Minister of Foreign Affairs

11 April 2009 Media statement

Bainimarama's re-appointment a sham, says McCully

The re-appointment of Commodore Bainimarama as Fiji’s interim Prime Minister is a sham and the events that surround his appointment take his country down an even darker path, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said today.

"The extent to which the Commodore seems prepared to go to entrench himself and the military in power is unsettling.

"Abrogating the constitution, dismissing judges and now introducing emergency measures that curb the media and deny citizens freedom of political expression is a sorry recipe that has been tried by dictators in a number of other countries, always with tragic consequences.

"The United Nations and Commonwealth have rightly condemned these recent developments, which I'm sure will also be viewed with concern across the region.

"The interim government’s reaction to the appeal court decision will only harm the ordinary people of Fiji and alienate the international community even further,” Mr McCully said.

ENDS

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