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Thursday 26 September 2013

PM Bainimarama Addresses UN General Assembly

Click here for the full address.

Fiji's interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, has used his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York to defend the coup that gave his regime power.

Commodore Bainimarama led the military coup against the government of Laesenia Qarase in December 2006, and was appointed as interim prime minister in 2007.
He's told the UN prior to the coup, Fiji was struggling under 'elites' that sowed the seeds of division and undermined independent institutions.
He says the previous coups, in 1987 and 2000, were expressions of the dysfunction.
"Tens of thousands of Fijians suffered and many made the decision to leave their home forever, to leave Fiji," he said.
"This is one of the most shameful episodes of our history and I determined that this must never, never happen again.
"We must never allow a fellow citizen to be second class, to be less than an equal of his neighbour."
Commodore Bainimarama also used the address to recommit to elections next year.
He says with his country's new constitution, which came into law this month and replaces the charter scrapped by the military-backed regime in 2009, "our national compass has finally been reset".
"43 years and three constitutions later, we finally have a Constitution that is worthy of the Fijian people," he said.
"It is a Constitution that meets the test of a genuine democracy that upholds the legal and moral basis of a common and equal citizenry without denying anyone's individuality or culture."
Commodore Bainimarama also expressed disappointment that Fiji has lost some of its traditional partners in the wake of the coup.
He drew parallels between the coup in Fiji and the US civil war, the French Revolution and Australia's Eureka Stockade.
"Regrettably, and to our great disappointment, some of these oldest friends had no faith in us," he said.
"They abandoned us and sought to punish us with sanctions - we sought their assistance and understanding, but they turned their backs on us.
"They chose to support a form of democracy, governance and justice in Fiji that they would never have accepted for themselves."

International role

Commodore Bainimarama says the isolation from their traditional friends has led Fiji to seek more independence and a stronger international standing.
He highlighted Fiji's role as chair of the G77+China and its position on the UN's Decolonisation Committee.
Commodore Bainimarama also pointed to the deployment of 500 peacekeepers to the Golan Heights this year.
"Fiji's commitment to UN peacekeeping remains unwavering," he said.
"It is a source of great pride that for a nation of our size, we are able to make a meaningful and significant contribution.
"For the last three decades, we have always responded to the call of the UN to serve, including in the most difficult circumstances around the world."
Commodore Bainimarama also pointed to his country's achievements in improving access to telecommunications.
And he's called on the UN members to follow through on commitments to sustainable development for small island states, and sustainable management of the oceans.

Source:  This account by ABC

Editors,
Good Morning. Attached is the amended version of the Prime Minister’s address delivered this morning (Fiji Time) at the 68th session of the United Nations’ General Assembly Debate in New York.
To access the video of his statement delivered in New York, please visit http://www.youtube.com/user/minfofiji to access this.
For more information, photos and other media materials related to this event, please visit Government’s page at www.fiji.gov.fj or the Ministry’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fiji-Ministry-of-Information/207532522613024
Vinaka,
MINFO News.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is the UN now endorsing dictators and military coups? What an impotent and irrelevant organisation it has been becoming in recent years? Syria is just one of the many examples of its recent failures.

Reality said...

No big deal - everyone gets a gig at the UN. Take this speach with a grain of salt - read his last ones and he has not delivered on previous promises and continues to try and rewrite history.

Frank and the military ARE the new ELITE and they sure as hell wont give up their power or money.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful, visionary speech! We can all be proud of this leader who has taken on the sinister elites of our beloved country and has handed power back to the people. Let us hope that he will stay on course and bring his revolution to an end. We do not need Australia, New Zealand or the EU to hand out help. We are a self sufficient nation with a strong economy managed by capable leaders. We have friends all around the world who do not interfere with our internal affairs. I sincerely hope that our leaders refrain from holding elections in 2014 as we cannot be sure what dirty tricks the opposition will play in order to discredit our leader. Already we see them bickering about the PM not declaring his assets, about the AG rigging the elections, about the government bribing villagers with water supply and power projects. How on earth can free and fair elections be held in such a bitter divisive atmosphere? All they will do is polarise the country further, provide a platform for the corrupt racist old politicians and throw dirt at the leaders we all support. Let us think in longer terms. Fiji needs another ten years of stability, of honest and transparent government, not a come back of dirty politicians through the back door of elections.

History repeats itself said...

Sounds like Gaddafi and the other feral dictators all over again?

Anonymous said...

Great speech. Anti govt people are just plain jealous of how well he delivered.

Fiji: Little India? Or Little Africa? said...

From c4.5 where there is apparently some soul-searching on:

On Sep 27 - Fiji Little Africa Commented on : aussie fijians to burn regime - "Fiji is not turning into 'Little India' as many falsely claimed. It is turning into Little Africa, with intra-ethnic tensions among natives, lack of growth, crime, unemployment and what not.Indians are getting out. So are smart Fijians and others. Soon country will be in the hands of semi-literate, foul, bloodthirsty, satanic, racist bigots who will turn against their own kind. If these backward people have their way, Fiji will soon become a Rwanda or Solomons, or PNG. In Rwanda it was Tutsi vs. Hutu. In Solomons Guadalcanal vs. Malaita. What will it be in Fiji when Indians are chased out? Lauans vs. kaicolo? This might be the fate of Fiji, becoming famous for its false christians, who are a minority. But just like muslim extremists and terrorists, they give entire Fijian race a bad name and put God's curse on all of us and the country for generations.

No room for Ostrich Syndrome said...

Multiple home invasions, failure to respond is a failure of the Duty to Protect. The Kenya experience needs close examination. Failure of security ahead of the Terrorist Attack is high-lighted. There can be no excuse for mangled Counter-terrorism/Counter-Organised Crime response at a high coherent and co-ordinated level. Post-traumatic Stress Counselling must be immediately available to all affected. The Ostrich Syndrome will simply not do. White Widow Red Alert now issued by INTERPOL. Samantha Lewthwaite has been 'out and about' since 7/7/2005.

baba said...

so he has learnt to speak...congrats barely a step in front of monkeys..This takes nothing away form his self appointment through his 'i won't leave so appiont me or else' treacherous behaviour through a senile president only to find more partonage from a self- serving 'president' who was also illegally appointed. Sorry all this technical law stuff is so inconveneient.