Fijian PM Frank Bainimarama calls out the military after refusing to concede defeat

Frank Bainimarama cites unsubstantiated reports of ethnic violence as kingmaker party reconsiders decision to side with his rivals.

Frank Bainimarama after casting his vote on December 14. Picture: AFP

Fiji’s Prime Minister has called in the military to help maintain “security and stability,” as he continues to refuse to concede the general election.

Frank Bainimarama, who has led Fiji since coming to power in a 2006 military coup, cited unsubstantiated reports of ethnic violence following the general election as the reason for the deployment.

“So long as it is our responsibility to serve in government, we will fulfil our duty to every Fijian’s safety,” he said in his first public comments since the December 14 election.

The military call-out came as kingmakers Social Democrat Liberal Party (SODELPA),

which had helped Mr Bainimarama’s rival Sitiveni Rabuka over the line of the December 14 election, called a board meeting to reconsider its decision.

The vote had looked set to end Mr Bainimarama’s long rule, with the coalition cobbled together by Mr Rabuka – another former coup leader and ex-prime minister – securing the three SODELPA seats after his People’s Alliance and Mr Bainimarama’s FijiFirst and allies tied with 26 seats each in the new 55-member parliament.

However SODELPA is now claiming there were ‘anomalies and discrepancies’ in the decision to join Mr Rabuka’s coalition and is meeting again on Friday, amid tight security. Acting deputy leader Aseri Radrodro told Fijian media the sole agenda was to decide which party to join.

As the meeting started, a number of members who had supported the coalition with the People’s Alliance, were turned away on the basis that they weren’t board members. Acting Assistant Commissioner and Chief Operations Officer, Abdul Khan also resigned this morning “for personal reasons.”

Mr Bainimarama has consistently refused to acknowledge his rival’s victory and his allies have delayed the parliament sitting to nominate Mr Rabuka as the next prime minister.

Mr Bainimarama’s allies claimed attacks on the homes and businesses of Fijians of Indian descent had resulted in the military being called in.

Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho, who made the decision with Mr Bainimarama and Policing Minister Inia Seruiratu, said in a statement: “The continuous attacks on minority groups has aggravated the current tense situation.

“While the army and navy personnel have been called in to assist, police will continue to lead the overall security operations.”

Mr Qiliho claimed earlier to have unspecified “intelligence” about “planned civil unrest”, as he sought to justify the military deployment.

Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, another Bainimarama ally, said the Prime Minister and all ministers would remain in power until the parliament officially votes on a new prime minister.

History of coups

Fiji has been rocked by four coups – two of them launched by Mr Rabuka – and a military ­mutiny in the past 35 years. There are growing concerns Mr Bainimarama is preparing for the military to step into the political process again.

New Zealand’s foreign ministry was the first from a neighbouring country to urge restraint after news of the military deployment was made public. “We encourage all parties to allow the constitutional process to play out,” a ministry spokesperson said.

Fiji’s military commander Jone Kalouniwai is said to have assured foreign diplomats before the vote took place that a coup was not on the cards.

Jon Fraenkel, a professor at Victoria University of Wellington who has just returned from Fiji, said the military’s assurances “have to be very strongly questioned”.

While not an outright autocrat, Mr Bainimarama, 68, has frequently had his government use the legal system to sideline opponents, silence critics and muzzle the media.

Soon after the coalition deal was struck, police expressed concern about reports of post-election “stoning incidents” and violence against the Indo-Fijian minority, which has tended to support Mr Bainimarama.

The force later admitted the reports had not been fully investigated, but Mr Qiliho doubled down on claims of internecine strife on Thursday.

“More information and reports are received by the Fiji Police Force and Republic of Fiji Military Forces of threats made against minority groups who are now living in fear,” he said. “The continuous attacks on minority groups has aggravated the current tense situation.”

Those claims were rubbished by Mahendra Chaudhry, the country’s first Indo-Fijian prime minister, who was ousted in a 2000 coup. “I see no evidence of unrest here, people are calm and they are waiting for the President to convene parliament so that a prime minister is elected,” he said.

“I have no evidence of any unrest and nor do my people out in other districts. It’s not what we are hearing on the ground. The opposition got more votes and the constitution is very clear on the process to be followed in such a situation. The right thing now for everyone to do is to comply with the constitutional requirement.”

Mr Rabuka, 74, said on Thursday any reports of violent incidents were “disturbing”.

“I urge the people of Fiji to ­respect the rule of law, and to allow the political process to continue without hindrance,” he said.

“The coalition aspires to the peaceful transition of power.”

With AFP