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Issue No: 979; 27 July 2001A key member of the terrorist group which took the elected government hostage last year has informed the Fiji media that a foreign nation and some businessmen had supported the deposition of the elected government. Metuisela Mua, the former head of the Fiji Intelligence Service and a prominent member of the terrorist group told the Radio Fiji on Wednesday: "People should be mindful that although some foreign countries were totally against the overthrow of the People's Coalition Government, some countries were backing us". Mua did not name the countries. The other media outlets in Fiji ignored the revelation. The Daily Post wrote one sentence on this. Many people, including the People's Coalition Government, have stated that the terrorist activities were masterminded by agents who had an interest in exploiting Fiji's mahogany forests. A prominent American company, the Timber Resources Management Ltd had invested a lot of money in getting the mahogany deal, but its proposal was still being considered by the elected government. The TRM company was backed by the US Ambassador to Fiji, one Osman Saddique. It is believed that members/supporters of the terrorist group had met Saddique before they sprang into action. It is also known that Saddique had also asked for an emergency meeting with the Prime Minister where he had tried to seek the PM's views on the preparedness of the government for any likely upheaval. Mua has also stated that one of the foreign investors supporting the terrorists was ready to pump in $1/2 billion if the terrorists' political party the Conservative Alliance, forms the new government. Meanwhile it is believed that some foreign investors are heavily funding the political parties opposed to the Fiji Labour Party. One investor has block-booked numerous rooms in a top-class hotel in Fiji for the exclusive use of the leaders of one political party. The same person reportedly funded the expensive launch of the New Labour Unity Party formed by Tupeni Baba. The breakaway party distributed 1,000 hot dogs, 1,000 t-shirts and numerous rugby balls at the launch. It also had hired prominent musicians costing the party $14,000. Analysts believe that the move by the foreign investors is
essentially to see that the Fiji Labour Party does not get in to power. The FLP
is the only party which is clean and transparent in the country, and had not
been bought or influenced by corrupt commercial interests. |
People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands |