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BETWEEN PRISON AND PRESIDENCY: As Epeli Nailatikau ends his term as President, Speight still languishing in prison; it was Nailatikau whom Speight was waiting to join him and takeover the running of Government

8/11/2015

11 Comments

 

Fijileaks: We will publish, when the time is right, the controversial SAVUA REPORT, that had cleared Police Commissioner Colonel Isikia Savua of  his alleged involvement in the 2000 Speight coup. The Report was prepared by the the former Chief Justice, Sir Timoci Tuivaga; see his own affidavit that Tuivaqa had provided in the case of his successor Daniel Fatiaki's ousting as Chief Justice after the 2006 coup

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SAVUA: Fijileaks: He did not take the secrets to his grave; he had given extensive interviews and documents to Victor Lal
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The then Captain Ratu Tevita Mara to his father, the late President of Fiji, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara: "The standard thing to do in such a situation 'hostage situation] is for army to cordon off the entire Parliament complex and not let anyone in or out"; Nailatikau ended up shut out!

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On 19 May 2000, Frank Bainimarama ordered his elite military forces, the CRW, into parliament with George Speight to overthrow the democratically elected government in a coup and hold them hostage. Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, was to join Speight in parliament and take over the running of government. 

The President Ratu Sir KKT Mara consulted his son Ratu Captain Tevita Mara, who advised him that the standard thing to do in such a situation was for the army to cordon off the entire parliament complex and not let anyone in or out.  Also, all communication into and out of the parliament complex was to be restricted.  The President then called on the acting head of the RFMF for advice, the advice the President received was to do nothing.   

The President disagreed and stood his ground against Speight and his supporters. Senior army officers also stood their ground, which stopped the bulk of the army from backing Speight and his supporters.  Bainimarama, however, on his return from Norway, told the senior officers that the RFMF was supporting Speight. Not all officers went along with it.  A senior Colonel also challenged Bainimarama’s decision in front of other officers, and Bainimarama backed down.  

Bainimarama then tried to build support from within the  lower ranks by telling the rest of the CRW boys that they could take leave and go and join their comrades at the parliament complex.  A number of them went because of the strong bond they shared as a unit, but they later realised that they had been tricked and were being used. Captain Steven (CRW), who had just returned from a training exercise, ordered his men not to go to the parliament complex.  His men followed his orders and did the right thing.

But a few army officers moved freely between the parliament complex and the army camp at Nabua - under orders from Bainimarama.  A number of them stated later that they were confused as to which side the army was supporting.  There was no clear leadership from the camp – and from the Commander Bainimarama.

Without key support from the bulk of the officers and the army the coup was doomed and Ratu Epeli Nailatikau was forced to back-down and abandon Speight.  Speight was left to his own devices to deal with the situation.  CRW soldiers who had gone into parliament under Bainimarama’s orders all said later that they were waiting for Ratu Epeli Nailatikau to join them. He never did.  Ratu Epeli’s wife, Adi Koila, was also being held hostage in parliament.

Days later Bainimarama, in his second coup in 2000, overthrew his Commander in Chief of the RFMF and President of Fiji, Ratu Sir KKT Mara and declared martial law and placed Mr Qarase at the head of the interim government.

The 2000 coup had failed so Bainimarama, while trying to appear innocent, had to find a way out for himself.  He chose to divert all blame on to his CRW men whom he had ordered into parliament. The CRW soldiers became Bainimarama's scapegoats.  Ratu Silatolu, in a letter he wrote from prison to Bainimarama, referred to the CRW as Bainimarama’s sacrificial lambs.

Bainimarama, had hid cowardly behind his CRW soldiers and then had them arrested, beaten and tortured by the unwitting army who were clueless as to Bainimarama’s involvement in the 2000 coup.  Col Tarakinikini stated in his affidavit that Bainimarma wanted it all – to rule Fiji. 

The CRW were then imprisoned while Bainimarama was hailed as Fiji's saviour. Bainimarama did not save Fiji in 2000.  He was behind the 2000 coup.

Now Ratu Epeli Nailatikau is President, albeit illegal, Ratu Epeli Ganilau was a Minister in the junta, and Bainimarama is ruling Fiji as dictator (and also running from the law for crimes including treason, murder, corruption, illegally removing the President of Fiji  and sedition).

Missing from the picture is the opportunistic, vindictive and evil megalomaniac Khaiyum, who now has control of Bainimarama’s strings. Khaiyum wormed his way into becoming Bainimarama’s puppet master and has the job of keeping Bainimarama out of prison and swimming in the spoils from their corruption.

The interesting thing is that Bainimarama made it a point to be out of the country before the start of the 2000 coup, just as Ratu Epeli Nailatikau had done before the 1987 coup.

Ratu Epeli had gone overseas during a time of unprecedented turmoil in Fiji, to receive a small naval boat donated by the Australians.  Bainimarama on the other hand lied to his Commander in Chief, the President of Fiji, saying that all was well in Fiji and there was nothing to worry about.  There was unrest in the country and the President told him so and also questioned Bainimarama's decision to travel. But Bainimarama insisted that all was well in Fiji -and then he left to attend a standard conference in Norway.  The rest is history. Source: TruthforFiji

From Fijileaks Archive:

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History will he harsh when it reviews all the tyrannical decrees Nailatikau signed as President to remain at Government House

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11 Comments
Chiku
8/11/2015 07:38:24 pm

Rat U Epeli Nailatikau is a political parasite through and through. He is an elite accustomed to having the best life can offer AT PUBLIC EXPENSE. He has a long history of sponging on the people of Fiji. In his last coup installed position as president he tried to pretend he was a Man of the People - which he is not.
The only leader in post colonial Fiji who was genuinely a Man of the People was Dr Timoci Bavadra the democratically elected people centred Leader. He was removed from power by political rogues like Rat U Nailatikau because they found his people centred political philosophy an anethma to their own ELITIST idea of political rule.
History will always honour Dr Bavadra and history will remember Rat U as a political skunk.

