FHRC releases 13 page report

The Fiji Human Rights Commission has today released a 13 page Special Investigations Report on alleged Australian intervention in Fiji in October to December 2006.

In the report the commission said the information they have gathered raises some very serious concerns about the presence of Australian SAS forces, warships and Black Hawks in Fiji in 2006.

It said clearly there needs to be some meaningful discussion in the forthcoming Pacific Island Forum meetings about the obligations of sovereign states to each other and the rights and duties of members of the sub-regional body under the UN Charter and relevant declarations. The UN Charter which was drafted after the end of World War 2 prohibits the use of force between nation states.

The Fiji Human Rights Commission report said that any inquiry into Australian presence within Fiji's territory from November to December 2006 should be considered taking into account that SAS Forces arrived in Fiji and Australia initially denied their presence. The FHRC said Australia only admitted that there were SAS Forces in Fiji after receiving a warning from the RFMF Commander that the troops will be treated as mercenaries.

The Human Rights Commission said any inquiry should also consider the statements by the Australian Defence Force that it sent warships etc to evacuate Australian nationals in the event of a coup. But two of the ships departed the Fiji waters on November 30th, 2006, five days before the takeover, presumably leaving the Australian nationals in Fiji to fend for themselves on December 5th, 2006.

The commission said Australia's claim that the warships were not in the Fiji waters should also be considered as they were located within the Fiji waters by civilian aircraft.

The FHRC Special Investigation Report said on December 5th, 2006 the then Australian PM, John Howard said he refused three requests from Laisenia Qarase for military intervention to end a coup. The report notes that Qarase has repeatedly said that he did not request military intervention.

It also highlights that the President as Head of State and Commander of the armed forces was unaware of any request made for military intervention.

Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, James Batley has refused to comment on the FHRC report.