ON THIS DAY - 8 years ago, all this mess began. A long-running conflict between the government and military of the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Fiji) reached crisis point in early December 2006. The catalysts for the unrest were three bills under consideration by the Fijian parliament. Nine demands were handed down from Commodore Josaia Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama to Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase. On the morning of the 5th, armed troops surrounded the offices of government ministers and began taking their cars. Laisenia Qarase has stated that the coup is virtually underway, but that he will not resign, and he still has control of the country. The military forces said that all ministers would be under house arrest, and all ministers vehicles and mobile phones seized by the end of the day. The military were reported to have surrounded Qarases house at around 12 noon, and were trying to force their way in. After meeting with Commodore Bainimarama on the morning of 5 December, Iloilo signed a legal order dissolving Parliament, citing the doctrine of necessity, paving the way for the formation of an interim administration. In a subsequent press release, however, Iloilo said that he had not endorsed the coup and that its perpetrators were acting against his orders. Soldiers entered the Parliament and disbanded the meeting of Senators discussing a motion to condemn the coup. Bainimarama announced on 6 December that the military had taken control of the government as executive authority in the running of the country. In a speech to the media, he explained the rationale for his coup, accusing Qarase of corruption and of having inflamed tensions between ethnic communities through divisive and controversial policies. I joined a group of vocal pro-democracy advocates in turning a house in LAMI into a Democracy Shrine. From this hub, many young people found their voice and spoke out against the Coup and committed ourselves to peaceful resistance. I recall also standing outside the Home of Laisenia Qarase, we the citizens stood as guardians of our Prime Minister, and at times we stood directly in the way of Military Officers. I recall standing with fellow advocates outside the Vodafone Arena where the Great Council of Chiefs were meeting over the Coup, we were arrested and taken through the Courts. I recall been arrested a few times for my comments and peacful interjections to this regime. Lest we forget On this day in 2006 Frank Baininarama committed an act of treason and removed by force the democratic and constitutional government led by Mr Laisenia Qarase. 8 years on and we see Fiji still largely under a parliamentary dictatorship with restrictions on the media, unions, lawyers and free speech. Remembering 06 December 2006
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 10:54:38 +0000
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