Reconsider Peacekeeping Role-PCRC

The Pacific Concerns Resource Centre has called on the United Nations to seriously consider the links between Fiji's peacekeeping role and the cycle of coups inflicted by the Fiji Military Force.

Spokesperson Ema Tagicakibau’s comments come in response to the plea by Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama to the UN General Assembly last week that the opportunity should be extended to Fiji to participate in new peacekeeping missions.

Tagicakibau said the experience, knowledge and skills acquired by Fiji peacekeepers in those conflict zones are being put into practice with such ease and confidence in the staging of coups in Fiji.

She added this can be seen as a downside of UN peacekeeping operations.

She said the credibility of the UN will be at stake if it turns a blind eye to the fact that those professional peacekeepers are the very ones breaking the peace at home.