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Fiji First Party
8/11/2015 08:58:47 pm

We made our last and a desperate Plea, to the President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, to SAVE the Peoples’ 1997 Constitution of Fiji but sadly,in vain.

….”However, Sir, without the validity of the 1997 Constitution, you would, unfortunately go down in people’s perception (and in history) as a ‘pretender President’ - who derived his powers not from the people’s Constitution but sadly from ‘lesser’ laws (decrees) - and which are tantamount to ‘self appointment’.

Sir, it is imperative (and indeed your Executive duty) to seek declaratory validation of the 1997 Constitution from the Supreme Court of Fiji which re-assures you of your rightful position as the ‘legitimate’ President of Fiji. Your position, your Excellency, is not only secured but becomes dignified by the 1997 Constitution. The 1997 Constitution is, indeed, a priori, an essential prerequisite for bringing into being an office of the Presidency.

In this manner, your Excellency would enjoy unquestionable and constitutional Presidential powers and an enhanced status which is devoid of any demeaning or derogatory connotations, as is always, associated with ‘decrees’ (despite its intentions –good or bad).

Sir, the 1997 Constitution would make you a much-loved peoples’ President, an ideal ‘peace-maker’ and a progressive ‘statesman’, who can lead us back to Constitutional and democratic rule, international respectability and economic prosperity.” [Fiji First Party ; Submissions to the President; 30th January 2013]

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Saamjha
8/11/2015 09:33:34 pm

Putting your plea to the coup installed President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau was a case of casting pearls before the swine. " your excellency " was not interested in doing the right thing by the constitution, the supreme law of the land nor by the people of Fiji. The political parasite was interested ONLY in feathering his own nest. " your excellency " is nothing but as Chiku describes him above a political skunk.

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Dekho
8/11/2015 09:06:40 pm

Thank you Truth for Fiji for the true insight and account of the role of rotten rats Frank Bainimarama and Epeli Nailatikau in the 2000"civilian" coup of George Speight. Everyone knows Speight was just the frontman and he had himself publicly stated he was waiting for the main man to arrive at the Parliamentary complex which he had takeover and where he held the Chaudhry government hostage. He also said the people of Fiji will be surprised by his identity.
There was speculation who the scoundrel was. But now we know. And I for one am not at all surprised. Ratu Epeli Nailatikau is a man without any integrity. He has been a key player in Fiji's dirty politics from the time of the first military coup of 1987 when he was the commander of the military who conveniently went overseas when the country was in political turmoil formented by the Fijian racists in the Taukei Movement of Ratu Inoke Kubuabola and company with the backing of the military and the defeated Alliance Party.

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And Don't Forget..
8/11/2015 09:41:25 pm

...the 1987 racist, coupist Jioji Con-rat (soon to be President) and that exposed balaclava falla who is posing as Fiji's Ambassador to China.

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ILO -Take Notice!
8/11/2015 09:33:29 pm

It is a shocking revelation about those FNPF Pensioners, retiring over the next four years, expecting a payout of less than $50k. We wonder far much less would those retiring after the next four years will get.

What makes this revelation even more shocking is the recent fact of how Bainimarama was shamelessly BRIBED from the FNPF funds for him and his family to see Rugby in London. Where is this man’s self-respect??

The FNPF was established as a Trust and the role of Government in it is to act as a Trustee, on behalf of and in the best interests of the Pensioners. But has the Government acted in the best interests of the Pensioners?? Then why, almighty, are the Pensioners’ being paid less than expected??

The administrative and investment decisions of the Trust are vested in the FNPF Board – which MUST (as law) be composed of representatives of the Employers, the Pensioners through their UNIONS and the Government. The composition of the FNPF Board has since 2009 been without the Worker (Pensioner) representatives and despite this anomaly the FNPF Board has made some daring and reckless investment decisions – like partnering with Sri Lankans in the Ports Authority venture.
The Government is divesting its loss making ventures onto the FNPF – On whose best interests??

The ILO needs to know all about the FNPF. FNPF needs to be a central item on the agenda, when ILO meets with the Government and the Unions soon.

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Bahuki
9/11/2015 04:32:25 am

Its a real shame that a good man like Nailatikau had just put his reputation to waste the moment he joined Frankie and AK-47's cronies.

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Dekho
9/11/2015 08:52:46 am

When was Nailatikau " a good man "?

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welcome Home
9/11/2015 07:13:07 am

There are Sins of Commission and Sins of Omission as we all should know (by now at any rate). When the bounded duty of those in positions of authority is to protect - and International Law now makes plain WHEN and HOW, then accountability kicks in. Have we felt 'protected' in the past fifteen years? Or more? If not WHY not? Do those who have omitted to exercise this Duty to Protect sleep at night?

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Mara.. Father in Law.. Son in Law Nailatikau
10/11/2015 08:18:40 am

The above two esteemed Chiefs are the cause of downward spiral of chiefly legacy starting 1987.
The sons of these Chiefs and Methodist Church will reminisce the self destruction for decades to come.
No one can guarantee future of the nation but the so called esteemed leaders heaped so much damage.

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Fools of Paradise
12/11/2015 01:55:36 am

Fiji leaks is just awesome

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