividing the Pacific Forum Leadership by describing the Forum as following meekly the views of Australia and New Zealand. By implication the Commodore would only accept that Pacific island leaders are independent thinkers if they condone his military take over of his nation. The views expressed by some of the island Leaders quoted in the release from the Congressman's office put to rest this rather clumsy attempt of the Commodore and his cohorts to divide the Forum. "
"In October last year 2008 between the Niue Forum and the Port Moresby Special Leaders Meeting, I accepted a visit to Samoa of a special envoy of the interim government which was sent ostensibly to inform me on recent political developments in Fiji. However on the mission's return to Fiji, the interim government put out a media report which attributed to me views and even quotes that would seem to support the interim government. My meeting with the envoy was supposed to have been confidential and the message I asked the envoy to take back to the Commodore was not at all what the interim government gave out in its media release. I promptly put out a media release to correct the record. After several weeks had passed the interim government produced a rather reluctant letter of apology." "Despite the many efforts of the Pacific Leaders Forum and individual countries to try and encourage Commodore Bainimarama to allow the people of Fiji to decide the future of the country through Parliamentary elections, the Constitution instead has now been abrogated. The military regime of Commodore Bainimarama rules Fiji by decree and has suspended human rights and freedoms taken as given by people in countries such as the United States and around the Pacific. This yoke of military dictatorship would be the lot of the people of Fiji until 2014 according to the present pronouncements of the military regime. But as has already been demonstrated in broken promises made before by the Commodore, there are simply no guarantees. The military regime is not accountable to the people of Fiji and has already made decrees to prohibit anyone asking questions about or expressing views against what the regime is doing."
"This is the present situation and it is therefore the responsibility more than ever of the Pacific Islands Forum, the Commonwealth, the United Nations and governments interested in the future of Fiji to pressure the military regime to restore democracy and allow the people of Fiji to decide through the ballot box the future of their country and who should be periodically given the privilege to lead and make changes their country needs. The Commodore has already decided that it would take 8 years (2006-2014) before the people of Fiji can be trusted to decide who should govern the country. The Commodore however must be convinced first whether the people of Fiji would be ready at that time, and the people of Fiji are not allowed to question his judgement. This cannot be right and we must tell the Commodore in no uncertain terms that it is not."
Office of the Prime Minister Apia
30 April 30, 2009 |
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1 comments:
What's with Tui blaming the media about? And why the apology to Eni?
The United States is militarily involved in Afghanistan and Iraq to restore democracy. And Eni coddles Fiji.
End of conversation.
Hillary must think he's a jerk.
BC
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