Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Barker for his question and for his interest. I think many members of this House would have been, frankly, appalled by the scenes of senators in Fiji being forced out of parliament at gunpoint by armed soldiers. I am sure many members of the House saw that. I must say that I have also been very disturbed by reports of intimidation by the military of senior public servants and members of the media. One public servant was held to the ground and abused by a senior military officer. Overall, there has been substantial intimidation. The Australian government commends the bravery of those who are standing up to these morally corrupt actions. We continue to call on public servants and others in positions of authority in Fiji under the Fijian constitution to continue with passive resistance to Commodore Bainimarama’s actions and demands. I am very encouraged by the many Fijians who are prepared to do this and Australia should get behind them.

Of particular importance was the very welcome refusal by the Great Council of Chiefs to recognise the seizure of power by the military. The Great Council of Chiefs not only has a role within Fiji’s constitution but also is, for the indigenous Fijians, a peak traditional body. The Great Council of Chiefs has cancelled a meeting scheduled for next week which Commodore Bainimarama had hoped he could use to install his caretaker government. The fact is that nevertheless Commodore Bainimarama has dismissed some of the more prominent among his civilian critics including the acting police commissioner, the Solicitor-General and the chief executive officer of the Prime Minister’s office. He has become increasingly strident and aggressive in his statements directed at people—which is the vast majority of the Fijian people—who do not accept his preposterous takeover.

International condemnation is flowing in from America, Britain, New Zealand, France and the EU, but even in the Pacific from Papua New Guinea, Samoa and from countries further afield, like South Africa and Canada. I note that Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has said that the forcible and unconstitutional replacement of the government has raised serious concerns about the ability to guarantee rights and liberties. We will continue to call for passive resistance to this so-called administration. It is important that Australia stands by the ordinary people of Fiji and gives no comfort to a military dictator who is endeavouring to take over the country.

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