Military sitting on time bomb

Issue No: 856; 15 June 2001

 
The Fiji military is sitting on a time-bomb, says a report written by a former soldier.

The solider, who has sympathies with the CRW unit soldiers who carried out a failed mutiny last November, says that unless the whole truth is revealed and those guilty of the 19 May and 2 November attempted coups are brought to justice, there is a great danger that a major and violent confrontation will erupt again.

The report states that the 2 November mutiny was caused by officers who couldnot achieve what they wanted on 19 May. It states: "In that [Board of Inquiry], which highlighted the involvement of senior officers. Col [Ulaiasi] Vatu's name was also mentioned as he was supposed to take over as Commander but this did not materialise for reason known to him."

"Not addressing the problem led again to Col Vatu's involvement in the November 2, 2000 mutiny."

"If we fail to solve the problem then expect something unusual again in the near future. The army must come down to earth and know the people have been following them very closely and what they have seen are facts. Its about time the military should stop their cover up formulas and resort from using all sorts of lies."

The report names numerous persons as being behind the terrorists. It concludes:

"History repeats itself most of the time and any right thinking citizen will always remember that. There is already a group of senior officers in camp who are not happy with Commodore Bainimarama's selection on Naval Commander Esala Teleni in the last UN postings. The same group did not agree on the latest appointment of another Naval officer Commander Viliame Naputo as Chief Operation officer."

"This is another 'time bomb' in the bag which will surely explode causing another stoppage."

The conclusion that another uprising is likely, is similar to a sworn statement by the military commander that another uprising is likely in Fiji soon. (see: http://www.pcgov.org.fj/hot_press/no768.htm)

 

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