We must keep reminding the old and the new generation the pain, distress, depression, suicides, migration, brain drain, evictions, shattered dreams, ruined careers, disrupted education, disenfranchisement, learned helplessness, silent tears, ripped hearts and general thuggery - rape, robbery, and beatings - by this Father of Coups hiding behind IMMUNITY. He must never be allowed to rule Fiji, based on his 1987 to 1999 CV, which is ZILCH
The PEOPLE'S ALLIANCE LAUNCH |  |
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 |   The late Professor Anthony Kirk-Greene (1925-2018) |
Fijileaks: In 1990, a leading Professor of African History at the University of Oxford, and a former colonial administrator in Nigeria, ANTHONY KIRK-GREENE (1925-2018) had passed to our Founding Editor-in-Chief a typescript of the above article by YAW SAFFU on 'Changing civil-military relations in Fiji' for comments. An expert on Nigerian military intervention in politics, the African chiefs, emirs, and colonial governors in Africa (some had served in Fiji), Professor Kirk-Greene had exchanged many intimate insights on the African military - "Men On Horseback" - with our Editor-in-Chief during the writing up of his study, "Fiji's Racial Politics - The Coming Coup" (completed in 1986; and later published as Fiji: Coups in Paradise - Race, Politics and Military Intervention)
CHANGING CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS IN FIJI
By YAW SAFFU, 1990
*There are several other indicators of the growth of the power of the military since the coups.
*First, the military imposed conditions when handing over ogvernment back to the Ratus in December 1987. These included regular consultations with senior army officers on government policy, and the exclusion of Labour Party/NFP Coalition members from the Cabinet
*The draconian Internal Security Decree of June 1988, following the discovery of arms were being smuggled into Fiji, widened the scope of immunity for the military and other security agencies, giving their overall head, the Minister of Home Affairs, no other than Rabuka, virtually totalitarian powers
* Second, the RFMF has expanded enormously, from 2500 at the beginning of 1987, to over 6000 by the end of the year, with a corresponding increase in defense expenditure, in a period of extreme financial austerity, indicated by two devaluations amounting to over 30%, and public service salary cuts of the order of 15 percent. By the end of 1987, defence expenditure was double the budgetary allocation for the year. By 1989 budgetary allocation for defence had overtaken that for health.
*The increase in military personnel and expenditure reflected the wish of the military leaders to penetrate society to control it, in the context of post-coup security needs. Rabuka's determination to give the military forces a vanguard role in the economy, such as the Indonesian army plays in the Indonesian economy
* Third, the 1989 Auditor-General's Report gives a clear indication of the military's view of itself as now beyond accountability. The military authorities are refusing to submit the increased military spending to audit inspection. According to the Report, accounting records of the RFMF, including those of the Auxillary Unit, had not been audited "due to the situation prevailing in the country from May 1987".
*The Report indicates, however, that an internal Finance Ministry inspection of the RFMF accounts and records in June 1988 uncovered "major items of defect" which the Report itemized, and on which queries had been raised but to which no replies had been received.
*The military authorities have shown in other spheres their sense of impunity and their reluctance to abide by the law. While several decrees have given the military enormous powers, even more powers have been acquired and exercised by military personal without legal backing.
*The same sense of impunity, of being beyond accountabilty, has characterised the military authorities' recruitment and promotion practices, both within the military, which has become very politicized, and in the wider public service.
*Rabuka personally invited several ex-military personnel back to be re-commissioned, the so-called "Sill Got Your Uniform Brigade'. Lt Col Edward Kikau Tuivanuavou exemplifies the membership of that brigade.
By YAW SAFFU, 1990
*There are several other indicators of the growth of the power of the military since the coups.
*First, the military imposed conditions when handing over ogvernment back to the Ratus in December 1987. These included regular consultations with senior army officers on government policy, and the exclusion of Labour Party/NFP Coalition members from the Cabinet
*The draconian Internal Security Decree of June 1988, following the discovery of arms were being smuggled into Fiji, widened the scope of immunity for the military and other security agencies, giving their overall head, the Minister of Home Affairs, no other than Rabuka, virtually totalitarian powers
* Second, the RFMF has expanded enormously, from 2500 at the beginning of 1987, to over 6000 by the end of the year, with a corresponding increase in defense expenditure, in a period of extreme financial austerity, indicated by two devaluations amounting to over 30%, and public service salary cuts of the order of 15 percent. By the end of 1987, defence expenditure was double the budgetary allocation for the year. By 1989 budgetary allocation for defence had overtaken that for health.
*The increase in military personnel and expenditure reflected the wish of the military leaders to penetrate society to control it, in the context of post-coup security needs. Rabuka's determination to give the military forces a vanguard role in the economy, such as the Indonesian army plays in the Indonesian economy
* Third, the 1989 Auditor-General's Report gives a clear indication of the military's view of itself as now beyond accountability. The military authorities are refusing to submit the increased military spending to audit inspection. According to the Report, accounting records of the RFMF, including those of the Auxillary Unit, had not been audited "due to the situation prevailing in the country from May 1987".
*The Report indicates, however, that an internal Finance Ministry inspection of the RFMF accounts and records in June 1988 uncovered "major items of defect" which the Report itemized, and on which queries had been raised but to which no replies had been received.
*The military authorities have shown in other spheres their sense of impunity and their reluctance to abide by the law. While several decrees have given the military enormous powers, even more powers have been acquired and exercised by military personal without legal backing.
*The same sense of impunity, of being beyond accountabilty, has characterised the military authorities' recruitment and promotion practices, both within the military, which has become very politicized, and in the wider public service.
*Rabuka personally invited several ex-military personnel back to be re-commissioned, the so-called "Sill Got Your Uniform Brigade'. Lt Col Edward Kikau Tuivanuavou exemplifies the membership of that brigade.
