To read in full, click here.
Kevin Rudd's main points (with my attempts to correct inaccuracies appended) were:
"It is not the Forum which has walked away from Fiji ...Bainimarama [did not attend] the last two Forum Leaders meetings ... no constructive engagement with the Forum’s Ministerial Contact Group ... has visited Fiji twice ...the officials-level Fiji/Forum Joint Working Group remains in existence – but Fiji has stopped attending its meetings."
" ... the real tragedy is what is occurring on the ground to the good and proud people of Fiji ... he has moved to sack the judiciary, censor the media, prohibit free assembly and step up intimidation of the Fijian people. All the normal checks and balances on government have now been eliminated." [cw. Yes, this is very serious, but the judges were not sacked and all checks have not been "eliminated." The judges were appointed under 1997 Constitution provisions, and their appointments lapsed with its Abrogation. New judges are now being appointed. Hopefully, checks and balances will be progressively restored when the Emergency Regulations cease.]
"The political crackdown is compounded by the incalculable damage ... to Fiji’s economy ... more vulnerable to the current global economic crisis ... poverty has never been higher ...40 basic-needs poverty 40 percent ..."
"Cdre Bainimarama is ignoring the major political parties in Fiji... he is now publicly saying that elections won’t be held until 2014. Privately, he is telling his military that it may take up to ten years. This is the behaviour of a military junta."[cw.Not in private; at a military parade. He actually said ten years -- if this is what it took.]
"The people and their representatives must be part of the process of governing Fiji. We don’t think genuine reform can be achieved through threats and force. We don’t think the rule of law can be strengthened by breaking the law. We don’t think accountability can be strengthened by arbitrary rule. But we do think that the longer elections are delayed in Fiji, the worse Fiji’s problems will get." [cw. I doubt any moves would have been made towards "genuine reform" had Qarase remained in power. Where were you then, Australia?]
"... There is no credibility to the interim government’s claim that, of those people who were consulted about the People’s Charter, over 92 per cent approved of it. In any event it is absurd to suggest that up to five more years are needed to prepare for elections."[cw: I thought the overall claim was 60% plus. The "need" is for time to re-educate people away from race-bound thinking, racially divisive political parties and racially arranged elections. ]
"Electoral reform was on the agenda of Fiji’s political dialogue process, a process which was cut short on 9 April." [cw: Bainimarama made several unwise moves regarding the Political Party Leaders' meetings and the President's Political Dialogue Forum, but the Australian Appeal judges must bear some responsibility for the precipitous foreclosure. They denied Government the right to appeal. Lawyers had warned them of possible consequences.]
"Australia will continue to seek constructive ways of helping ... continue our targeted sanctions against regime leaders and supporters ...maintaining significant support ... in the areas of health, education and humanitarian relief. Australia also stands ready to provide significant economic assistance to Fiji to assist it through its current economic problems provided there is a restoration of democracy. This would include support for elections and would also extend well beyond this, to help rebuild Fiji’s broken economy."
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