Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara was warning of the danger of the "Red Peril", "With me gone, they think they can pick off the island states separately and gain a permanent foothold in the South Pacific";
he also accused the Indian High Commission in Suva of secretly aiding the Russians in Fiji, often called the 'Little India of the Pacific"; Ratu Mara had controversially accused NFP/WUF Coalition, led by the then NFP leader Siddiq Koya of forging the link through the so-called "Koya Letter". As expected, Koya denied the allegations and called the letter forgery and in evidence before the 1982 Royal Commission of Inquiry suggested that it was manufactured in preparation for the Fijian military overthrow of the new NFP government if the Alliance Party lost the 1982 general election; he further claimed the CIA was prepared to help in the planned coup
The late Siddiq Koya addressing a rally during the 1982 general election
Extracted from Victor Lal's book
Fiji: Coups in Paradise - Race, Politics and Military Intervention,
Ratu Mara campaigning during the 1982 election
 |  |
Dinger to Washington after Bainimarama's 2006 coup:
Interim PM "Firm" in His Directive to Remove Barriers But Willing to Give Diplomacy a Shot
Parmesh Chand, the PM Office Permanent Secretary, met with the Ambassador again on 4/18, accompanied by MFA PermSec Ross Ligairi. Chand said Commodore Bainimarama is still firm in his desire to remove barriers on Loftus Street and open the street to traffic. Nevertheless, he has agreed to delay action to remove the barriers for the time being so that further bilateral discussions can take place. Friday, April 20 is no longer a deadline. Chand said Bainimarama wants to know if the U.S. can see any other options to protect the Embassy, short of keeping the barriers in place. One idea, said Chand, might be to increase police presence in the area, including erecting a police post on the street corner. Chand emphasized that the interim government is willing to be "flexible" as to the time frame for removing the barriers while the two sides try to work out a solution. 3. (C) The Ambassador replied that, from the U.S. perspective, the best solution would be to extend the time the barriers are in place by two years, at which time the Embassy will be prepared to move into a new building, assuming the "NEC visa" issue can be resolved. The Ambassador noted that the presence of a police post, without barriers at which cars are stopped and checked, would only result in more deaths to Fiji citizens if a terrorist attack on the Embassy takes place. The Ambassador admitted he is not a security expert and promised to advise Washington of the interim government's request for "more options." However, he expressed pessimism that any solution which permits a free flow of traffic will be satisfactory. Chand said he understands, but underscored that he is attempting to find a diplomatic solution. While the interim PM remains "pretty firm" on the need to open the street, the fact that he has welcomed continued discussion is significant. In late p.m. when a news website reported Chand saying discussions had taken place but the Friday deadline remains in place, we phoned Chand, who said, no, he had briefed Bainimarama who had agreed that, with diplomacy continuing about "compromises," Friday is not the deadline. - Larry Dinger to Washington after the 2006 coup
Interim PM "Firm" in His Directive to Remove Barriers But Willing to Give Diplomacy a Shot
Parmesh Chand, the PM Office Permanent Secretary, met with the Ambassador again on 4/18, accompanied by MFA PermSec Ross Ligairi. Chand said Commodore Bainimarama is still firm in his desire to remove barriers on Loftus Street and open the street to traffic. Nevertheless, he has agreed to delay action to remove the barriers for the time being so that further bilateral discussions can take place. Friday, April 20 is no longer a deadline. Chand said Bainimarama wants to know if the U.S. can see any other options to protect the Embassy, short of keeping the barriers in place. One idea, said Chand, might be to increase police presence in the area, including erecting a police post on the street corner. Chand emphasized that the interim government is willing to be "flexible" as to the time frame for removing the barriers while the two sides try to work out a solution. 3. (C) The Ambassador replied that, from the U.S. perspective, the best solution would be to extend the time the barriers are in place by two years, at which time the Embassy will be prepared to move into a new building, assuming the "NEC visa" issue can be resolved. The Ambassador noted that the presence of a police post, without barriers at which cars are stopped and checked, would only result in more deaths to Fiji citizens if a terrorist attack on the Embassy takes place. The Ambassador admitted he is not a security expert and promised to advise Washington of the interim government's request for "more options." However, he expressed pessimism that any solution which permits a free flow of traffic will be satisfactory. Chand said he understands, but underscored that he is attempting to find a diplomatic solution. While the interim PM remains "pretty firm" on the need to open the street, the fact that he has welcomed continued discussion is significant. In late p.m. when a news website reported Chand saying discussions had taken place but the Friday deadline remains in place, we phoned Chand, who said, no, he had briefed Bainimarama who had agreed that, with diplomacy continuing about "compromises," Friday is not the deadline. - Larry Dinger to Washington after the 2006 coup
