Issue No: 713; 30 April 2001

Former President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara says that Sitiveni Rabuka and Isikia Savua were involved in the 19 May attempted coup.

In an interview for a TV documentary, extracts of which were shown last night on Fiji TV in its Closeup Program, Mara says that a day after the terrorists took over the Parliament Complex, he looked at Rabuka and Savua and said: "You had a hand in this". Mara further says that though the two defended their actions, their faces revealed all.

Mara also says that after the terrorists struck, the first person to call him was Rabuka who said: "I am ready". When he asked ready for what, Rabuka said that there was something happening at the Parliament. This was at around 11am. The terrorists had struck just minutes before 11am.

Mara also says that he cant say that even his permanent secretary Jo Browne was loyal. He said that Browne had rushed to him on the day he was evacuated from Government House and told him that his family was already on the Navy boat and that he was to go there as well. He said he didn't give him a chance to think.

[It is known that numerous calls were made by terrorist George Speight to Jo Browne minutes after the terrorists had stormed into the Parliament. Browne was the person who had sent the street protesters to the Parliament Complex- editor]

Mara further revealed that on the evening of 29th May, a delegation comprising Rabuka, Savua, military commander Frank Bainimarama, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, and 4 officers, of whom two were Ulaisi Vatu and Ione Naivalurua, came on board the navy's vessel Kiro and asked him in the traditional manner "to stand aside" while they settle the problem. When asked by the interviewer that as the Commander-in-Chief he could have sacked them all, Mara replied that it would have been an exercise in futility. He said if he resisted, "who will be with me" since all the senior officers were asking him to step aside - the military commander, the police commissioner, the senior officers.

Mara also said that Rabuka's 7 years in power had shown that he could not run the country.

He also stated that Police Commissioner had met Joji Konrote and Ilisoni Ligairi on the Tuesday before the attempted coup. Ligairi was the military in charge of the terrorists on the Parliamentary Complex.

On TV last night, both Rabuka and Savua denied their involvements.