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Today’s Fiji Times (12 Nov) has published a long
interview with the Military Commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama. We reproduce
here the extracts of the interview which throws light on the forces behind the
attempted coups. The message is clear: sections of the military were politicised
by forces outside the military. The hint that former Prime Minister, Sitiveni
Rabuka is the key outside force trying to use the military to gain political
supremacy, comes out most strongly.
On the 2 Nov. attempted coup:
“A few Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit members thought
they could take control of the army camp. These e=inexperienced and naïve
soldiers were influenced buy outside forces. The army is concerned because the
police investigations are almost over and many of these people causing unrest
have been implicated. These people think that by removing me from office they
will be able to change the Government”
On role of Captain Shane Stevens:
“Shane, I am made to believe, was a traitor. Even during
the coup [19 May] he was hiding the guns form me, something that I was later
told by my officers. They said that Shane didn’t seem to make up his mind on
which side to be on and that I should have never trusted him. What happened on
Thursday was poorly planned. We are concerned because there are people out there
who do not know the power of the army and what can happen in such operations…
The CRW guys were naïve enough to allow themselves to be influenced by outside
forces – the same naivety took them to Parliament. These outside forces tend
to believe that if I am removed the police will not arrest them for their role
in the May 19 coup. What a sick and stupid idea. Even if I die whoever takes
over from me will see that these guys answer for their actions. They are scared
and they want to disrupt the army because we are the only ones supporting the
police force with their investigations. The police are scared to work alone and
without our manpower they are crippled.
On power of the military:
“.. Before Thursday I remember vividly how one of the
officers asked me in one of the messes I visited whether there would be another
coup. I want to emphasis to everyone that no one can ever break the army.
That’s why I was so upset then Capitan Shane Stevens thought the mutiny
attempt could be successful. I asked him where on earth he bought the idea from
that 50 CRW men could cripple the army? This naivety we are cautious about
because there are still some people out there trying to destabilise an
institution like the FMF… These CRW men forgot how the army accepted them
after the coup even though they would be charged within and investigations were
continuing”.
ON his plan to disband CRW:
“They knew nothing about the disband. I only disbanded
them on Friday after the mutiny attempt on Thursday although there were talks
about it, nothing concrete had been determined…”
“… the main reason why we did not disband them immediately was
because of their specialised training. But the CRW knew the unit would
eventually be scrapped. The question was when? The problem is that there are
people influencing this unit. They did not expect bloodshed that day. They
thought that the vanua would support them after the mutiny and that the
whole idea was like playing cowboys. The CRW men had taken over my office, the
national operations center and the armoury but they must not forget that the
army does not exist only in Nabua. Even if I was shot there would be someone
else to replace me and their plans would have backfired. But if I was shot the
killing would have continued until today. This is what the outside forces were
not aware of. There were using the inexperienced men to do something very
stupid.
On the mutineers’ plan:
“There were plans to kill me and my senior officers and
anyone in the way. They planned to take over the camp until the civilian support
came in. But if these civilians came in they would have died in hundreds because
Fijians are only united when it comes to hating Indians. Hating the Indians is
an excuse to unite us.”
On the outside forces trying to divide:
“Everything including the coup is the result of some
greedy people out there with their own agendas. These people instigate unrest
and then they run away. When things become calm they shake it again. They are
even trying to overthrow the military thinking it would have been a picnic… we
know they were involved during the [19 May] coup and that is why the police are
after them…. These elements don’t like the President. They are Speight’s
supporters and they hate Qarase and his ministers. They can’t let the police
department carry on with their role. They can’t accept the fact that all these
positions cannot be reversed and whether they like it or not life has to go on.
The army will stand by the Government and protect it all the way until the next
elections. But there are still some power hungry people out there trying to get
in. There seems to be a big black cloud hovering over our country…”
On whether Tarakinikini and Vatu are implicated:
“Yes. Their names have been mentioned by Stevens and that
is why they have been removed indefinitely. But there are others out there and
we know about their roles. They will all soon be questioned when investigations
are completed.”
On Sitiveni Rabuka:
“He really confuses the army that man. That is why I have
ordered him out from any of our military premises until our investigations are
over. First of all he came over to the camp uninvited on Thursday. I didn’t
invite him and neither did Home Affairs. He said Mataiasi Lomaloma invited him
but Mataiasi has no authority to do so and he does not represent Home Affairs.
[Lomaloma is Rabuka’s cousin and deputy Secretary in Home Affairs minister –
Webmaster] Anyway he has no authority to invite Rabuka unless I authorise it.
Rabuka’s words to one of my colonels at the height of the shootings raised my
suspicion. He said the colonel should listen to his instructions. Rabuka
suggested to that Colonel on Thursday that he could easily change to army
uniform and be the Commander once again [Rabuka reportedly was carrying his army
uniform in his vehicle – webmaster]. He also criticised my leadership and that
is very sick for a former commander to condemn another commander’s leadership
skills. That’s why I said he brought confusion to the camp because his words
were misleading and deceiving. But a few days later he was on radio supporting
my leadership.”
On Commander escaping from the barracks:
“We were not facing war or a natural disaster. We were
faced with murderers bent to kill. I had to leave the premises although I
hesitated initially but my security advised me to leave and give orders from a
distance. And that was what I did. Why I said these men were in to kill because
even an unarmed soldier who was sleeping was shot…
On army intelligence :
“Well, they had bits and pieces of information but they
never expected what happened.”…..
On CRW men getting weapons:
“They went to clean their guns which were returned from
Parliament. In the process they tied those that were there in charge of the
ammunitions and removed what they used”.
On solving the problems:
“The Great Council of Chiefs, police, army and the
judiciary if they play their parts will be able to bring unity, law and order.
The police are, the army had some problems and the GCC contains some traitors.
The chiefs have got to learn to be open and honest at all times otherwise they
can instigate a lot of division and hate among Fijians.
On CRW supporting the terrorists:
“One of my officers summed it all up by sayng that if
there was no CRW there would have been no coup [10 May] and no mutiny attempt. I
agree with him. Rabuka has politicised them. When Ilisoni Ligairi used them
during the coup I was very disappointed and ashamed. I even called him up and
told him how ashamed I was. Ligairi said that if I was ashamed then I
shouldn’t identify myself as a Fijian. I don’t know what Ligairi knows about
us Fijians. For someone like him who had spent most of his life in England to
return and say he was fighting for indigenous people is questionable. What does
he know about the indigenous people anyway?….
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People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands |
