Fiji Coup: Helen Clark and Winston Peters announced on Wednesday a range of sanctions against Fiji, describing the actions of Fiji's Commodore Bainimarama and his soldiers as disgraceful and grossly illegal. She also front-footed support for any elements in the Fijian military that might choose to overthrow the Commodore and return the elected government to power.

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Helen Clark said: "Fiji did return reasonably speedily to constitutional government after the 2000 coup. The irony is that Mr Bainimarama as head of the force was one of the ones who was facilitating that. One of the tragedies of Fiji's history is to see the man who opposed Mr Speight, the coup leader, end up as Speight number two within six years.

"We believe that the fate of Fiji is now in the hands of Fiji people, we do wonder whether there are within the Republic of Fiji Military Force senior officers who are warm to the oath of allegiance to which they swore to the constitution who are prepared to tap the commander on the shoulder and say that he is no longer in charge," Helen Clark said.

The comment was carefully considered and a reiteration of what Helen Clark said on national radio earlier in the day. Some may accuse the Prime Minister of stimulating revolt or mutiny in Fiji, a dangerous course to pursue. But the comment is more a demonstration of how dangerous this situation is before a wider Pacific – a region that is already unstable from almost every corner.

The stance rests true to what the New Zealand Government stated on Tuesday; that only Fiji's peoples can resist the military in its push to take control of the country – both New Zealand and Australia have shied away from deploying armed military assistance to the elected Fiji government – Helen Clark's stance is also a demonstration of the depths New Zealand is prepared to go in influencing the course of Fiji's short to medium-term future.

"There is also the issue of widespread support in Fiji for the course of democracy and one can only be impressed at the courage of people across the board from the acting Police Commissioner, to the Great Council of Chiefs, church leaders… media, non governmental organizations, political parties people who have spoken up. It will very much depend on events of the coming days and weeks as to whether this coup fizzles out of whether Fiji is in for a long period of tragedy…

But Fiji's self appointed new president, Commander Frank Bainimarama warned against any group moving against his junta. FijiLive reported Bainimarama stating: "Should we be pushed to use force, let me state we will do so very quickly," he said. "And in addition we will put into place security measures like install curfews that will restrict us in living our normal lives.I reiterate that the military will suppress any uprising against us. The military is staying the course that we have set and we will never give up the fight," Commodore Bainimarama said.

But back in New Zealand, Helen Clark added: "As Mr Peters said today, these measures announced today bite the Fijian military. If the Fijian military cannot get training, and the United States has made statements about that today, Australia has made statements, we [New Zealand] have made statements – over time it becomes a less useful force internationally. Now that carries quite serious career implications for Fiji military officers. It is a very different career if you never leave your island," Helen Clark said.

Winston Peters added: "When the members of the military, from the top all the way down to the bottom peeling potatoes realize that their pay, their career, their medals, their promotions are all on the line now – then they may have second thoughts about what they are doing."

While the United Nations is slow to expel Fiji's soldiers from peacekeeping operations worldwide, Helen Clark said, the Pacific Islands Forum may send Fijian soldiers home from the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI): "The Pacific Islands Forum may wish to address the issue of regional forces. Because there may be somewhat of an irony that Fiji forces are in the Solomon Islands defending stability, security, and democracy, when they have just jumped it at home," Helen Clark said.

SANCTION DETAILS: In response to events in Fiji, Helen Clark and Winston Peters announced a range of sanctions against Fiji and those associated with the coup.

The Prime Minister has described the actions of Fiji's Commodore Bainimarama and the Fiji military as disgraceful and grossly illegal.

During the press conference she expressed support for any elements in the Fijian military that might overturn the Commodore and restore the elected government.

Under the sanctions, ministerial contact with any new regime will be limited to dialogue and mediation purposes, and members of any purported government and the Fijian military will not be permitted to travel to New Zealand.

Fiji will be suspended from special immigration access schemes and military training schemes in NZ. Fijians will not be allowed to enter NZ for the purpose of sport, unless international or legal obligations require otherwise.

New development and training assistance to Fiji is frozen and under review.

New Zealand will work with the international community to explore issues such as Fiji's chairing of the Pacific Islands Forum and the role of Fijian peacekeepers abroad.

Press Conference Audio:
Scoop Streaming Audio: PM, Foreign Minister Announce Fiji Sanctions
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ALSO:

Scoop Audio: (click here to listen) Selwyn Manning reports on Radio Adelaide that NZ PM Helen Clark has said Fijian military who remain loyal to their constitution should tell Bainimarama he has been replaced.

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