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Issue No: 593; 15 March 2001The military has strongly denied a report in yesterday's Fiji Times that it is aware of the President's decision being outside the law. In its lead story on the appointment of Ratu Tevita Momoedonu by the then Acting President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, the paper wrote: "A senior military officer said the security forces were aware that the decisions taken by the President was outside the law". The reporter, Margaret Wise, quoted the officer as saying: "We are aware that it might be outside the provisions of the Constitution but this is the least worst option that can be taken to return the country to parliamentary rule within the shortest time. We are choosing the lesser of two evils". In a statement taken out by
the regime yesterday, the military condemned the report and the reporter. The
statement, refuting the allegations, said: "Through a statement, army
spokesman, Captain Ned Taito stated that the reporter claimed to have quoted
from unofficial sources which the RFMF considers as slanderous." If the
threat is any action outside the law, then this is reprehensible, however mischievious
the reporter may have been. That we now have a leading
newspaper almost claiming that the military endorsed the unconstitutional acts
of the President, and the military denying any such endorsement, is a serious
matter. If it hasn't, as the government statement stated, then this is of concern. By not advising the President of the illegalities of his planned actions, the military has failed in its duty to be true to their oath, to uphold the Constitution and to safeguard the integrity of the Office of the President. It has also failed to prevent the Office of the President from being used by unscrupulous politicians and bureaucrats and in the process seriously tarnishing the image of the President and the military. Claims that the military may be a party to the decisions and that this is another "bloodless coup" which has been carried out in the country with the willing hand of the military, need to be laid to rest by the military. |
People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands |